Two Mathematicians #16
Owner:
Not Listed
Pen Color
Black
11237%
Interlacing
No
20568%
Secondary Fill
Empty
18963%
Strokeless
No
28996%
Paper Color
Light
27291%
Primary Fill
Dots
6622%
Random Angles
No
27792%
Expanded Stroke
Yes
27291%
Archetype
Sober
14950%
Frame
Full
20067%
Pattern
Capella Palatina
3712%
This project explores the highly mathematical world of Islamic geometric patterns.
Islamic design is one of the world's great artistic traditions, but not much is known about the methods used by artisans in centuries past to construct them. One of the first attempts to formalize the geometry behind Islamic patterns was E.H. Hankin's seminal 1908 paper "Polygons in Contact", which remains a key technique today. Our project combines the approach described by Hankin with transformations of designs found at real-world historical sites.
Two Mathematicians avoids traditional ornamentation and colouring. It seeks to find beauty in the geometry of the patterns themselves, embellishing only with subtle combinations of basic line and dot shapes. Its two archetypes contrast the precision and order found in Islamic patterns with the informality of a rough draft. In that, it reflects the personalities of its creators, alternating between the obsessive need for order and exactness, and the embrace of just winging it.
Controls:
- Zoom in or out with scroll wheel, or arrow up/down.
- Press 'i' to see the underlying structure.