Before answering the question of what is makta, it is necessary to talk about the art of calligraphy that brought mak into our lives. The art of calligraphy, which we inherited from the Ottomans, is the art of beautiful writing, also known as calligraphy. This art, which produces unique works with only a pen and paper, is performed with Arabic letters. When the tailed and dotted letters in the Arabic alphabet come together with the creativity of the calligrapher, the result is a visual feast. Calligraphy is one of the best ways to bring writings such as verses, hadiths, odes and wise sayings to a visual dimension. Although its main material is paper and pen, many auxiliary materials are also used in the execution of calligraphy, and mak is one of them. The answer to the question of what is makta used for is briefly: It is a tool made of ivory or bone on which the pen is placed to sharpen the tips of reed pens used in the execution of calligraphy. We have prepared an informative article for you, starting with the history of calligraphy and finally answering questions such as where to buy makta.
What is Calligraphy?
Calligraphy, which emerges from the harmony of Arabic letters, lines and dots, is a harmonious and aesthetic form of writing. Calligraphy, which allows verses, hadiths, poems and wise sayings to be written on paper in an aesthetic way and is among the most special gifts today, is performed by calligraphers trained in a master-apprentice relationship. There are no strict rules in calligraphy, calligraphy, which is of interest to people with manual skills, developed visual sense and high creativity, has become a branch of art that many people are interested in. Calligraphy, which is performed not only on paper but also on surfaces such as porcelain and fabric, refers to the visualization of letters. Calligraphy works, which are perceived as a showy embroidery by the first eye, are essentially composed of meaningful texts.
Calligraphy, which has many meanings such as writing, path and road in its dictionary meaning, is performed on transforming texts into aesthetically beautiful shapes. In short, the main subject of calligraphy consists of a meaningful word or sentence. Calligraphy requires both manual skill and creativity in order to turn letters into a whole that appeals to aesthetic senses. Calligraphers use their creativity to bring letters together with various lines, tails and rings. In calligraphy, where black is mostly used, many different colors are used, from red to green and even pink.
How is Calligraphy Done?
Beautiful, impressive and fascinating examples of calligraphy are met with great interest and curiosity by almost everyone. Calligraphy is an endeavor that can be easily taken care of by everyone because it does not have very strict rules. Although it does not have many rules, calligraphy also has essentials, these are; manual dexterity and creativity. It is necessary to use the letters that will form the word or sentence freely and creatively in order to make them an aesthetic whole. Knowing the Arabic letters is also very important in order to be able to perform calligraphy.
After obtaining the necessary materials to practice calligraphy, you should visualize the letters in your mind and try to combine them in a certain harmony. Then, you should relax your wrist and move the pen freely on the paper without pressing too hard. In short, the simplest answer to the question of how calligraphy is done is your creativity. Of course, the quality of the materials used is also an extremely important issue.
What are the materials used in calligraphy?
Like every branch of art, calligraphy also requires various materials for its execution. It is important to use technical paper and pens, especially if you are interested in this branch of art as a professional rather than an amateur. Technical papers, also known as sketch paper, are important for creating beautiful works.
The most important materials of calligraphy, which is a writing art, are undoubtedly pens. A pen that has the ability to reveal different forms and shapes is needed for a writing that looks pleasing to the eye. Calligraphy pens are usually made of wood. These pens, which remind us of a tree branch at first glance, are distinguished from others by their flat and crooked tips. Pens with high liquid retention rates are recommended to prevent the ink from draining quickly onto the paper. You also need to buy a quality ink with ideal fluidity for calligraphy. In addition to paper, pen and ink, auxiliary materials such as inkwell, lika, bur, pencil sharpener, mak, and pendan are also needed to perform calligraphy.
What is Makta?
The literal meaning of the word makta is a tool on which cutting is done. The origin of the word is mikta, which comes from the root “katt”, meaning to cut or carve. Maktas are usually a plate made of bone or ivory, 2-3 mm thick, 2-3 cm wide and 10-20 cm long. There were also short ones shaped like leaves.
These are connected to the inkwell with a thin chain made of metal or leather and are used when necessary.
Maktas are made of various materials, usually the simple ones are made of bone, while the valuable ones are made of ivory. There are also maktas made of ebony, horn, tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl. In maktas, a small piece made of ivory is placed where the pencil will be cut. Because if the tip of the pencil is cut on a hard surface, the sharpener’s mouth, called the “barrel”, loses its sharpness. For this reason, materials with low hardness such as ivory, which do not damage the sharpener’s sharpness, are preferred in making maktas.
In emergency cases where calligraphers cannot find a makta, they clamp the body of the pencil between the third and fourth fingers of the left hand and cut the tip with a sharpener on the thumb nail
