Koch Snowflake

The Koch Snowflake is one of the most well known fractals. It starts with a continuous mathematical curve, then a triangle shape added and so on repeating its
beautiful and inspiring shape. As the sides of the snowflake increase, each iteration makes more sides then more sides again. It is fascinating to know that the perimeter can carry on multiplying while the area remains restricted.

http://mathforum.org/mathimages/index.php/Koch_Snowflake

Benoit Mandelbrot

Benoit Mandelbrot (died 14.10.10) was the mathematician who disclosed many of the mysteries of fractal geometry. Fractals are geometric shapes which when magnified reproduce the same qualities over and over. Mandelbrot found a way to mathematically describe the shapes of natural forms such as mountains and coastlines, then he managed to measure them, leading on later to the basis for the Chaos theory in applied mathematics.
He wrote ‘clouds are not spheres, mountains are not cones, coastlines are not circles, and bark is not smooth, nor does lightening travel in a straight line.’
In his essay’ How long is the coast of Great Britain’(1967) he explained it depended on the scale it was measured at, as you move in closer you find more and more, each bay had more bays.
Mandelbrot worked with IBM examining electronic noise which caused errors with IBM transmissions. He discovered the noise came in patterns and the more it was observed the more complicated the pattern became. When he examined it more he could see the ‘self-similarity’ of the patterns. Mandelbrot finally managed to produce a mathematical formula to represent these patterns,
Z = Z ² + C is now known as the Mandelbrot set.

VIDEO

Fractal Variation for Dummies from Kay Lavender on Vimeo.

Sarah Burton FOR McQueen

http://www.different4u.com/

A huge and daunting task faced Sarah Burton when she had to take over the reins and head the designing after the tragic loss of Alexander Mc Queen. One can only imagine how difficult it is to do that after such a close working relationship and friendship for thirteen years. She has proved what a wonderful and talented designer she is especially having to just carry on in such upsetting circumstances. In an interview in Vogue her grief was evident but she has managed, and extremely well to continue his and her work.
Burton trained at Central St Martins and went on to be head of women’s wear for Alexander McQueen. Her latest work is a tribute to their close working relationship but she is showing her fabulous range of talent also. It is fascinating to see how the bond of their working time together reflects in her own work. Burton is incredibly artistic but modest and almost seems unaware of how incredible her work is. At 36 Burton is in an incredible position, She mentions how Alexander McQueen has encouraged her from day one and to always be true to your work, producing something that you are able to stand behind.

Arduino

Arduino is a multi purpose electronics prototyping platform. Due to a variety of sensors that can be attached to it can change it’s surroundings by controlling lights, motors etc. Using wiring and the programme built into the board the micro controller can be programmed for all sorts of design projects and will be a great source of inspiration for designers and artists alike. Arduino makes using electronics fun and encourages experimentation. As advised in the Arduino handout, experimenting or tinkering with existing old equipment and getting them to perform a different functions to that which they were originally designed for is the best way to get experience. Experimenting by patching leads in different combinations is all part of discovering something new. By circuit bending, a form of tinkering the user can experiment without really knowing what they are doing in theory yet just create something wonderful by accident or persistence.
I am particularly interested in the Arduino Lilypad, which is specifically designed to be used in clothing. Sensors apparently can be used and react to body temperature and possibly create effects with lighting etc. I will be looking further into Lilypad.

Fibonacci sequence

Fibonacci was a mathematician living in the 12th century who asked the question how many rabbits could a pair of rabbits produce in one year, his calculations went on to be known as the Fibonacci numbers or sequence, The order goes as follows: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144 and on to infinity. As you add the first two numbers you make the third and so on in a mathematical sequence. The ratio between the numbers (1.618034) is frequently called the golden ratio or golden number.



If the two smallest squares have a width and height of 1, then the box to their left has measurements of 2. The other boxes measure 3, 5, 8 and 13.
The patterns demonstrating the golden ratio can be best seen in the centre of sunflowers, pinecones and cauliflowers.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/evolution/fibonacci-nature1.htm

Margaret Wertheim on the beautiful maths of coral

Benoit Mandelbrot: Fractals and the art of roughness

Robert Lang folds way-new origami | Video on TED.com

Robert Lang folds way-new origami | Video on TED.com