Miia Niskanen of the wonderful blog Pearlspotting.wordpress.com sent me this link in response to a post about the geometry of art, (here). Numbers keep coming up in art. Another post of mine on this subject was The Magic of Three on how the number three turns up frequently in art and in design. The number three is pleasing to the eye in any design or painting according to the latest research. When contemplating the numbers, a blue mist of fog comes right up and takes over my brain obscuring any attempt by me to decipher what numbers might mean. However, after these posts, I took a second look at past paintings and noted the more successful paintings many times featured various configurations of the number three. In my case, the number three was not a conscious plan. There is no possible way my brain was consciously telling me to do anything with numbers. It would never get through the blue mist anyway. But on some level it must have broken through. The numbers are there.
This notion of numbers in art has spurred me to look at other artist’s work with this in mind. It may be possible that many artists are following the numbers rule, consciously or unconsciously. The number three is not too hard to follow but Phi is another story altogether. The Fibonacci Sequence is really way too much for my art brain to take in from other parts of the brain. If I can figure out how to look for it in art, it would be truly amazing on my part to find it. It would definitely have to have come unconsciously. This is one of those conundrums where any available outside input would be very welcome and greatly appreciated. Please help me solve this conundrum by sending your valuable opinions. Do the numbers matter??
I’ve been interested in numerology for quite a while and in that system, 3 is the following:
Positive Traits
Self-expressive in many ways, verbalization, inspiration and keen imagination, artistic gifts, accurate impressions and insights, never-ending optimism, happy and fun-loving, enjoys life fully.
Negative Traits
Scattered energies, exaggeration, unfinished projects, lack of direction, moodiness, self-centeredness.
As with anything, there are pluses and minuses, but it would seem to me that 3 relates to artistic endeavour very strongly. Mind you, I like it because the numbers 3 and 9 are my major numbers in numerology!
There does seem to be some validity here! It’s all very interesting!!
Well, Mary Gwyn … in my not frightfully humble opinion, they don’t actually MATTER, but they sure are INTERESTING. In spite of the fact that the moment someone mentions Fibonacci numbers my eyes glaze and my attention wanders.
[grin]
It is interesting! I too wander off on the Fibonacci thing but I would like to understand it better
Got a spare year or two?
😉
I think I agree with M.R…. What do you think? (I’m sure you have a better idea than me!)
Think sunflowers: http://momath.org/home/fibonacci-numbers-of-sunflower-seed-spirals 😀
Thanks, Jackie! Great link!
Following unconsciously or even unwittingly validates archetypes in expression as common denominators overriding uniqueness which is not to say is a bad thing, just an observation. .
Very interesting observation!