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Radial Symmetry in Art and Nature
Radial Symmetry in Art and Nature
May 11-15, 2020
May 11-15, 2020
Last week we learned about Henri Matisse and his paper cut outs. He used the art element of shape and color to create his cut outs. This week we will continue looking at art and nature. Our focus will be radial symmetry. You will create a design in a circle like the image of a stained glass window to the left. Have you ever looked into a kaleidoscope? The design you see is in a circle pattern. That is radial symmetry. It is a type of balance that radiates from a central point. Let's look at some example found in biology and art.
Last week we learned about Henri Matisse and his paper cut outs. He used the art element of shape and color to create his cut outs. This week we will continue looking at art and nature. Our focus will be radial symmetry. You will create a design in a circle like the image of a stained glass window to the left. Have you ever looked into a kaleidoscope? The design you see is in a circle pattern. That is radial symmetry. It is a type of balance that radiates from a central point. Let's look at some example found in biology and art.
Sand dollar
Sand dollar
Starfish
Starfish
Zinnia
Zinnia
Now here are some examples from art.
Now here are some examples from art.
Op - Art
Op - Art
Mandala
Mandala
Chartres Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral
Now let's get started creating our own radial design.
Now let's get started creating our own radial design.
Find a circle to trace and cut it out. I used a plate.
Fold the circle in half
In half again.
In half one more time.
In one of the sections draw lines with pencil. Make sure you press hard and make the line dark.
Fold the paper and on the back trace the line. When you open it up a light line will appear. Now darken it in by tracing over it in pencil.
Fold again so another section can be filled in. You can even shade it in with your pencil on the back . It will also work to transfer the design to another section. Continue until the front is filled up.
If you have difficulty with the tracing technique you can always freehand the drawing. Begin adding color and repeat the same shape with the same color. This unifies the design. I used marker for my piece.
Make sure you use a piece of paper under your circle when you color the edge.
Once you have finished coloring the design, use black marker to outline the shapes.
The black outline cleans up the edges and makes the shapes stand out. Like the stained glass window.
Tibetan Monks painstakingly spend five days to design and place tiny grains of sand to create a beautiful work of temporary art. On day six they scoop up the sand and place it in a body of water, releasing the energy of the project back into the community. I was fortunate to see this in person at Indiana University when I was an art student. Notice the radial design of the mandala.
Tibetan Monks painstakingly spend five days to design and place tiny grains of sand to create a beautiful work of temporary art. On day six they scoop up the sand and place it in a body of water, releasing the energy of the project back into the community. I was fortunate to see this in person at Indiana University when I was an art student. Notice the radial design of the mandala.
Enjoy working on your radial designs this week. If you have any questions email me - ccowan@houstonisd.org
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