Geometric art has existed throughout history and still stands today as one of the most popular forms of visual art in our world. The purpose of geometric art is to take simple shapes, such as circles and triangles, and design beautiful pictures using nothing but those shapes.
Whether it’s the pyramids of ancient Egypt, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, or the massive art installations in modern cities like New York City and London, geometric art has been something to marvel at.
But its recent rise due to its futuristic design and bright colors catches your eye from miles away. With the renewed popularity of famous geometric art, we look at how this form of visual expression can teach us valuable lessons.
Why Is Geometric Art So Popular?
It’s because they take something ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary. So there’s a lesson here: if you’re feeling stuck with your project or just don’t know what to do next, take time away from it.
Let your subconscious work on solving that problem while you move on to something else. It may be off-putting to create other things while you have one project going, but at some point, you will get back to that project, and boom! When the solution finally occurs to you, it will stun you. Try viewing things in a new light; it may encourage you to develop fresh ideas.
Who Are Some Famous Geometric Artists?
There are many well-known geometric artists. Piet Mondrian and Bridget Riley are two of them. Each artist is known for their style and flair, but their fundamental approach to geometric art is much of what separates them from one another.
For example, while Mondrian’s work tended to be more minimalist than Riley’s, his main goal was capturing a spatial experience in his pieces. On top of that, he also wanted viewers to focus on simpler shapes within each piece. As a result, he often used only three colors—red, yellow, and blue—to draw attention to those shapes.
In contrast, Bridget Riley often worked with more colors in her paintings; however, she would use vibrant colors instead of neutral ones like Mondrian did. Her artwork is generally considered more abstract than his because she uses different patterns of color and texture throughout her pieces rather than keeping it uniform throughout like he did. Both artists have impacted geometric art, though they approached it in very different ways.
How Does This Kind Of Visual Communication Work?
The perception of these images is very subjective but generally falls into one of two categories. The first is based on how we categorize images. For example, our brains look for faces in everything from an evolutionary perspective because they help us identify whether a person is a friend or a foe.
An observer will categorize what they see into various forms, such as triangles and squares in geometric art. For example, a triangle may be seen as someone’s nose. Your brain would then try to understand why there was a triangle where there shouldn’t be one. This could lead you to see things that aren’t really there or even imagine something the artist didn’t initially intend.
The second way people perceive geometric art is through optical illusions. Optical illusions are images that create a visual sensory experience that isn’t necessarily based on what you see but instead on how your brain interprets it. These images can be very complex and produce different experiences for each person who views them.
Secret Formula Unraveled
A specific formula for geometric art can help us determine why it works so well. According to renowned shapes artist Felice Varini, and his book, Drawing between Two Points: The Birth of Geometry, there are six elements involved in geometric art. These are proximity, similarity, contrast, repetition, patterning, and gradation.
It’s important to note that these elements don’t always have to be present for geometric art to work; however, if they are absent, you may end up with something more akin to an abstract painting than an actual geometric art. Likewise, if these six factors aren’t working as intended, your piece won’t be as effective. So let’s observe each part individually.
Proximity refers to how near or far apart objects are from one another. In terms of visual communication, having things close together draws attention and makes them seem more important than those farther away. Conversely, contrast refers to how different or similar objects appear when placed next to one another.
Similarity refers to how much two or more objects resemble one another. Repetition means using multiple instances of an object to create a pattern. Gradation is simply about smoothly transitioning from one color to another without any abrupt changes. And patterning involves arranging items into patterns rather than placing them randomly on a page or canvas.
What Is The History Of Geometric Art?
The first known use of geometric shapes in art dates back thousands of years. Ancient civilizations from Egypt to China used geometric shapes in paintings and architecture to represent their deities.
Many individuals associate geometry with math, but a specific branch of geometry called two-dimensional or flat geometry utilizes shapes and figures to create 2D images. The earliest geometric art was simple and included nothing more than straight lines and various circles. As time progressed, so did geometric art.
Artists began using different colors, patterns, and even 3D shapes. This created a new form of artwork known as anamorphic art. Artists also began creating pieces using multiple layers of shapes to create depth within their work. This style became very popular in Europe during the Renaissance period. Today we see many artists utilizing geometric designs for their work.
To Sum Up
It’s no wonder why—geometric art is visually stimulating and will keep you guessing at every turn. But, if you’re looking for something different, geometric art may be precisely what you need to add a little excitement to your walls. With interesting shapes and bright colors, this type of art does more than just brighten up a room—it borders on mind-altering!
