Geometry and Plants

Different plants grow in a variety of predictable and measurable patterns. Geometry provides another lens through which we can discover to botanical world in more depth.  This past weekend at the US Botanic Gardens on the National Mall, I led an intensive weekend study focused on geometry and plants.  Understanding geometric patterns and proportional relationships can help develop the artistic eye and drawing skill.  Learning about such numerical series such as the Lucas and the Fibonacci, it was exciting to discover different plants in the garden collection that displayed these in the arrangement of their leaves, flowers, seeds and growth patterns.  We spent a good deal of time on geometric constructions, particularly the Golden Rectangle and Logarithmic Spiral. Our study also included various shapes and designs related to stylized botanical designs found in architecture.  In addition to geometric constructions, students had the opportunity for life drawing from the collection exploring different specimens in a variety of views, as well as a culminating project designing an original botanic design incorporation aspects of both the constructions and observational sketches.  If you would like to learn more contact me or explore the abridged class workbook under the course syllabi section of this website.

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Sample student design sketches