Max Weatherly

GWIC: MC Escher
FINAL EXAM

1) Tessellations are geometric figures on a plane containing one or more polygon shapes with no
overlaps or no gaps in the pattern. Tessellations are used in art, mathematics, manufacturing, etc.
Translation, Glide Reflection, Reflection, Rotation
Regular tiling- has one type of regular face
Semiregular tiling - has one type of vertex, and two or more types of faces.

1) Flying Horses 2) Birds

3) (N/A)?? 4) Lizards

5) Birds

2) George Polya & MC Escher - George Polya was a European mathematician who wrote
books and papers on geometry as well as number theory, tessellations and various other
mathematical components. What drew Eschers interest was Polya academic paper he wrote
revisiting the findings of Johannes Kepler. He went into deeper detail and the studies of this
caught Eschers eye. He read the paper which explained the wallpaper groups, or plane
symmetry groups. This was the first project we worked with in depth as a class which was a
creation of our own wallpaper groups and our attempts to make a tessellation using two-
dimensional patterns. Escher took Polyas ideas and used them in artistic way to make his
masterpieces. The work displayed below was the piece he sent to Polya using his theories and
ideas.

Development I Circle Limit

3) Platonic Solids -Platonic solids are a three-dimensional shape consisting of congruent regular
polygonal faces with the same number of faces meeting at each vertex. Each polyhedron solid is
named after the amount of faces on the figure. Convex figures consisting of regular polygons. A
convex polyhedron is a Platonic solid if and only if
a. all its faces are congruent convex regular polygons
b. none of its faces intersect except at their edges
c. the same number of faces meet at each of its vertices

Eschers Solid - A compound polyhedron which consists of 3 cubes with perfect symmetry,
creates a new figure and shape to the geometric world. This piece can be seen in Stars, and was
first shown in Waterfall on top of one of the towers.

Escher Solid

4) Telegraph Wire Effect - This innovation was one of Eschers most important with regarding
perspective. Escher came up with this perspective in Italy while he was sketching a village. He
drew straight lines leading into the distance with a curvature in them, simply because that was
what he visualized. This theory, came to be with the proposal of a man lying on the grass
between two telephone poles looking at the wire that runs between them. It should be a fixed
straight line but the observation shows the line drooping down and then rising up to apex at the
next pole. This brought on the perspective of straight lines from a vantage point, diminishing
into the distance to a fixed focal point, in each direction. It helps with projecting first person
perspective on a fixed point in imagery, and this revolutionized the art community. The images
below should be able to explain further. Essentially 6-point curve, over an axis separating into
two symmetric 3-point perspective drawings. Page 54 in Book, figure #100a-c.

high & low

5) Four Types of Art Analysis -

a. Stylistic - This analysis refers to a critique which compares the work being viewed to
another piece within its own style of art. A single piece cannot define a certain style nor
does a single artist. Many try to render copies or look-a-likes. MC Eschers works were
compared to Johannes Keplers studies of tessellations since this new style was brought
to life. Takes different pieces and different times to help create a further understanding of
the piece being discussed.
b. Formal - Very clear and concise method of explanation of art or art history. Historians
use a formal analysis to create a logical and careful criticism for the piece being
observed. This type of analysis breaks down various aspects and elements of the art being
critiqued. The most concise and detailed explanation including color, size, value, shape
and principles such as; balance, rhythm, and harmony across the canvas.
c. Patronage - This type of analysis is used to further express an experience given by a
piece of art. This critique gives a perspective buyer, or possible viewers of the piece a
full expectation of what the artist tried to render and get across.
d. Iconographic - Breaking down an analysis by what is on the artwork itself. The
incorporation of historic symbols, images and depiction are critiqued to help put these
ideologies into perspective with a historic background. Most of these historic symbols
and ideologies come from religious beliefs and have Biblical connection/resemblance.
6) Ekphrasis - Literary description of commentary on a visual work of art. This is a very in-
depth, dramatic, description of a visual work. This work could be anything, person, or
experience with a description from a viewer.

7) In order to further gain a personal understanding of Eschers methods and techniques. By

mimicking his ways, we as a class, were able to understand his works further. We gained a full
comprehensive education on the foundation of Eschers works and various periods. In our
projects we used lithographs, Mobius strips, many perspectives, along with tessellations to help
us get in his artistic shoes. The hardest project we had to do was the linocut self-portraits.
This task gave me a newfound outlook on the works that he created with such skill and in such
volume. Using a small blade in order to scrape and carve out the design intended for the wood
was incredibly difficult and time-consuming. Before starting I did not expect it to take that long
and be that tough. Getting the details, you wanted to perfectly scrape your face out of this solid
block was not an easy feat. The end product for me, personally, was not awful, but it was not
masterpiece. The shading and details Escher used left me in awe after looking at my attempt to
mimic his works. Overall, I had no prior knowledge of MC Escher besides his wacky, and
strange images. After learning throughout the semester and researching into further detail, I
grew a greater appreciation. I would accept him as an artist, though many critics did not.

8) Eschers work was highly popularized during the free thinking period where rebellious
thinking took place compared to the structured thinking of generations before. Eschers work
was not like that of fellow artists at the time, creating a misunderstood approach to his piece.
Since critics could not place any value on his works are classify them according to previous
artists pieces he was heavily ignored by the community as a whole. The art critics could not
make heads or tails of him, so they just ignored his work (Ernst 19). The first community to
recognize his work was not for its value in art, but the commotion it caused with its physical
impossibilities and unique mathematical structures. He used geometric shapes in a way in his
tessellations that had not been done before in this manner. After gaining popular notarization
from peers, not critics, his works began being displayed worldwide in various channels.
Art critics have a main purpose to analyze art primarily and with solid principles based off
experience, elaborate a well oriented critic of the work in itself. Critics use techniques such as;
comparison with other art works, various other past artworks, and be in capability to make
statement, not about how they feel but, how this piece of art will ultimately be able to affect the
world it is brought into.

9) Thesis - A statement or theory that is stated with the premise of being proved or disproved,
involving research and proof behind positioning.

My thesis was not very detailed and in-depth. I was simply chasing after a certain question,
though research was involved and I learned more about exactly what I wanted to further gain
knowledge on. The problem is my thesis was not trying to disprove or prove a fact, it was further
enhanced. I learned more about the foundation to an artists legacy. Should I have to go back and
do it over, I would choose another topic to help further learn on with a position, or something
with a strong thesis.

10) For my research paper, I had various changed pointed out on my road to the final copy.
 Obviously, I had to do a better job citing my work, as well as focusing on bringing the whole
paper together and incorporating research and commentary on the research. The need for
supplementary information based off of what was taught to us in class was necessary in
expanding my topic. With this research, I was able to provide further information, giving a
better in-depth approach onto where all of this tessellating started from. My diction was strong
but some grammatical errors occurred, creating run-ons and various other fragments that took
away from the papers integrity. My paper was more organized when I broke everything down
into sections detailing certain aspects of the inspirations of Escher, and the accompanying
information with that.