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Four circles in gold line on ink, each divided by compass and straightedge and shown with its construction and the star it gives: into six by stepping the radius, into eight by bisecting right angles, into ten by Ptolemy's construction of the decagon side, and into twelve by arcs from four points.
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The Pattern Atlas

Dividing the Circle

No. 38 of 100 · free · 300 dpi

What you seeFour circles in gold line on ink, each divided by compass and straightedge and shown with its construction and the star it gives: into six by stepping the radius, into eight by bisecting right angles, into ten by Ptolemy's construction of the decagon side, and into twelve by arcs from four points.

What it meansIslamic geometric patterns begin with a circle divided into equal parts. Six, eight and twelve parts come from stepping the radius and bisecting angles; ten parts come from the construction for the side of a regular decagon described by Ptolemy and used by later geometers.

Where it worksA quiet, exact plate for a study, a classroom or a maker's workshop.

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2:3 · 7200 × 10800 px4×6 · 8×12 · 12×18 · 16×24 · 20×30 · 24×36 in
3:4 · 5400 × 7200 px6×8 · 9×12 · 12×16 · 18×24 in
4:5 · 7200 × 9000 px4×5 · 8×10 · 16×20 · 24×30 in
11:14 · 3300 × 4200 px11×14 in
A-series · 7023 × 9933 pxA5 · A4 · A3 · A2 · A1

Everything is one ZIP: every shape and size, the phone wallpaper, the SVGs and a printing guide.

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All 100 prints
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An iwan drawn in elevation and plan on terracotta: a pointed arch in a tiled frame opens into a deep vaulted hall with a doorway and grille at the back, flanked by two storeys of niches, with the plan below showing the hall open to the courtyard.IwanNo. 41
The plan of a four-iwan mosque in deep green on sage: a paved courtyard with a central pool, an iwan opening at the middle of each side, domed bays on a grid of piers all round, and a domed chamber behind the iwan on the qibla side.Four-Iwan PlanNo. 42
An arcade of the double-arched type known from the Great Mosque of Córdoba: marble columns with gilded capitals carry horseshoe arches, piers above them carry round arches, and both are built of alternating red brick and white stone voussoirs, with the plan of a column forest below in taller formats.Hypostyle HallNo. 43
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Four domes on ink with fine gold lines: a turquoise ribbed melon dome on a tall drum, a white onion dome with a lotus band and finial, a section through a double-shelled dome showing the void between its two shells, and a broad lead-covered Ottoman dome over a ring of windows.Dome ProfilesNo. 46

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