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How to Make Geometric Line Designs

Math and art may not seem connected, but artists use geometry all the time. Geometry deals with the study of shapes. All visual artists must use geometry to some extent. In some cases though, artists can base works on geometry, not just incorporate geometry into their pieces. A tessellation is a form of making art from only one single, repeating shape. String art is a way to create curves from absolutely straight lines. Though string art, like its name is intended to use string as its medium, artists or mathematicians can create it on paper.

Things You'll Need

  • Drawing paper
  • Ruler
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Pencil
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Instructions

  1. Tessellation

    • 1

      Cut a piece of paper into a small square. The square should be small enough so several of them will fit on a sheet of drawing paper, and thick enough to use as a tracing stencil.

    • 2

      Cut a notch from one side of the square. Cut the notch in an angular pattern, like a triangle or other polygon.

    • 3

      Lay the side of the notch that was original a side of the square flat against opposite side of the square, so the two sides butt against one another without overlapping.

    • 4

      Tape the pieces securely together so the new shape is sturdy and no tape extends from the sides.

    • 5

      Place the shape at the upper left hand corner of the paper so a flat side of the shape is even with the top of the paper and the notched side is against the left side of the paper.

    • 6

      Trace the shape with a pencil.

    • 7

      Pick up the shape and move it to the right of the traced shape, then place it so the notched side of cut shape matches with the jutting opposite side of the shape you traced.

    • 8

      Trace the shape again and repeat the tracing process in rows, over the whole paper. Do not leave any space between tracings.

    Straight Curves

    • 9

      Draw a 90-degree angle at the bottom left corner of a sheet of drawing paper. Each side of the angle should extend the same distance from the point of the angle.

    • 10

      Divide each line, or side, into 10 or more equal spaces with small dots.

    • 11

      Draw a line from the second uppermost dot to the second dot from the 90 degree angle, along the horizontal line.

    • 12

      Draw another line, but start one dot lower and end one dot further to the right.

    • 13

      Continue to draw lines in this way. Your last line should start one dot up from the 90-degree angle and end at the second-to-last dot along the horizontal line.

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