jackbDESMA9: Week 2

jackbDESMA9: Week 2:  I enjoyed your comments on computer modeling that is used for imagining. Furthermore, I also had similar findings especially with the application to art using geometric shapes.

DESMA9Week2

Week 2 Blog, DEMA9

Mathematics and Art

As an Economics major taking courses in Mathematics, I have come to appreciate the creative work required to prove theorems and lemmas. Thus, when relating art with this science, I have come to observe not only many similarities but also, how Math enhances the creative process of producing meaningful artwork. 

For example, Often when artists design buildings, they incorporate mathematically rich concepts such as the golden ratio in order to generate a structure that is not only structurally stable but also visually appealing to the naked eye. In late 500 B.C., the Athenians commissioned artists to produced the Parthenon. After examination, it is clear the the dimensions of the structures, such as its parallel support beams, width of base, depth of interior, ect. all follow proportions in which, the sum of each dimension follows proportions equal to their sum. In other words, such dimensions must have been deliberately created in order to produce a visually pleasing view and without the use of Math, the structure would look entirely different. In more abstract art involving less geometrically symmetrical shapes, abstract functions are incorporated in order to model and predict how a piece would look before even being plotted. 

In addition to the use of the Golden Ratio, the use of Topology, a branch of math dealing with deconstructing shapes is used to break structures down. Objects such as spheres, are mathematically broken down into functions and altered in order to ultimately form a variety of different visually interpretative artworks. Furthermore, mathematical analysis of addition and subtraction infinite times over is often used when one observes paintings with many polygons such as triangular and rectangular shapes. 

Works Citation:

Emmer, Michelle. "Topology from Art and Math to Contemporary Cities." Topology from Art and Math to Contemporary Cities. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.

Escher, M. C. "CsuriVision." CsuriVision. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.

"Generator.x: Software and Generative Strategies in Art and Design."Generator.x: Software and Generative Strategies in Art and Design. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.

Meisner, Gary. "The Parthenon and Phi, the Golden Ratio." The Golden Ratio Phi 1618. 2013. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.


Tallman, Susan. "National Gallery of Art." Unabridged and Incomplete: Series and Sequences in Contemporary Art. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.