It’s impossible to describe the beauty of nature in one word. But for Venezuelan artist Rafael Araujo, mathematics can define nature’s beauty in one symbol, and that is ‘phi’. This Greek letter is commonly used in mathematics to represent the Golden Ratio with a value of 1.618. So, what does phi has to do with the beauty of nature? Most of us are unaware that the golden ratio appears in some patterns in natural objects. These objects include the arrangement of leaves, spirals in sea shells, butterfly wings patterns, crystal formations, and many more. Of course, it’s hard for most of us to discern these proportions. That is why Araujo created his Golden Ratio illustrations, his series of hand drawings demonstrating the harmonic proportions of nature.
Araujo’s drawings were carefully calculated and rendered with precision by using technical tools such as pencil, ruler, compass, and protractor. The artist believes that understanding the properties of golden ratio also helps us understand the works of nature. Hence, making us appreciate the real beauty behind every natural object around us. Each illustration depicts nature in the form of geometrical patterns, along with construction lines to highlight the mathematical framework.
More importantly, the Golden Ratio illustrations are compiled into a coloring book in order to reconnect people with nature. The coloring book does not only open our eyes to nature’s relation to mathematics. But it also rekindles our artistic side by allowing us to apply colors on nature-inspired figures. Araujo posted the Golden Ratio Coloring Book project on Kickstarter and it eventually gained over 8,000 backers. On July 2016, the adult coloring book was finally made available.
Araujo’s hand-drawn Golden Ratio illustrations in a coloring book
Venezuelan illustrator Rafael Araujo hand-draws each illustration included in the Golden Ratio Coloring Book
Get your adult coloring book now.
Source: Rafael Araujo | Kickstarter