Week 2: Math + Art

Before attaining deeper knowledge of either math or art, most people would agree that the two subjects have nothing in common.  However after reviewing this module of DESMA9, it is obvious that math can be found as an influence in multiple fields of art.

http://www.schoolphysics.co.uk/age11-14/glance/Sound/Sound_waves/index.html

 Music is largely influenced by math.  Music only exists because of sound; sound is the relationship between physics and perception.  Music consists of three steps: something moves, as things move they transmit sound waves, and we hear those sound waves.  The sound that we hear (often in the form of music), can be described as a function.  The independent variable is time and the dependent variable or output is amplitude (or loudness).  Additionally, we can calculate the frequency of sound (or the pitch) by determining the rate at which air pressure changes.  To optimize the perception of music, we can mathematically analyze the frequency and amplitude to make the sound most appealing to the human ear.

http://www.langorigami.com/art/gallery/gallery.php?tag=mammals&name=bull_moose

Robert Lang’s origami art also shows how math can majorly impact art.  Origami of the past, which most people think of as paper cranes and airplanes, has transformed into an extremely intricate form of art using a very surprising tool: mathematics.  Mathematics has helped origami determine “underlying axioms, rules, [and] operations.”  Without incorporating math into the practice of origami, origami would not have been able to advance into its current sophisticated state.

http://imgkid.com/vanishing-point-perspective-2.shtm

Lastly, mathematics, geometry in particular, is evident in all artwork in which perspective is used.  The use of perspective in artwork attempts to portray three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional canvas. To achieve this, the use of a vanishing point is necessary.  In a drawing, all parallel lines converge to the vanishing point when the drawing is the most realistic to the observer.  Therefore, artists need to have background knowledge in geometry to correctly draw the angles and lines that gradually meet at the vanishing point.

Frantz, Marc, ed. Lesson 3: Vanishing Points and Looking at Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cs.ucf.edu/courses/cap6938-02/refs/VanishingPoints.pdf>. 

Henderson, Linda D. “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion.” Leonardo 17.3 (1984): 2015-10. JStor. Web. 10 April 2015.

Lang, Robert J. “Origami Mathematics.” Origami Mathematics. Robert J. Land Origami, n.d. Web. 12 April 2015. < http://www.langorigami.com/>.

Music and Computers: A Theoretical and Historical Approach. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://music.columbia.edu/cmc/MusicAndComputers/>.

Vensa, Victoria. Math + Art Lecture. UCOnline. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg>.