
Ask HN: Where is the intersection between Art and Logic? - gallerdude
I&#x27;m a freshman in University. Today I had an English class, where we analyzed a poem and debated what the message was. I also had some Calculus, where we began to learn about derivatives. I realized that I found both the of the topics really engaging.<p>Next year I&#x27;m supposed to declare my major (I&#x27;ve been wanting to go into CS for a while now), but I feel that would be ignoring a large part of me that likes art - I read and watch movies a lot.<p>Where do these two loves meet?
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rayalez
For me - in 3D computer graphics. Check out SideFX Houdini, Maya, etc.

It's incredibly fun, engaging, and satisfies both of my drives, for creativity
and for technical stuff.

When you're a digital artist(generalist), in one day, you can write a python
script, experiment with rendering and shaders, draw a sketch, animate a
character, whatever you want.

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ruraljuror
I was an undergrad English major and I double majored in Classical Studies
because I did not find the English major rigorous enough. I'm now pursuing a
master's degree in Computer Engineering.

Regarding declaring a major I would recommend talking to as many advisors and
people at your school as possible. Personally I would recommend sticking with
CS (especially because that is your gut feeling) or another major with good
career prospects, disabusing yourself of the notion that your major defines
who you are as a person, and use your electives to take well chosen courses in
subjects that you have interests in.

In general you want to keep options open if possible, so if you are really
serious about both you might be able to double major. But double majoring in,
say, English, would not make you any more true to yourself, but just, perhaps,
more likely to be able to pursue grad studies in that field, and you did not
cite that as something you are interested in. Instead, I would recommend
heavily shopping your electives at the beginning of the semester and then
choosing the ones you like the best. In general, the better classes will be
taught by professors (not grad students), and the person teaching is more
important than the topic.

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malux85
Art is a totally subjective term, and "What is Art?" is a question that has
been debated for thousands of years.

I think the best art is always an acquired taste.

I see well written source code as art. I see music as more artistic than
poetry. I can appreciate paintings visually, but a machine that produces a
painting (like the deep dreams) is more artistic in my mind.

The two are not mutually exclusive - mix them up!

The more fields you learn the more you can appreciate - Right now I look
outside and see a tree:

\- A biological organism in a different time scale, it's evolved as it needs
to be, and continues to propagate. I think of the evolutionary tree of
species, I think of it's niche. Its physical position on the globe, its
symbiotic relationship with bacteria, and the parasitic relationship with the
fungus.

\- The chemist in me thinks about DNA, Xylem and Phloem. It thinks about CO2
consumption and O2 production. I think about photosynthesis and the electron
chains.

\- The mathematician in me sees fractal patterns of the branches. I think of
my first OpenGL fractal program. I see symmetry and asymmetry at the same
time. I see the golden ratio and powers of 2 in the lengths.

\- The darkness in me sees only the shadow, it sees a man hanging in a noose.
I see waves in a pond, and a dolphin.

\- The survivalist in me sees fuel for fire, and the makings of a bow. I think
about how to make activated charcoal to purify water to drink.

The more you know the richer your perceptual experience.

Learn both!

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fitzwatermellow
"Parametricism": Computational architecture and large-scale urban design ;)

Zaha Hadid’s successor: my blueprint for the future

[https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/sep/11/zaha-
ha...](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/sep/11/zaha-hadid-
architects-patrik-schumacher-blueprint-future-parametricism)

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throwaway000002
I personally love the work of C-C Shan¹.

Read "From word to sentence. A computational algebraic approach to grammar" by
J. Lambek. Your university library should have a copy, if not press the issue
to your librarian.

Start though with Smullyan's "To mock a mockingbird".

These suggestions reflect my taste. Art is a language, so understand how
language is studied and use it to approach art.

If you're serious about the art part, make sure you make art, or at least
dissect art you like using the formal tools you're introduced to.

Have fun!

¹[http://homes.soic.indiana.edu/ccshan/](http://homes.soic.indiana.edu/ccshan/)

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jamesdelaneyie
Low effort comment, but simply put: Design.

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arikr
My advice: Don't ignore the part of you that likes art!

Two interests meeting is where great things happen.

> If you want an average successful life, it doesn’t take much planning. Just
> stay out of trouble, go to school, and apply for jobs you might like. But if
> you want something extraordinary, you have two paths:

> Become the best at one specific thing.

> Become very good (top 25%) at two or more things.

From:
[http://pmarchive.com/guide_to_career_planning_part2.html](http://pmarchive.com/guide_to_career_planning_part2.html)

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joeclark77
I tell students that it would be good to have a "problem solving" major (such
as engineering, computer science, business, or law) as well as a second major
in a "problem" they care about, which could be anything from art to zoology.
Then you have the ingredients for a career -- applying your problem solving
methodology to a problem you know something about.

In your case, maybe you learn computer science and you apply it to some
problem in art or the humanities.

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peter_retief
I think art is art for its own sake, if you have a tool and decorate it, that
would be a combination of a functional tool and art. Mathematics and
derivatives in particular have enormous practical value yet many aspects of
mathematics is pure art. Logic as art would be music, logical scales of sounds
is definable an art. I have lost the thread of what I was saying so will leave
my comment unpolished as performance art :)

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BjoernKW
I'd say data visualisation, the kind of stuff that for example Mike Brondbjerg
or Jared Tarbell do:

[https://www.behance.net/mikebrondbjerg](https://www.behance.net/mikebrondbjerg)

[http://www.complexification.net/gallery/](http://www.complexification.net/gallery/)

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p333347
For non technological fields, I would say philosophy, investigative journalism
and fiction (books, movies etc where you cover your bases). One might add
whatever political analysis do too but to me they are basically fence sitters
who say things without accountability or liability and are simply glorified
whatiffers.

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afarrell
Animation and computer graphics.

