Image from the BBC
This section illustrates decorative brickwork created from different bonds and using contrasting coloursIslamic Brickwork
Image from Corbis Images
For more information about creating these geometric designs click Patterns in Islamic Art These decorative panels was adapted from those designs
Click images to enlarge



Saminid Mausoleum

'One of the finest brick buildings ever built'


"It was built from square bricks, 220 or 260mm by 40mm bricks set in 10mm joints. These standard bricks are mixed with specially moulded bricks and larger moulded elements such as twisted columns. Close examination reveals that many of the bricks were cut to shape after firing"

could be drawn, using CAD. Click image to enlarge
Click images to enlarge
Image drawn by Anne
Image drawn by Anne
Image drawn by Anne
Saminid Mausoleum
Image from Patterns in Islamic Art
Many consider this'One of the finest brick buildings ever built'
Image from Wikipedia
Built over 1,000 years ago, it was made, according to Uzbek Travel from clay bricks, bound with egg yolk and camel's milkImage from: Campbell (2003) Brick, A World History pg 15
Campbell writes; "It was built from square bricks, 220 or 260mm by 40mm bricks set in 10mm joints. These standard bricks are mixed with specially moulded bricks and larger moulded elements such as twisted columns. Close examination reveals that many of the bricks were cut to shape after firing"
Image from Blog of Student Architect
This elevation is an example of how such brickworkcould be drawn, using CAD. Click image to enlarge
Cappella Palatina
Brickwork designed by Anne Nov '10
This is quite complicated to build, because each of the shapes need to be cut. Also bricks with sloping sidestend to slip out of place, especially if they are tapped
The design was adapted from Eric Brough (2008) Islamic Geometric Patterns Page 41
Broug writes:
Cappella Palatina
Palermo, Sicily, Italy (AD 1132 / AH 526)
The Cappella Palatina was the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily and is situated in Palermo’s Palazzo Reale. Commissioned by Roger II of Sicily in AD 1132, it took eight years to build and many more to complete the elaborate decor. The King was extremely interested in Islamic culture, and the chapel blends a variety of different styles – from Norman architecture and adornment to Arabic arches, and the Byzantine dome and mosaics. Mosaics showing scenes from the Acts of the Apostles are finely executed and attributed to Byzantine artists. But the chapel’s most renowned feature is its wonderful wooden ceiling, which boasts clusters of eight-pointed stars – often seen in Islamic design – arranged in the form of a Christian cross
View of Interior from: Wikipedia
Tapestry Brickwork
A Google search for 'brickwork' generated this picture, but the restoration is spoilt by careless pointing and wet mortar. The web-site included the following plaque
Bricks are a different size in America and the original was framed by specials, but the following panel is similar
This panel is framed by headers and two-third bricks. The central pattern would have to be drawn full-scale to provide a template for the cuts
For added emphasis, the framing bricks could be over-sailed by 20mm. However, this might make it difficult to fix the string-lines for the diagonals
Quilt Patterns
Log-Cabin is a Traditional Quilting Design

of colour, it can easily be converted into brickwork






• Try and find stuff that is already in squares, or pixels
• Patterns that are grouped into threes are good,
since that will give whole bricks
• Try to avoid angles, as this means cutting each brick,
which can take a very long time...

However, taking the central spiral motif, a simple pattern can be created, using full-bricks

Image from: Free Quilt Patterns
Since this consists of vertical and horizintal blocksof colour, it can easily be converted into brickwork
Brickwork designed by Anne Dec '10
Click image to enlargeBrickwork designed by Anne Dec '10
Image from: e-quilt patterns.com
Brickwork designed by Anne Dec '10
A more contemporary Quilt design is shown below
Image from: Free Quilt Patterns
This can also be converted to brickworkBrickwork designed by Anne Dec '10
When looking for ideas, think about the following:• Try and find stuff that is already in squares, or pixels
• Patterns that are grouped into threes are good,
since that will give whole bricks
• Try to avoid angles, as this means cutting each brick,
which can take a very long time...
Image from Quilt Patterns from Seattle
Although this looks fabulous, it is not suitable for brickwork, because every piece is an angled-cutHowever, taking the central spiral motif, a simple pattern can be created, using full-bricks
Brickwork designed by Anne Dec '10
Stretcher Bond
The following text and patterns were taken from this book
Published by Tarquin Publications in 2004
Published by Tarquin Publications in 2004
Flemish Bond
The following text and patterns were taken from this book
Published by Tarquin Publications in 2004
Published by Tarquin Publications in 2004
Patterns in Flemish Bond
Flemish Bond shows equal numbers of headers and stretchers and can be developed into a range of patterns
Click images to enlarge
Brickwork Pattern 20 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 21 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 22 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 23 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 24 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 25 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Flemish Bond shows equal numbers of headers and stretchers and can be developed into a range of patterns
Click images to enlarge
English Cross Bond
The following text and patterns were taken from this book
Published by Tarquin Publications in 2004
Published by Tarquin Publications in 2004
Patterns in English Cross Bond
Brickwork Pattern 31 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 32 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 33 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 34 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 35 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 36 drawn by Anne Dec '10
Brickwork Pattern 37 drawn by Anne Dec '10

The characteristic of this bond of moving alternate courses of stretchers over by half a brick permitsClick images to enlarge
the design of many interesting patterns
Brickwork Pattern 38 drawn by Anne Dec 10
This is similar to the Monk Bond panel built by Reese
In both of these brickwork bonds, the perp joints
are staggered by 1/4 brick, so diagonal patterns can easily be created
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