‘Finding Fit’ — Mathematics and Visual Art

High School Lesson Plans
Written By Meredith Hislope

Mathematics and Art intersect in numerous ways. We will be focusing on Math’s intersections with Art in regard to Pattern, “Fit”, and Balance. Students will experiment with compositions that utilize these three intersections between disciplines to create their final piece. Their work will be 11x17, utilizing chalk pastel, colored pencil, and india ink. Students will study the work of Wassily Kandinsky, Sonia Delaunay, Robbery Delaunay, and Beatriz Milhazes. 


Fine Arts Goals/Objectives:

  • Students will experiment with new materials and mark making 

  • Students will be able to plan compositions before beginning their work 

  • Students will understand the intersections and disjunctions between Mathematics and Visual Art 

  • Students will have a better understanding of Chalk Pastels as a medium 

  • Students will understand ‘Fit’ and be able to demonstrate their understanding visually

Visual Art Standards: 

  • VA: Cr1.2.II → Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan works of art and design.

  • VA:Cr2.1.II → Through experimentation, practice, and persistence, demonstrate acquisition of skills and knowledge in a chosen art form.

  • VA:Re8.1.I →  Construct meaningful interpretations, supported by evidence, of an artwork or collection of works through describing and analyzing feelings, subject matter, formal characteristics, artmaking approaches, contextual information, and key concepts.

  • VA:Cr3.1.I → Apply relevant criteria from traditional and contemporary cultural contexts to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for works of art and design in progress

  • VA:Cr4.1.I →  Analyze, select, and curate artifacts or artworks for presentation and preservation.

Vocabulary Acquisition:

  • Fit – The capacity of an artwork or a math formula or theorem to suit a purpose.

  • Composition – The arrangement of elements to create a whole. 

  • Balance – The distribution of visual weight in a composition to create a sense of stability and visual equilibrium.

  • Disjunction – The relationship between two distinct alternatives.

Key Artistic Concepts:

  • Balanced Composition 

  • Symmetry 

  • Asymmetry 

  • Chalk Pastel Techniques (Blending, Layering, Smoothing, Different Mark Making, etc.) 

Art Making Materials Needed: 

  • Pastel Drawing paper 11x17 

  • Chalk Pastel 

  • Q-Tips

  • Colored Pencils 

  • (Colored) Pencil Sharpeners 

  • India Ink 

  • Small/Medium Brushes for Ink 

  • Blending Stumps 

  • Paper Towels

Contemporary/Historical/Multicultural/Popular/Literature Art exemplars:

  • Wassily Kandinsky 

  • Sonia Delaunay 

  • Robert Delaunay 

  • Beatriz Milhazes 

Download Full Lesson Plan with Procedures & Daily Schedule Here

Meredith Hislope
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