math and art are complete opposites,

Now, I know what you’re thinking:

but what if I told you that there are countless areas where math and art come together?

Math has always been a large component of art, used in the most fundamental techniques to creative modes that give way to new forms of art, and it is important to recognize influences from math within art in order to better understand why certain decisions are made, whether it be in different artistic techniques or choices made by the artist. Below are examples of where you can find math both in different mediums of art.

The Golden Ratio/Rule of Thirds

The Art Side:

The golden ratio, 1:1.618, was a technique widely used by classical painters. It represented a ratio that would help keep a sense of balance and harmony in the art piece. Its use can be seen in famous paintings such as Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. A more simplified version of this ratio is the rule of thirds, one of the most basic techniques used in photography and design that helps one place the subject of the piece in close dimensions to the golden ratio.

Leonardo da Vinci, | Mona Lisa, painting

Getty Images / Classic FM | photography

The Math Side:

The golden ratio comes from the Fibonacci sequence, an order of numbers derived from taking the sum of the two previous numbers. As more numbers of the Fibonacci sequence are calculated, their quotient gets closer to this golden ratio value of 1.618.

Architecture

The Art Side:

Many buildings, bridges, and other pieces of architecture are built every year with a dual purpose of serving some kind of function as well as stand as a large-scale art piece. This can be best seen in the architecture built for prominent figures and groups, such as the Palace of Versailles in France or the Taj Mahal in India.

The Math Side:

In order to be able to create this architecture, there is likely more math than design involved. The main skills involved are trigonometry, algebra, and geometry, and being proficient in these skills are necessary in the initial planning and sketching phase to ensure that the architecture is possible to create and will be able to serve its purpose.

Math as a Medium

A true intersection:

In some cases, math and art do not collaborate to create a piece, but rather, truly come together to produce new art styles. Below are two unique artists who have found a way to mix the two in a new and unique fashion.

HYBYCOZO

Yelena Filipchuk and Serge Beaulieu are the artists behind HYBYCOZO, a large-scale art installation that utilizes geometry and light to create these almost-magical effects you see on the left. They are based in LA and also create smaller pieces that serve as light fixtures, but mainly work on creating larger installations and sculptures.

Visit Their Website

Yelena Filipchuk and Serge Beaulieu, HYBYCOZO, 2014

Hamid Naderi Yeganeh

Yeganeh is an Iranian mathematician who creates art pieces with mathematical formulas. Combining these formulas with computer software, he is able to produce beautiful digital illustrations. (The images below are from his online gallery featured on the American Math Association website.)