Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Can Mathematics Work Alongside Art?

By Michael Robert Peterson


The way that visuals are created has shifted tremendously towards technology, to some degree, within schools that specialize in art. While CGI can be beneficial for a number of reasons, I am of the opinion that it should never a crutch and that there is something to be said about the methods of the past. Drawings can be very appealing and I believe that the work of Rafael Araujo is proof of this. Not only has be found himself lost in art but he managed to do so while incorporating mathematical tools.

An article on CNN.com covered the work of Rafael Araujo and the way that it's been conceived is interesting. Instead of utilizing a computer to create his intricate illustrations, he instead puts a ruler and protractor to use. One can make the assumption that this is an archaic method to utilize, as there are far more advanced ways to create visuals. While this isn't necessarily wrong, the truth of the matter is that the basics used by Araujo serve to make his creations that much more interesting.

Araujo utilized geometry in one of his creations in order to draw butterflies, each of them traveling along paths that would be made from lines. There is an element of challenge to consider with creating spiral designs with the simplest of tools, which is a realization that those in art schools may know about. With that said, Araujo's work shows that there is a sense of precision to consider in not only math but art in general. It's also worth noting that Araujo claimed that he, "began drawing perspective almost out of the blue."

I am not the kind of person who remembers much from math class, so it's tough for me to determine how accurate Araujo's methods are. However, the work that he has created is hard to overstate, especially when even drawing the perfect circle without a protractor is a process that very few can grasp. The fact that he was able to utilize mathematics in order to make his art even better is tremendous, to say the least. No matter how taxing his efforts might be, I have to believe that they paid off for Araujo.

When it comes to the best elements of art, in general, color has to be noted. This is where, in my view, the best designs can be made and then gone on to be made even better; of course, the right hues have to be incorporated. Keep in mind that color is just one of the many hurdles in the path of any artists; this should give you a general idea of the amount of effort that is needed. Judging by how dynamic the works of Araujo have been in the past, I have no doubt that he can overcome the hurdles in question.




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