Embedding Mathematics in
Art & Design
Art & Design requirements range from the practical to the imaginative.
Each of these disciplines will use maths to communicate information about
the design or development of creative work.
Design work has to satisfy strict functional criteria, such as ergonomics &
anthropometrics, requiring accurate technical drawing & construction.
Art work which is original and imaginative may not require such precision
but will also involve composition, proportion and may involve repetition and
accurate presentation.
Most work done for Art & Design studies employ a series of exercises
or projects in the form of “briefs”.
Briefs attempt to normalise the exercises so they emulate a “realistic”
situation in which the designer is developing a brief for a “client”, or the
artist is researching and creating their own “brief”.
Most briefs will have a mathematical component.
The maths may be simple scale, proportion and ratio, involving the
basic functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division;
or the brief can require some knowledge of Physics & Mechanics requiring
more advanced maths such as Geometry or Algebra.
Examples of work involving Maths.
4frequency alternate geodesic dome based upon work done by
Buckminster Fuller. Group brief involving geometry.
All these models required some
ability in maths.
From basic maths-
to more advanced
Xitij Mistry --From Unitec to RCA, Audi/Bugatti, and
Ford/Lincoln
RCA-Sony car of the future 1997 1/3rd scale
RCA-Citroen sponsored
design 1996 1/3rd scale
Bugatti-- an Audi division-- 2000
Ford—Lincoln MKR Concept Show Car 2007 full size
Scale, Proportion & Ratio
• The scale ratio of some sort of model which represents an original
proportionally is the ratio of a linear dimension of the model to the
same dimension of the original.
• Examples include a 3-dimensional scale model of a building or the
scale drawings of the elevations or plans of a building. In such cases
the scale is dimensionless and exact throughout the model or
drawing. The scale can be expressed in four ways: in words (a
lexical scale), as a ratio, as a fraction and as a graphical (bar) scale.
Thus on an architect's drawing we might read• 'one centimetre to one metre' or 1:100 or 1/100 and a bar
scale would also normally appear on the drawing.
Scale,
• Work without a scale indicator can be misleading.
• Scale may be precisely indicated on a work- i.e. 1:25, or it may be
shown using an object of known size - i.e. the human form.
Scale briefs
• Brief- Tree House
You are to design and make a scale model of a tree house.
In the attached drawings and photographs you will see some ideas for a
play house (that could be made in a tree) or tree houses.
Whiteboard used as an indicator of scale size
No figure, but the slide & steps
Are a good indicator of scale.
The photographed model is used to-
-produce a rendered drawing
with correct perspective.
Brief- Set Design- An introduction to basic elements in the design of a
stage show.
Students will research and analyze a selected example of a Stage Show,
(you may be asked to write a review in your Academic Studies Skills class).
This example can then be used to develop a concept for a stage show.
This concept will be then drawn using plan and elevation drawings which will
be used to build a scale model. The scale model will be used to create a
presentation drawing of the set concept.
Proportion briefs
•Brief- Face Mask.
-Research based 3D construction project looking at facial anatomy and
Style contexts, using 2D (planar) materials.
As we are all able to read subtle
details of faces the proportions must
be exact.
The face drawings need to be exactly
1:1 scale so the mask outline can be drawn & modelled to fit.
Facial proportions change as we age
Facial proportions change as we age
•Brief- Human Story.
-Illustrated story-telling and human studies drawings will produce an
original cartooned anecdote taken from the student’s own experience.
Drawing studies will look at human proportion and anatomy as well as
perspective; using line, tone and colour illustration techniques.
Good drawing requires a knowledge
of perspective as well as human
proportion.
Ratio briefs
Brief – Mousetrap Car
Design and construct a vehicle that can be powered by a simple mouse trap.
The mouse trap must stay on the vehicle during the testing run.
Distance will be measured. (The record distance is 46 metres).
The vehicle must have some aesthetic appeal.
A simple constructional drawing will be required after the initial concepts
are developed and systems tested.
This drawing will help you to construct the vehicle.
Research into physics & mechanics with associated maths is encouraged
Jackie’s run
Jennifer’s run
Bibliography & Acknowledgements
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_(ratio)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvian_Man
With thanks to the following studentsAbdullah Motowaze
Ben Shelley
Chang Liu
Jacky Dunn
Jennifer Lopesi
Marty Oliver
Monty Gasolo
Satoshi Shimada
Shiaz beg
Xitij Mistry
Rob Hooper & John Laker, 2009