String art has been around for a while it was first used in the 1800's as a way of teaching Maths, by the 60's and 70's it had changed from a learning tool to a craft.
This mathematical development of string art certainly seems to have inspired artists who specialise in creating geometric forms - Such as Australian artist Nike Savvas who in 2013 premiered many of her new works in a solo exhibition titled “Liberty and Anarchy”, at Leeds Art Gallery.
The show featured a collection of brightly coloured, large-scale pieces including several of these captivating geometric shapes. For each design Savvas used specific mathematical formulas to develop the three-dimensional wooden structures, then covered the openings with colourful patterns of wool.
Geometric sculptures formed with mathematical
equations by Nike Savvas
Of course this art form doesn't have to be created on such a large scale, and for anybody wanting to try this at home it appears to be a craft which can be done relatively easily with very few materials - A small piece of wood, nails and thread!
We hear from Sveta Sangani, an early years teacher, Sveta has a love of art and enjoys experimenting with different mediums. Her latest art project during lockdown has been "String Art" - Here she tells us a little more ....
" I enjoy trying out different creative projects and lockdown has given me the opportunity to have a go at string art. I had previously seen these ready made kits in the shops and always wondered how they worked and how pieces would turn out.
Driven by a curiosity I thought I'd give it a go! I nailed my first piece of string art on a small piece of wood, I must admit I wasn't that impressed with the finished piece. However I really enjoyed it and I knew I had found a love for this art form!
I started making more pieces and got to know where to place the nails, I firstly draw an image onto the wood, I paint it or give the piece a background. I then hammer the nails closer or further away to achieve the roundness or flatness that is required for the shape. Placing the nails can be tricky it can be hard to place them very close and if you nail too far away you don't achieve the right result.
I really enjoy the therapeutic nature of this art form, I enjoy the process of making it, I put my heart into each piece and the best thing is it never gets boring!"
If you fancy having a go at this art form there are some great resources on line such as this one from Spruce Crafts: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/string-art-1791403 and https://www.mostcraft.com/creative-diy-string-art-ideas/
Happy creating!