Drafting and drawing as it relates to math

Fifty Eighth Post: Drafting and drawing as it relates to math

So what does drawing have to do with math? The answer is simply: everything. First lets think about how we are taught math. In early grades of elementary school math is simply a memory game. That is except for standardize tests that use shapes and patterns. Art is a different subject all together. But what the student doesn’t know is that art class, which is much more fun than boring math class, is teaching the student to look for things that relate to math. These things are the basis of more complex mathematics such as algebra and geometry. Just think about what is learning in art: basic shapes, perspective, visualization of drawn images, color theory, ect.

If someone was doing poorly in any math, they could be recommended to a tutor. But they should be encouraged to take a course in drawing: drafting or life drawing. It would help their math skills by drafting because it includes measuring, shape constructing, and describing 3D objects in 2D form also known as the XYZ axis. Also reading blueprints or surveying land is an application of the drafting course combined with the knowledge of mathematics. Life drawing adds it own subtle hints to math. Again it converts the 3D to 2D while teaching how to visualize pictures and see common surroundings from an artistic standpoint. The guessing of the measurement is still there, but this time it is judgement and the visualization of the correct proportions. Things appear different from different angles and distance.

This is just one area where art and math (or science) overlap. Art and science are treated and learned differently, but sometimes it is useful to note some of the similarities.