Geometric Art

Symmetry

SymmetryLine

BilateralRotational

Point

Line Symmetry

• If there is a line in which you can fold the object so that every point on one side falls on the exact corresponding point on the other side, then there is line symmetry.

Line Symmetry

•Fold Symmetry

•Mirror Symmetry

• There are synonyms for line symmetry. They are…

Is a butterfly symmetrical?

Monorah Mosque

Frieze Pattern

Oh Canada

Bilateral Symmetry

• Most animals and insects have bilateral lines of symmetry.

• If there is only one line or fold of symmetry, then it is called bilateral.

This example bugs me!

Rotational Symmetry• If you can turn the diagram

by an angle less than 360 degrees and the picture remains the same, then you have rotational symmetry.

Line and Rotational

Line of symmetry = Line of symmetry =

Angle of rotation = Angle of rotation =

8450

5

720

How many folds?

Angle of Rotation =

6

600 1200

Just use the smallest angle of rotation.

1800

How many folds? 3

Angle of rotation ?

600

Point Symmetry• Point symmetry is rotational

symmetry that only works at 180 degrees.

Point Symmetry

Angle of rotation is only 1800

Ambigram n., - a word or words that can be read in more than one way or from more than a single vantage point, such as both right side up and upside down.

(from Latin: ambi=both + gram=letter)

Rotation of 1800

Rotation of 1800

Rotation of 1800

Rotation of 1800

No because the colors do not match up.

Examples of Symmetry

• Indicate if the symmetry is either

1. Line2. Bilateral3. Rotational4. Point5. Multiple Types

Bilateral

Parthanon, Athens

How many lines of symmetry?

2Transamerican Building

San Francisco

Angle of Rotation? 600

Lines of Symmetry ? 6

Guggenheim Museum, NYC

Bilateral

No !

Saudi Arabia

Bilateral

Reichstag, Berlin

Bilateral

Louvre, Paris Art Museum

I.M. Pei

BilateralOrient Express Railroad Station, Lisbon

Line Rotational

Line Rotational

Lotus Temple, New Delhi, India

Bilateral

Thorncrown Chapel, Arkansas

Fay Jones

Thorncrown Chapel, Arkansas

Rotational Line

Palindromes

OTTO

ATOYOTAdennis sinned

None because of the colors.

Point None

Floor Plan at Vatican

Point Line

NoneNone

Bilateral Dolphin and the Swan Hotel

Bilateral

Dolphin and the Swan Hotel

Plastic Surgery• All runway models have

93% symmetry in their faces. Let’s look.

We made these artworks by photocopying our photographs, cutting them in halfthen turning the picture upside down and attempting to copy all the lines and

shades we could see.

Symmetry of the Human Face Art Activity

No face has perfect mathematical symmetry!

But plastic surgeons study facial symmetry to help them reconstruct faces.

It is thought that as a face gets closer to symmetrical more people think it is beautiful.

Is the Face Really Symmetrical?

'Some faces are more symmetrical than others.' Is this True?

After much thought an Art teacher at school and I worked out a way to find out. We photographed some of the children and then through a bit of 'darkroom magic' manipulated them.

You'll notice that the photos of each child's face is made up of the original photo, 2 left sides and 2 right sides.

Right / right Left / left The Original Photo

Who am I ?

Hallie Berry

Right / right Left / left The Original Photo

Right / right Left / left The Original Photo

Right / right Left / left The Original Photo

It really does appear that some faces are more symmetrical than others!

Arab or

Israeli?

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Who am I ?

Austria

Denmark

China

Indonesia

None

Bilateral

Iceland

UK

Bilateral

Point

Bilateral

France

Russia

Bilateral

Bilateral

• Norway

Switzerland

Bilateral

Norway

Rotational

Line

Have you caught on to the types of symmetry?

Oui, mon captain.

C’est fini.

Good day and good luck.