Archives for the Month of October, 2009

Geo Mutant’s [Buckyball lifeforms]

geoMutants
Geo Mutants – Danilo Arsic

The predilection for recursive subdivisioning processes combined with a penchant for radiolaria-like structures seems to have generated a micro movement, of sorts, within the generative art and parametric architecture scene. Computational artisans are creating whole new species of fantastic shell like forms with intricate geometries, that Ernst Haeckle himself would have no doubt enjoyed – if he were around today.

The Geo Mutant’s Flickr series by Danilo Arsic are a good example of geodesic deformations, which bear a good resemblance to complex microscopic exoskeletons of tiny sea plants.

Danilo explains the process involved:

‘First i wrote a script to make a geodesic sphere. Then another script to differentiate cell opening and point position. I used attractors, file textures and random number to differentiate the generic sphere. then i smoothed them out’

Related posts:
Year of the Radiolaria
Vague Terrain 14: Biomorph

Temari – The art of Japanese Threadballs

Temari spheres - NanaAkua
Temari spheres – NanaAkua

A recent wander through the outer suburbs of Flickrville yielded an exciting find – a set of Temari spheres, decorative thread balls combining mathematical principles, as well a love of colourful decoration. Originally developed in China and later spreading to Japan, Temari were traditionally made by grandmothers to give to their grand children. These engaging kaleidoscopic sphere’s have a something in common with Friedrich Froebel’s gifts as a way of introducing young children to the beauty of geometry and engaging them in the subjects of symmetry and tessellation through expertly crafted tactile objects. Froebel, the founder of the Kindergarten model, is well know for designing eductional puzzle like objects, known as Froebel Gifts, which encouraged geometric thinking and pattern building activities.

NanaAkua’s Flickr set [link above] contains a staggering 486 threadballs designed and made by her grandmother, now in her 80’s, who combines an excellent choice colours with a discerning eye for pattern. Also worth a visit is the Temari Flickr group.