8-Expanding

Materials needed:

*Various colors of sharpie markers

*Overhead Projector sheets

*Printed grid

*Ruler/straightedge

This project is great for exploration of math equations and graphing while creating a work of art. It is also a great collaborative tool for students when trying to solve problems in math as well as composition and working together to achieve common goals.

To begin this assignment, we were in a group of four students. We each received a grid printed on a piece of paper, an overhead projector sheet, a colored sharpie, and a list of equations that told us where to place points on the grid. We first labeled the grid in numerical order on both the x- and y-axes. We then placed the clear projector sheets on top of the grid. On the several sheets of listed equations, we assigned each person of the group to a particular number. Each sheet of equations listed four equations, one for each of us. I took the number 1 spot, and the other group members took the rest of the numbers. Each equation going down the list added one number. (Example: Person 1 equation: X=1 Y=1; Person 2: X=1+1 Y=1+1; Person 3: X=1+2 Y=1+2; Person 4 X=1+3 Y=1+3.) There were several more equations. Once all of our points were plotted on the grid, we connected the points left to right and top to bottom using a ruler to get straight lines. This created a line that resembled an abstract heart monitor line. We then put all of our sheets together and stacked them on top of one another to see what the resulting image was. We all had the same lines; they were just shifted up and to the right from one another.

Once we saw what this was doing, we decided to continue with the line work and pattern three times, creating a diagonal design of patterned color. We then decided that the rest of the piece was very empty, so we mirrored the design and flipped it to eventually create a sort of ribbon design. Once we were happy with the final result, we framed the piece with black matting.

Our process was very simple, but we decided that we liked what the math was doing to the equations each time and kept rolling with it and made decisions from there. This project was a fun collaborative piece that showed me that math could be used in art as well in fun projects. If I am ever in a situation as a teacher that I must include math in my art teaching, then this is definitely an option. This is a great way to get kids excited about math and to see math in a different way.