Monday, October 05, 2009
Sum Problems
It's been a bit hectic. As I thought it might be.
I recently had a great weekend with friends in Devon, where we started pooling ideas for a new venture I will be starting soon.
But mainly I've been working on research and studies for the two commissions I'm doing.
I've also been back and fore to London a few times to see people and, last week, to look at a vacant building I am going to use as a studio.
The plans for the sculpture are pretty much complete, so over the next 2 or 3 weeks I will start construction.
There are all sorts of technical and practical problems waiting to be encountered, but I'm trying not to let that put me off. I'll work my way through them.
But the first problem I have is one of size and scale.
And I have a mental block because it's about numbers. And numbers really don't like me. They never have.
When I was in school, I used to copy my maths homework from a brainy friend. I even put in a few deliberate errors so it wasn't too obvious. But the teacher caught on and told me I should be honest about what I didn't understand so he could help me.
I recently had a great weekend with friends in Devon, where we started pooling ideas for a new venture I will be starting soon.
But mainly I've been working on research and studies for the two commissions I'm doing.
I've also been back and fore to London a few times to see people and, last week, to look at a vacant building I am going to use as a studio.
The plans for the sculpture are pretty much complete, so over the next 2 or 3 weeks I will start construction.
There are all sorts of technical and practical problems waiting to be encountered, but I'm trying not to let that put me off. I'll work my way through them.
But the first problem I have is one of size and scale.
And I have a mental block because it's about numbers. And numbers really don't like me. They never have.
When I was in school, I used to copy my maths homework from a brainy friend. I even put in a few deliberate errors so it wasn't too obvious. But the teacher caught on and told me I should be honest about what I didn't understand so he could help me.
So I did my homework honestly for a few weeks.
I got crap marks, the teacher shouted at me and I was moved down to a lower set.
So I went back to cheating. And hating teachers.
Anyway, to this day if I hear a sentence beginning with the words "two trains leave a station at the same time ..." I run for cover.
And don't get me started on two men digging holes.
My brain simply shuts down.
So here's the problem. And I'm sitting here forcing myself to describe it.
The sculpture is to be around 4ft 6 ins tall.
The human figure is 8 heads (see figure below)
I have a long timber post (that's not a euphemism).
I need to mark it up.
How big should each head be (in a nice round number) to make the whole thing approx 4' 6"?
You can figure it out while I go and lie down.
Really.
I got crap marks, the teacher shouted at me and I was moved down to a lower set.
So I went back to cheating. And hating teachers.
Anyway, to this day if I hear a sentence beginning with the words "two trains leave a station at the same time ..." I run for cover.
And don't get me started on two men digging holes.
My brain simply shuts down.
So here's the problem. And I'm sitting here forcing myself to describe it.
The sculpture is to be around 4ft 6 ins tall.
The human figure is 8 heads (see figure below)
I have a long timber post (that's not a euphemism).
I need to mark it up.
How big should each head be (in a nice round number) to make the whole thing approx 4' 6"?
You can figure it out while I go and lie down.
Really.
// posted by Peter @ 6:21 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
It would have been a bit easier working in metric as it would have been easier to do the sums
7 inches makes the overall statue 4ft 8in
6.5 inches makes the statue 4ft 4in
17cms means the statue will be 4ft 5.5in
Does that help?
Wish I was doing something artistic, all I am doing at the moment is sorting out the produce from the garden and revising for a Development Management exam as well as studying Managing Sustainable Rural Development. I think I will go and lie down now
7 inches makes the overall statue 4ft 8in
6.5 inches makes the statue 4ft 4in
17cms means the statue will be 4ft 5.5in
Does that help?
Wish I was doing something artistic, all I am doing at the moment is sorting out the produce from the garden and revising for a Development Management exam as well as studying Managing Sustainable Rural Development. I think I will go and lie down now
honestly schmonestly, you can get the internet to do all of this for you!
which reminds me of something a kid at church said the other day - we asked them to find out what the plagues of egypt were and he said "how am I supposed to do that? I don´t have internet at home!"
It´s a sign of the age - just give in to it, go on... it means no more maths...
which reminds me of something a kid at church said the other day - we asked them to find out what the plagues of egypt were and he said "how am I supposed to do that? I don´t have internet at home!"
It´s a sign of the age - just give in to it, go on... it means no more maths...
# posted by 
: 5:51 PM
: 5:51 PM
Ha ha ... great story, Claire! I suppose I could use the internet ... but I'd rather get others to do things for me!!!
Post a Comment
<< Home
