Math & Visual Arts

Math and Visual Arts share many common ideas like patterns, symmetry, similarity, perspective, proportion, beauty etc. Artists have been using principles of mathematics for many millennia.

In this article we will briefly explore integrating some of the visual arts with math learning in schools so as to both bring out the relations and make it interesting for the students. The internet contains enormous amount of information on these.

Number Patterns

Bottle tops of various quantities can be arranged in interesting patterns. These patterns can be expressed mathematically also. Square numbers can be arranged in squares and triangle numbers in triangular shapes.

Art with Dot Patterns

Kolam & Rangoli are two traditional folk arts practiced by women. In traditional homes, these are drawn every day in front of the houses and in the pooja room.

In school, students can use sheets printed with dot patterns (both square & triangular) and draw many patterns & designs.

Geometry-inspired drawings

All religions drew diagrams in altars, inspired by geometrical shapes which were considered sacred also. One of the best ways for students to become experts in the use of pencil, rules & compass is to draw many intricate designs using only these instruments. They will be driven by the beauty of their creations and in the process master the techniques of drawing.

Stick Drawings

As a basic step in learning to draw human figures, students can learn to do stick drawings with circles for the heads. These drawing can be used to show a variety of movements.

Paper Folding & Origami

Folding geometrical figures with paper gives an excellent idea about their properties. Folding paper into 3D shapes had been raised to artistic levels in Japan as the art of Origami. Both static and dynamic shapes in origami and their magical transformations will be a pleasure for students to experience.

Symmetry

Symmetry of various geometrical shapes is best explored by students with shapes folded from paper.

Tangrams

Tangram is a puzzle consisting of 7 geometrical shapes which was invented in China. It can be used to make innumerable shapes resembling many shapes, objects & living beings which we see in the environment. It can also be learnt to understand principles related to shapes, angles, fractions and ratios.

String Arts - Curve Stitching

Curve stitching is the art of creating illusions of curves by just using strings stretched into straight lines. This gives a hint into the basis of calculus, where in any curve a miniscule portion of it can be considered a straight line!

Optical Illusions

May simple optical illusions can be created with intersecting lines.

3D perspectives

This is a technique in drawing which is used to create a feeling of “depth” in a painting.

Clay Modelling

Clay or plasticine can be used to make many 3D solids and see the effect of cutting them with planes of different orientations. It can give an idea of the discovery of conic sections! Creating a village seen with clay will need intuitive understanding of proportions.

Weaving & other textile arts

Human civilization has a rich history of working with textiles. Spinning, weaving, needle work, crochet, knitting, tie & die and working with different materials like cotton, silk, flax, jute are some of these arts. Students can even weave mats using strips of paper.

Senegal-born fashion designer Diarra Bousso uses math to come up with the prints that bring her DIARRABLU resort wear line to life. She studied math and math educator, Jo Boler identified the creative streak in her.

Calligraphy

Before the arrival of computer software and various fonts, calligraphy was a sophisticated art. Arabic alphabets are particularly suited for incorporating in designs.

Jewellery Designs

The field of Chaos Theory gives rise to intricate designs which trace the path of "unpredictable" paths of "predictable" mechanisms. These patterns are called "attractors".

Recently these designs have been 3-D printed and used in jewellery design.