Arabic Script for Digital Lettering by Wael Morcos

Want to make Arabic script look fresh on screen without losing its roots? This course shows you how to take traditional forms and turn them into sharp digital lettering using Illustrator and simple hand tools.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Understand the structure of Arabic script and how letters connect
• Tell the difference between calligraphy, lettering, and typography in practice
• Use contrast, weight, proportions, and abstraction to build letters
• Compose words and short phrases for balance and rhythm
• Explore Kufi and Naskh styles and pick the right one for your idea
• Scan sketches and rework them digitally in Illustrator and Photoshop
• Develop one final lettering piece ready to share

✅ Requirements

• Skills: No prior calligraphy experience needed, basic reading knowledge of Arabic is helpful but not required
• Tools: Illustrator, Photoshop, Glyphs, calligraphy pens and brushes, paper and ink
• Hardware: Computer capable of running Illustrator and Photoshop, scanner or phone camera for digitizing sketches

📝 Description

You start with the basics: what makes Arabic calligraphy tick. Wael breaks down how letters are built, how they join, and why contrast and weight change the whole feel of a word. No theory overload. Just enough to sketch with intent.

Then you get into the fun part — playing with form. You will test proportions and abstraction, push letters wider, taller, bolder, or more minimal, and see how composition holds a phrase together. It is hands-on from the start: paper, pen, repeat.

After that, you look at real styles. Blocky, solid Kufi structures versus loose, flowing Naskh families. You pick one direction, scan your favorite sketch, and rebuild it in Illustrator and Photoshop. Clean up curves, fix spacing, adjust weight until it reads well at any size.

To finish, Wael walks through how to choose your strongest sketch and push it to final. You will learn what to keep, what to cut, and how to present the piece online. Short lessons, clear demos, and a workflow you can reuse for posters, logos, or personal projects.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Anyone curious about Arabic letters who wants to draw them, not just type them
• Graphic designers and illustrators who want to add Arabic lettering to their work
• Beginners in calligraphy looking for a practical bridge to digital tools

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Wael Morcos is a type designer focused on Arabic script and bilingual visual systems. He runs his own studio and works with clients across North America and the Middle East.

His client list includes commercial work for Nike as well as cultural and non-profit projects like the Dadu Children’s Museum in Qatar. He also co-started the Arabic Lettering Workshop series with Khajag Apelian and Kristyan Sarkis to push the craft forward.

🏁 Final Result

• A finished digital lettering design based on an Arabic word or short phrase, from hand sketches to a polished file ready for your portfolio and socials.