Transformation

For my project, I did a continuous ten page piece based on the linear transformations in MC Escher’s Metamorphose. After an initial dot is drawn on the left-most or top page, it is transformed into numerous geometrical shapes and patterns over ten pages until being transformed into a dot again on the right-most or bottom page. There are several general requirements to producing a work similar to mine. First, the medium must be 8.5 x 11 inch graph paper with four squares per inch. Secondly, only HB pencils should be used (a red, blue OR yellow colored pencil may be substituted for the HB pencil). A circle guide and compass are allowed, and encouraged when constructing this piece. Also, it is recommended that one sits down in an armless swivel chair when drawing on the graph paper. The only food that may be consumed during the construction of this piece are Reese’s Pieces and Three Musketeer candy bars. Water and Red Bull are acceptable beverages.
There are several rules governing the entire piece as a whole. All of the pages must be in a linear manner (horizontal or vertical lines). They also must be draw in order. Next, the first and last pages must start and end with a single dot that is exactly half-way (4.5 inches) between either long side of the paper. Now, each successive element in the piece must contain some aspects of the previous element. If the piece is done horizontally, each element will be split roughly into vertical columns with a repeated shapes and lines. Also, every not circular line must go start and end on the intersection of four squares on the graph paper. It is recommended that one goes through as many of these intersections as possible. Half circular lines only need to be tangent to three of these intersections, and full circles must be tangent to four of the intersections. The maximum allowed circle size is 2.5 inches. The maximum allowed square size is 12 x 12 squares. I recommend that most lines and shapes have lengths and proportions that are an even number of squares. If odd numbered lengths are used, the maximum allowed length is 17. There is no limit on even-numbered lengths. Elements may be touching or may be separated by an integer number of squares.
Each transformation in the piece consists of roughly vertical strips that contain the following: straight lines, line patterns, squares, three dimensional prisms, mobius strips (triangular are the easiest to make given the design constraints), triangles, diamonds, parallelograms, octagons, rectangles, hexagons, circles, and/or cylinders. Do not draw lines separating each element – sew them together by adding, removing, or moving elements from the previous strip. One can repeat a strip up to five times. Each strip must contain at least three copies of the same element. They should be arranged so that each strip visually fits together with the next one. One way to do this is to have a large shape containing a small one. The large shapes can be staggered, and subtle changes can be made to the interior shapes.
There is no set order for this work. One may do any transformation whenever one desires. However, as stated before, a dot (no bigger than the intersection of four squares) must be the first and last element. Also, the second and second to last transformation must be ripples that transform out of the dot as if it were thrown in a pond like a stone. Below is the order of transformations that I used:
After the initial dot is drawn, one must create ripples outward from the dot. These ripples then must turn into diamonds, which then morph into three dimensional blocks. Next, the blocks must transform into mobius strips, which then goes to an octagon. The octagons may contain an opening in the middle. The octagons should then become diamonds, which then turn into circles. After the circles, the next vertical strip should contain cylinders. The cylinders can be connected to form “conveyor belt” elements. These can be bent into a rainbow. Regardless of one’s decision, the cylinders must eventually be followed by three dimensional blocks that the morph into squares. From the squares, one then goes back to the initial ripple pattern. Finally, the ripples are followed back to the dot.

The above photograph shows three of my pages.