Blog | Tattoo Gdańsk
Geometry is the language of the universe
From patterns in nature to geometry on skin
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Geometry is everywhere. Not only in shapes drawn by humans, buildings or mathematical formulas. It can be found in the structure of minerals, the arrangement of snowflakes, spirals, the symmetry of organisms, waves and structures we observe on a cosmic scale. In many cases, repeating forms are the result of the laws of physics, growth processes, symmetry and mathematical relationships.
Geometry, mathematics and order
Geometry is one of the oldest branches of mathematics. More than two thousand years ago, Euclid compiled a large part of the geometric knowledge of his time in a work known as Elements. Its thirteen books cover, among other things, plane geometry, proportions, number theory, solid geometry and the Platonic solids. Elements is not exactly the kind of book you casually read in bed in the evening. It is primarily a mathematical work based on definitions, assumptions and proofs. For anyone interested in geometry, however, it offers an interesting insight into how much of our modern understanding of shapes, proportions and mathematical reasoning grew out of very old ideas. If you want to explore the subject further, it is worth looking into Euclid's Elements more as a historical source and point of reference than as light reading.
Geometry beyond earth
When we look into space, geometry stops being merely a way of describing triangles, circles or polygons. Geometry is part of the mathematical description of the space in which matter exists. Modern physics uses geometry, among other things, to describe spacetime, while questions about the geometry and topology of the universe itself are part of contemporary cosmology. You could therefore say that the same mathematical language we use to describe a line, a circle or symmetry also leads us to much larger questions: What is space? What shape does it have? And how can we describe it? One interesting book for anyone who would like to explore this connection is The Shape of Space by Jeffrey R. Weeks. It deals with geometry and topology, but also with how we can try to imagine the shape of space and the universe. It is not entirely a popular science book, but the author makes an effort to explain difficult concepts as intuitively as possible.
Leonardo da Vinci and the way we see the world
Geometry does not have to begin with mathematical formulas. It can begin with observation. Leonardo da Vinci is a good example. His notebooks contain not only artistic drawings, but also observations about anatomy, light, optics, the movement of water, geology and engineering. Leonardo did not separate art from science as clearly as we often do today. That is precisely why Walter Isaacson's Leonardo da Vinci is worth reading. Drawing on thousands of pages from Leonardo's notebooks, Isaacson shows how important curiosity, observation and the desire to understand what he saw were to his work. It is also a valuable book for anyone involved in design. Instead of looking for ready-made patterns, you can start by observing the world around you: the structure of plants, the movement of water, cracks in rocks, shadows, anatomy, architecture or seemingly random arrangements of forms.
Why does geometry work so well as a tattoo?
A geometric tattoo does not have to represent a specific symbol. It can be based on proportion, rhythm, symmetry, repetition, contrast, the division of space or a controlled disruption of order. A few simple shapes can create a much more complex whole. Very complex forms can be built from simple principles. Designing a geometric tattoo is not simply about transferring a geometric pattern onto the skin. The body also has to be taken into account, its curves, movement, proportions and the way the design will look not only in a photograph, but above all when the body is moving. Geometry on paper is flat. A tattoo is not.
If you want to explore the subject further
If geometry, mathematics and the way humans try to describe the world interest you beyond tattooing itself, I have a few recommendations.
Euclid — Elements
A classic. Difficult and, at times, highly technical, but worth knowing at least as the source of many fundamental ideas in geometry.
Walter Isaacson — Leonardo da Vinci
Not a book about geometry, but an excellent look at a way of seeing the world in which art, observation and science are not separated from one another.
Jeffrey R. Weeks — The Shape of Space
For those who want to go further into the geometry of space, topology and the question of the shape of the universe.
Mario Livio — The Golden Ratio
An interesting book for anyone interested in the relationship between mathematics, proportion, art and nature. Importantly, Livio distinguishes actual mathematical applications of the golden ratio from many popular myths that have grown around the number φ (phi).
And finally, one more film.
Darren Aronofsky — Pi
This is not a film about geometry in the literal sense. It is, however, deeply rooted in the world of mathematics, patterns, numbers and the obsessive search for hidden order. The black-and-white cinematography and Clint Mansell's music (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan) create an atmosphere that fits the subject particularly well. So perhaps instead of asking whether geometry has some single hidden meaning, it is more interesting to ask another question: Why have humans been trying to find order in the world they observe for thousands of years?
Tattoo. History, facts and myths
Geometry is the language of the universe
Blackwork/blackout tattoo — calmness
Tattoo sleeve. The journey is the goal
Geometric tattoo vs organic blackwork
Dotwork — rhythm written in dots
Tattoo design and artificial intelligence
Symmetry and asymmetry in tattooing
What to avoid before and after a tattoo session
Tattoo and pain that passes
Medical aspects of tattooing
Blog | About | Contact
Geometry, mathematics and order
Geometry is one of the oldest branches of mathematics. More than two thousand years ago, Euclid compiled a large part of the geometric knowledge of his time in a work known as Elements. Its thirteen books cover, among other things, plane geometry, proportions, number theory, solid geometry and the Platonic solids. Elements is not exactly the kind of book you casually read in bed in the evening. It is primarily a mathematical work based on definitions, assumptions and proofs. For anyone interested in geometry, however, it offers an interesting insight into how much of our modern understanding of shapes, proportions and mathematical reasoning grew out of very old ideas. If you want to explore the subject further, it is worth looking into Euclid's Elements more as a historical source and point of reference than as light reading.
Geometry beyond earth
When we look into space, geometry stops being merely a way of describing triangles, circles or polygons. Geometry is part of the mathematical description of the space in which matter exists. Modern physics uses geometry, among other things, to describe spacetime, while questions about the geometry and topology of the universe itself are part of contemporary cosmology. You could therefore say that the same mathematical language we use to describe a line, a circle or symmetry also leads us to much larger questions: What is space? What shape does it have? And how can we describe it? One interesting book for anyone who would like to explore this connection is The Shape of Space by Jeffrey R. Weeks. It deals with geometry and topology, but also with how we can try to imagine the shape of space and the universe. It is not entirely a popular science book, but the author makes an effort to explain difficult concepts as intuitively as possible.
Leonardo da Vinci and the way we see the world
Geometry does not have to begin with mathematical formulas. It can begin with observation. Leonardo da Vinci is a good example. His notebooks contain not only artistic drawings, but also observations about anatomy, light, optics, the movement of water, geology and engineering. Leonardo did not separate art from science as clearly as we often do today. That is precisely why Walter Isaacson's Leonardo da Vinci is worth reading. Drawing on thousands of pages from Leonardo's notebooks, Isaacson shows how important curiosity, observation and the desire to understand what he saw were to his work. It is also a valuable book for anyone involved in design. Instead of looking for ready-made patterns, you can start by observing the world around you: the structure of plants, the movement of water, cracks in rocks, shadows, anatomy, architecture or seemingly random arrangements of forms.
Why does geometry work so well as a tattoo?
A geometric tattoo does not have to represent a specific symbol. It can be based on proportion, rhythm, symmetry, repetition, contrast, the division of space or a controlled disruption of order. A few simple shapes can create a much more complex whole. Very complex forms can be built from simple principles. Designing a geometric tattoo is not simply about transferring a geometric pattern onto the skin. The body also has to be taken into account, its curves, movement, proportions and the way the design will look not only in a photograph, but above all when the body is moving. Geometry on paper is flat. A tattoo is not.
If you want to explore the subject further
If geometry, mathematics and the way humans try to describe the world interest you beyond tattooing itself, I have a few recommendations.
Euclid — Elements
A classic. Difficult and, at times, highly technical, but worth knowing at least as the source of many fundamental ideas in geometry.
Walter Isaacson — Leonardo da Vinci
Not a book about geometry, but an excellent look at a way of seeing the world in which art, observation and science are not separated from one another.
Jeffrey R. Weeks — The Shape of Space
For those who want to go further into the geometry of space, topology and the question of the shape of the universe.
Mario Livio — The Golden Ratio
An interesting book for anyone interested in the relationship between mathematics, proportion, art and nature. Importantly, Livio distinguishes actual mathematical applications of the golden ratio from many popular myths that have grown around the number φ (phi).
And finally, one more film.
Darren Aronofsky — Pi
This is not a film about geometry in the literal sense. It is, however, deeply rooted in the world of mathematics, patterns, numbers and the obsessive search for hidden order. The black-and-white cinematography and Clint Mansell's music (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan) create an atmosphere that fits the subject particularly well. So perhaps instead of asking whether geometry has some single hidden meaning, it is more interesting to ask another question: Why have humans been trying to find order in the world they observe for thousands of years?
Tattoo. History, facts and myths
Geometry is the language of the universe
Blackwork/blackout tattoo — calmness
Tattoo sleeve. The journey is the goal
Geometric tattoo vs organic blackwork
Dotwork — rhythm written in dots
Tattoo design and artificial intelligence
Symmetry and asymmetry in tattooing
What to avoid before and after a tattoo session
Tattoo and pain that passes
Medical aspects of tattooing
Blog | About | Contact
