I read an article on WonderHowTo about making Art from Mathematics and decided to give it a go. This piece is all about Fibonacci and the Golden Spiral.
I started by drawing two 1cm by 1cm squares next to each other. Underneath these I drew a 2cm by 2cm square. Working anticlockwise I then added a 3cm square, 5cm square and so on until my canvas was completely covered. This produces a sequence of squares with side lengths 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, … since each new square sits next to the previous two. A sequence that we all recognise as the Fibonacci numbers, don’t we?! Anyway, the Golden Spiral is created from these squares by constructing quarter circles in each square as shown below…
My artwork required me to complete each quarter circle into a complete one so that I was left with circles of radius 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and 21cm. Thankfully my compass just about stretched to the 21cm.
I have now painted the piece with acrylics and it will hang alongside my string art in my classroom from tomorrow morning. I wonder how long it will take my classes to notice the Mathematics hidden within it! Those Year 10s who regularly read my blog (you know who you are – and did ask for a shout out!!!) are excluded from the competition!