£300+
Simple verse
A focused piece with a short amount of text and a straightforward layout.
Collaborate / Commissions
Bespoke calligraphy, made for you.
Commission a one-of-a-kind work of Arabic calligraphy — designed around words that matter to you, composed by hand and finished in materials chosen for the piece.
Discuss a Commission
The commission
From meaningful words to a finished artwork.
Every commission begins with the words. This may be a short verse, a name, a prayer, or a longer passage with personal significance. Azim develops a composition that respects the tradition of Arabic calligraphy while responding to your space, scale and preferred finish.
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01
Share your idea
Tell me the text, intended size, setting and budget range.
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02
Composition & quotation
I’ll advise on layout, medium and finish, then confirm cost and timescale.
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03
Made by hand
The piece is written and finished by hand, with progress agreed at the appropriate stages.
Pricing guide
A starting point for your commission.
£700+
Bespoke composition
A custom layout developed for the text, scale and setting you have in mind.
£1,500+
Large or complex work
Larger scale, longer passages, intricate composition or specialist finishing.
Every commission is quoted individually. Please include your budget range when enquiring so the most suitable approach can be shaped from the outset.
What influences cost
The details that shape the quotation.
The final cost reflects the amount of design and making involved, as well as the material and finish chosen for the work.
01
Size
Larger work requires more time and materials, while composition design carries its own cost at every scale.
02
Content
More words written smaller can be more involved than fewer words written large.
03
Materials
Traditional ink on Hahnemühle paper is the baseline. Gold leaf is calculated in advance.
04
Finishing
Paper and canvas require different preparation. Mounting and extras are agreed before work begins.
Finishing & illumination
Tezhib / Ornamental decoration
Your calligraphy can be completed with professional tezhib—the traditional art of illuminating a manuscript with gold, colour and finely painted ornament. Azim collaborates with professional ornamentalists in Turkey to bring the final piece to life.
01 / Refined detail
Gold borders and decorated corners
For a restrained finish, the work can be framed with fine gold borders and delicate floral elements placed in the corners. This adds richness and formality while allowing the calligraphy to remain the clear focus.
02 / Traditional presentation
Mounted on a murakka
The calligraphy can be mounted on a murakka and surrounded by a coloured paper border. The layered papers give the piece a considered, traditional presentation and can be coordinated with the ink, gold and intended setting.
03 / Full illumination
Ornament around the complete piece
For the most detailed treatment, floral and geometric ornament can continue all the way around the artwork. The ornamentalist develops the palette and pattern in response to the composition, creating a unified work rather than decoration added as an afterthought.
A complete devotional composition
Commission a Hilya
A Hilya is a traditional calligraphic composition describing the noble qualities and appearance of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Its carefully arranged panels bring together sacred text, proportion and ornament in one of the most recognised formats in Ottoman calligraphy.
Format & scale
Made at A2, A1 or A0
Choose the calligraphy on plain paper, add gold borders, or mount the work on a murakka with a coloured paper border. A standard composition can be followed, or the design can be customised with additional verses or panels.
£1,000+
A2 Hilya
Starting price for a smaller complete calligraphic composition.
£1,500+
A1 Hilya
Starting price for a larger composition with more room for detail.
Optional specialist finishing
Add professional tezhib
A professional tezhib artist in Turkey can add gold borders and complete ornamental illumination after the calligraphy has been created.
Add £1,000–£1,500
Optional add-on
Tezhib finishing
Approximate additional cost added on top of the base Hilya calligraphy price.
This is an add-on price, not the complete price of the Hilya.
Complete artwork
A fully finished large Hilya
A large Hilya with the calligraphy, gold and complete ornamental design typically falls within the range below. The final quotation depends on the size, amount of detail, quantity of gold used and complexity of the design.
£3,500–£4,500
Approximate complete price
A guide for a large calligraphic composition professionally finished with full ornamental illumination.
Begin with the words that matter to you.
Share the text, approximate size, intended setting and budget range. I’ll come back to you with the right approach for the piece.
Start a Commission Enquiry