Fractions, Decimals, and Art: What is the Relationship? Created by Mr. Hemmert

Colors for a Large Wall, 1951 by Ellesworth Kelly Ellesworth Kelly, a twentieth- century painter and sculptor who is recognized and admired for his contributions to abstract art. Like other artist, Kelly experimented with color-field painting. Kelly used a grid system, placing a variety of warm and cool colors against one another to create optical effects on the canvas. This painting, Colors for a Large Wall, hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He combined 64 solid-colored painted squares into a grid. Image from: arthistory.about.com

Sunset Beach, Sketch 1967 by Frank Stella Frank Stella is an American artist who is still alive. Can you see how you could create this piece of art using math? Think about a decimal grid. Image:

What fraction of this grid is blue? ______ Can you write it as a decimal? _____ What is the fraction in simplest form? _________ Can you change the simplest form fraction into a decimal? ______

What fraction of the grid is red? What fraction of the grid is yellow? What fraction of the grid is orange? What fraction of the grid is green? What fraction of the grid is yellow?

Your Turn Now you are going to practice with your own works of art. Be sure to show me the fractions and decimals of your colors. Good Luck!