More Discussion over the Contest

Three Hundred Fifty Sixth Post: More Discussion over the Contest

Here is an excerpt from a post a put on a message board. I used it because it is pertains to the contest. Here it is:


Durer was also an amateur mathematician. In the painting in the math book he etched:

16 03 02 13
05 10 11 08
09 06 07 12
04 15 14 01

"This is known as a magic square. His painting is filled with math symbolism." {excerpt from the book "Learning MatLab 6.5"}

I think one of the reasons people have trouble with math is that you are always given to many instructions, descriptions, and symbols all at once. There is no way to understand it without going through each equation, theory, or instruction one at a time. It takes a lot of work.

If you could simplify the description and use graphics the concept is more easily understood. Math builds on all the previous knowledge. That is why you can't look at an advanced math book and understand the formulas.

The artistic view usually is that math is to complicated because they can't read the symbols the way they view a picture. A picture they can relate too. They can turn the view in the mind and get a good mental image. A mathematician might approach a painting in the same way they would view formulas. That is logic and patterns. They think drawing is hard because they didn't practice. It is like giving a person the task at drawing a bridge. Some people say they can't draw because they can't visualize a bridge for "scratch." Even though most artists would use some aids to help them draw. They are taught how to draw from life and use reference. They have a foundation in art and practice just as the math geek did in math.

So maybe the reason math and art are not usually combined is from our experiences and what we’ve been taught. It is probably possible to learn both. The only thing separating the to disciplines is curiosity. Artists have great imaginations and passion. There are is more expressive than just plain drafting. (Although drafting can be an art form.) Mathematicians use there imagination to solve problems. The method and product are only different.

That is what the contest on Constructor’s Corner is all about.

(By the way, this is just my experiences. I was a graphic artist for a short while. I also have some knowledge of mathematics. Admittedly, my drawing isn’t that good. I found this site in an attempt to improve my drawing. When I was working as an graphic artist I found that if I only knew how to draw I could make some great products. An artist was definitely needed. Maybe this topic will start a good discussion.)