elkemental Force

Art inspired by physics.

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Cathedral of Math – Rebuilt!

Cathedral of Math – Rebuilt!

Written by

elkement

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I have done it!

I had repaired version 1 of the cathedral several times, and I finally ruined it.

So, I’ve rebuilt it from scratch – to create a slightly different, and hopefully better version. Come back stronger!

This took me longer than anything I had drawn before.

Click on the images in this gallery to see the work-in-progress photos:

Rebuilding the Cathedral of Math by elkement 2024 - Work in Progress: Construction. Perspective drawing with ruler and compass! Creating the projection in perspective from top view and side view! Contour lines on a mathematical function, constructed from the top view and front view of the structure, using traditional techniques of descriptive geometry. Initial stage: Construction done.
Traditional perspective construction
Rebuilding the Cathedral of Math by elkement 2024 - Work in Progress: Watercolor Pencils. Gradually and cautiously adding color, cross-checking the construction with every layer. Contour lines on a mathematical function, constructed from the top view and front view of the structure, using traditional techniques of descriptive geometry.
Adding watercolor pencils
Rebuilding the Cathedral of Math by elkement 2024 - Work in Progress: Watercolor Markers. Adding vibrant colors in layers and re-tracing the lines of the construction with black fine liner. Gradually and cautiously adding color, cross-checking the construction with every layer. Contour lines on a mathematical function, constructed from the top view and front view of the structure, using traditional techniques of descriptive geometry.
Watercolor markers and black fine liner
Cathedral of Math - Rebuilt. Perspective drawing by elkement 2024. Every cell of this cathedral from virtual stained glass has been touched several times, adding transparent layers of color with watercolor markers. Contour lines on a mathematical function, constructed from the top view and front view of the structure, using traditional techniques of descriptive geometry.
Done! Buckled from the water!

I am constructing this “mathematical double tower” with graphite pencil on A3 paper, adding a little bit of color – just enough to remember which lines belong to what.

Then I am adding several faint layers of color with watercolor pencil, still making small corrections to the construction.

I am re-tracing nearly all the lines with black fine liner or ballpoint pen … and there is danger again. I learn that not all black fine liners are equal. Some will stay stable when the paper is soaked in water, but some will bleed. I stabilize the fragile lines by tracing over them with permanent markers. Fortunately, I have used the bleeding fine liner for thick lines as I want to highlight the main scaffolding of the construction.

Finally, I am getting to the best part: Using vibrant watercolor markers – layer by layer. I am touching each fragment of this “stained glass” cathedral several times, until I call it done!

The paper has been labeled paper for acrylic and oils. But I still managed to buckle and warp it when activating pencils and markers with water.

But this time, I will not test anything! I will not flatten the paper with water nor will I varnish it. Who knows if the offending fine liner would creep out from under the permanent marker again.

I simply put it behind glass:

Cathedral of Math - Rebuilt. Perspective drawing by elkement 2024. Traditional perspective construction of contour lines on a "tower", described by a mathematical function. The clover-leaf-shaped base becomes infinitely large in the xy-plane and shrinks to zero when z goes to plus or minus infinity. Graphite pencil construction enhanced with watercolor pencil, fine liner, ballpoint pen, watercolor markers. Artwork framed behind glass, with a black mat, photographed in front of black paper.
Cathedral of Math – Rebuilt by elkement 2024 – Framed.

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elkemental Force
elkemental Force
@elkement.art@elkement.art

Art inspired by physics.

515 posts
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Comments

6 responses to “Cathedral of Math – Rebuilt!”

  1. tom lutz Avatar
    tom lutz

    Schöne Bilder, gut abgemischt mit dem passenden Storytelling dazu.

    Reply
    1. elkement Avatar
      elkement

      Danke sehr – freue mich über das Lob vom Storytelling-Profi :)

      Reply
  2. Steve Armstrong Avatar
    Steve Armstrong

    Beautiful

    Reply
    1. elkement Avatar
      elkement

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  3. eccentera Avatar
    eccentera

    Gorgeous! It really looks like stained glass.

    Reply
    1. elkement Avatar
      elkement

      Thanks a lot!! Happy you like it!

      Reply

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