Study Geometry For Your Art
Ever since I was a small child, I have had a fascination with geometric shapes. I would often doodle geometric shapes and I often played around with different possibilities. Drawing portraits was something that never interested me, unlike geometry. Later on I realised what this was called, Geometry. It has had a large influence on my art style and many other artists.
What Is Geometry
From beginning man started to observe patterns in nature. But the study of Geometry developed out of need to explain our world around us. By this time we had left our nomadic past behind and needed to build houses that become increasing more complex. We wanted to understand the land and stars around us. We started to understand, angles, areas, volume and linear concepts. This came out of necessity. The Ancient Egyptian’s papyri mentions formulas for pointed pyramids, the Nubians had a concept of geometric rules that allowed them to have an early concept of a sun dial and Babylonians used geometry to postulate the position of Jupiter. From there geometry became more complex with the father of Geometry, Euclid, who can be seen bending over a tablet, in the famous Fresco by Raphael, “The School Of Athens“. Indian and Islamic scholars pushed geometry further by adding algebra. Geometry isn’t just shapes, it is maths. You can see proof of this in Islamic art, that features complex geometric patterns that are based on pure maths.
You Don’t Have To Be A Mathematician To Add Geometry Into Your Art
There is symmetry and perfection to geometry. You don’t need complicated equations or formulas to make geometric art. All you need is a ruler, protractor and your eyes. One great example of a geometric concept is the golden ratio, which is best seen in a nautilus shell or a galaxy spiral. There is are also shape such as the golden rectangle and golden triangle for instance. One very distinct pattern is called the Penrose tilings. They introduce the different types of symmetry because its pattern with infinite possibilities. Unlike normal tile patterns where you are fitting different shapes together and eventually the pattern repeats itself again in another area, Penrose tilings cannot. Where they lack translational symmetry (which is in a pattern, the distances between each point do not change, but are replicated around it, such as a honeycomb pattern), they have reflective symmetry (mirror image of the an object) and fivefold rotational symmetry (it repeats itself by rotating at an 2π/5 angle). There are many more geometric concepts to learn that are seen in nature. When you see geometry in art, it draws you in when you witness it. If you learn about geometry it can take your art to another level no matter what style you paint in. You don’t have to paint Kandinsky style artworks, to use geometry in your art. For instance if you are concept artist, when you are creating interesting buildings, knowing geometric concepts will help you make art that is pleasing to the eye and the brain. Do a quick study of geometry and look at nature, because your art will better for it.
