If you have visited other pages on this website, you may have constructed Golden Rectangles, Golden Spirals and Golden Triangles. These shapes are often used in art and architecture. Artists may arrange their subject in one of these shapes in order to create interest or focus your attention in a particular way.

Two of Joseph Turner's paintings The Shipwreck and Snowstorm, use the spiral to show the wild swirling of the waves or the snow.

In other paintings, like Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, and The Virgin Mary with her Child and St. John the Baptist by Raphael, the artists use the golden triangle to draw your attention toward the face of the subject.

Many paintings use the golden rectangle and golden proportions. Some examples would be Composition with red, yellow and blue by Mondrian, or Parade de Cirque by Seurat and work by Durer, Giotto, Bellows, da Vinci and many other artists.

The golden rectangle is used not only in painting, but also in architecture. A look at the Parthenon of ancient Greece, the Taj Mahal of India, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, or the United Nations headquarters in New York will reveal many examples of the use of the golden rectangle. You might also look at the work of Frank Lloyd Wright to see more uses of this shape in architecture. There are also numerous examples of golden triangles used in architecture.

Challenge: Choose one of the "Golden" shapes: A Golden Rectangle, a Golden Spiral or a Golden Triangle. Create a drawing, painting, picture, or a design or model of a building using the shape you have chosen. When you have finished, describe where or how the shape you chose is used in your design. (You should try to "imply" the shape you have chosen; that is: don't draw a rectangle, but use the rectangular shape to help the viewer see "sections" of your work.)

OTHER PROJECT IDEAS

1.) Research the use of one or more of these shapes in art . Give examples of paintings or drawings where it is used. Also, give the names of the artists.

2.) Research the use of one or more of these shapes in architecture. Give examples of buildings or structures where it is used. Also, give information about the architect or builders.

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