Week 2 Blog (SymphonyJackson_DESMA9)

 Hello Blog!

Historically, math and art have played separate roles: the former is known as the more logical, quantitative route, while the latter is known as the more interpretative, qualitative path. By these definitions, both, math and art, are polar opposites. However, with the rise of technology in not just recent times, but the past few centuries, we begin to see an obvious tie between the two.

As mentioned in the lecture, the "Vitruvian Man" serves as a timeless example of how math and art intersect to form legendary pieces. Somehow, through the use of not only math but art, Da Vinci is able to capture the nature of humankind in a unique fashion. However, this is not the only or the first time that art was used in combination with math, since ancient Egyptians utilized the "Canon of Proportion," perfectly spaced squares on a grid, to measure the scales of their artwork in order to perfect it (Melzi, et al). Other famous artworks utilize proportions in order to perfect the outcome, such as in the Mona Lisa. The subject's face and eyes have a relative "golden proportion" to the canvas and her face, respectively. The use of this "golden proportion" means: "If you divide the golden rectangle drawn on her face by creating a line, you can see more golden rectangles close to her eyes" (BYJU).

Two men drawn in the Ancient Egyptian style and overlaid with a grid to display the Canon of Proportion, 1902; Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Furthermore, the use of perspective in art utilizes mathematics, as well. This tool, linear perspective, credited to Brunelleschi and Battista Alberti, allows art on a flat service to look more 3-dimensional, ultimately contributing to the overall impressiveness (Motta).

De Pictura, https://useum.org/Renaissance/Perspective 

We continue to see the intersection of mathematics and art in modern technology, such as animated film. Shrek 2 utilized Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) in order to construct a realistic model of milk, in between the first installment of the movie and the second, math-based technology had progressed enough to make the model look as realistic, as possible, hence the surplus of milk scenes in the film (ArtsAcad).

Shrek 2 Milk Scene, https://www.artsacad.net/the-crucial-role-of-math-in-digital-arts/ 

Works Cited:

Arts Academy in the Woods. “The Crucial Role of Math in Digital Arts - Arts Academy in the Woods Arts Academy in the Woods.” Arts Academy in the Woods, https://www.artsacad.net/the-crucial-role-of-math-in-digital-arts/. Accessed 14 April 2023.

Design Media Arts 9 Lecture Module 2. UCLA Spring 2023. Professor Vesna.

“How Math Is Used in Art.” BYJU'S FutureSchool, 11 April 2022, https://www.byjusfutureschool.com/blog/how-math-is-used-in-art/. Accessed 14 April 2023.

Melzi, Francesco, et al. “The "Vitruvian Man" Da Vinci - Why Was the "Vitruvian Man" Created?” Art in Context, 31 March 2022, https://artincontext.org/the-vitruvian-man-da-vinci/. Accessed 14 April 2023.

Useum. “Renaissance: The Birth of Perspective.” USEUM, https://useum.org/Renaissance/Perspective. Accessed 14 April 2023.