Sacred Geometry: A Primer

As promised, here's the list of books that make up my library on sacred geometry.

*Sacred Geometry: Deciphering the Code by Stephen Skinner
*The Golden Section: Nature's Greatest Secret by Scott Olsen
*Sacred Geometry by Miranda Lundy
*Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice by Robert Lawlor
* Quadrivium: The Four Classical Liberal Arts of Number, Geometry, Music and Cosmology
*Islamic Design: A Genius for Geometry by Daud Sutton
* Ruler and Compass: Practical Geometric Constructions by Andrew Sutton
*The Power of Limits by Gyorgy Doczi
*The Elements of Dynamic Symmetry by Jay Hambridge
*Geometry of Design by Kimberly Elam (this isn't the version I have, I have the older version I guess.)

Those are my geometry books, I really enjoy the ones from the Little Wooden Books series, there are a lot more books in the series that I want to get. I like that they're divided into sort of small bites and have lots of good and helpful illustrations. They're probably one of the best places to start your geometry research.
Sacred Geometry:Deciphering the code is also a pretty good one to start with, it does seem to focus a lot more on number than I really care for, but it does make a pretty good introduction to the subject. I do feel that Mr Skinner, or his writing style, have a tendency towards pretentiousness but, over all it's pretty good. Geometry of Design was an interesting one to look through, though as I mentioned above, I believe I have the older version and I don't know how the two versions differ. It's been a while since I read either Sacred Geometry (Lawlor) or The Power of Limits, I got lost a bit and overwhelmed when reading both of them, I don't know if that was me and where I was at or them. I haven't made it all the way through The Elements of Dynamic Symmetry, Hambridge seems to be more about the numbers and that's daunting for me.

What I'm about

I recently finally bought two books on sacred geometry that I've wanted for years, I just started reading one of them (I started reading it years ago, then it went back to the library...) and found this quote that I really liked.

"At a more exalted level, geometry distinguishes between the domain of the sacred and the profane."

-Stephen Skinner, Sacred Geometry: Deciphering the Code

Be on the look out for a post on my library of sacred geometry books. Also maybe just a run down of my art books in general.

PS I don't know about anyone else, but once people start talking about numbers in regards to sacred geometry, I find myself quickly getting lost or wanting to skip. Sometimes I can figure out what it's all saying and feel proud of myself but that's not all that often. Anyway, back to reading.

Genesis

This piece is based on Abraham 4:9-10 and Genesis 1:12.

Watercolor
9x9in
2012
Genesis
Photo by Hawkinson Photography

Sacred Geometry: A Primer

Alright, so today's task, say you want to center you're drawing or painting etc. a square in a bigger space, how would you do that in the way that looked best? Wouldn't it be great if you could center the square so with the space on either side would be a golden section? You can do that, here's how:

Take the width of your paper (etc.), that is the line that you're working with. Also, you should do this on a scratch piece of paper first, so draw a line the same size.

Find the perpendicular of your horizontal line and draw that in.

Set your compass in the center point of the horizontal line and draw a half circle on that line.

In the center of the half circle, draw a double square (or the corners of one).

Draw a diagonal line through each of the double squares to meet the half circle.

Draw a line to connect the diagonal lines.

Set your compass with the point in the center of the top horizontal line and set the drawing point to one of the diagonal line intersections. With your compass set the same way, put the point in the center of the bottom horizontal line and mark the two bottom points of the square.

The square is now the center of two golden sections. Leave the distance between one half of the semicircle and square between the top of your space and the square.

Piece of the Week

I made this book yesterday and though it didn't turn out quite like I was hoping, I'm still excited about how it turned out. I loved the illustration on this flier and I've been waiting for a chance to use it.

100 Dresses coptic

flier and book cloth etc.

3x3in

2012

Genesis

This one is also from Genesis 1:12. The design is called the Breath of the Compassionate, it's from Islamic art. The Compassionate is one of the 99 names of God in Islam.

The Breath of the Compassionate

watercolor

9x9in

2012

Series: Genesis

Sacred Geometry: A Primer

Today, how to find the golden section division of a line.You start off with a line, mine was 4 inches.

I guess I sort of skipped a step, you need to make a vertical line

like so, but you need to find the half way mark of your first line and then your vertical line needs to be the same as half of your first line. I picked a line length that was easily divisible so that I already knew the half. I think that was harder than it needed to be.
Draw a diagonal to make a triangle.

Set your compass with the point on the top point of the triangle, put the drawing point on the bottom left corner of the triangle and arc up to meet the diagonal line.

Then set your point on the left corner of the triangle and the drawing point on the intersection between the diagonal and the arc. Arc down, that is the golden section division of the line.

Piece of the Week

Another new one from the Genesis series, I'm excited about how it turned out and glad that I found a way to make this idea work. When I first started the genesis series I had a piece akin to this but it just wasn't working and I couldn't figure out how to make it work. Problem solved.

Day

watercolor and pastel

9x9in

2012

Series: Genesis

Genesis

Another piece based on Genesis 1:12.

Watercolor
9x9in
2012
Series: Genesis

Goals

When I started college as an art major, I knew next to nothing about what was out there and the possibilities. One of my first art teachers at BYU was Wulf Barsch, who I've written about recently. From Wulf I learned about an awesome opportunity for an artist, the Rome Prize. The Rome Prize is and was a wonderful opportunity to live and work in Rome at the American Academy there. Wulf knew all about the prize because he'd won it.
Since that time I've been wanting to win the Rome Prize. It's something that's been in the back of my mind, shifting from a pipe dream to a possibility, to a great desire. I love Italy, I loved my trip there, I loved the art there and the rich history there. Almost a year living and working in Italy, so much opportunity to learn, grow and improve.
Next year I want to be ready to apply for the Rome Prize and then go to Rome.

Sacred Geometry: A Primer

Now that the orthogon's have all been explained... wait, now that I think about it there's one more orthogon thing that can be shared, anyway another time for that, this week, an arched window, doorway etc. I was looking off a drawing in Sacred Geometry by Miranda Lundy, but it's not as helpful as I would have liked. My first attempt looked like this:

After giving it some time and thinking a bit more about it, I was able to get it right.
Start off with a square.

Find the half way point at the top and draw diagonal lines to meet the point. Also through trial and error, I found that it's a good idea to go ahead and extend the diagonal lines up to where the arch will be.

Set your compass with the pointed end in the center mark at the top of the square and the drawing point on one of the top edges of the square. Arc like your drawing a circle from the upper square points but not drawing in between the extended diagonal lines.

Next set your compass with the point on one of the bottom corners of the square and the drawing point set to the opposite circle arc.

Repeat on the opposite side and there's your arch.

Piece of the Week

The latest from the Genesis series, there's more where this came from.

In the Beginning

watercolor and pastel

9x9in

2012

Series: Genesis