Who Invented String Art?

Mary Everest Boole and Pierre Bezier invented and used the string to illustrate mathematical computations. This means string art was not something that was originally used for art. It was, in fact, invented to be used for mathematical purposes.

Boole and the Invention of String Art

Boole was a British, self-taught mathematician who lived for a time in both England and France. Her studies led her to write a series of books where she would use curve stitching to show how a curve could be created from a straight line. Boole managed to teach children about geometry through her use of string art.

Bezier and the Invention of String Art

Possibly the most famous of the inventors was the one who lent his name to the computer graphic curve that is used today: Bezier. In 1977, shortly after receiving his doctorate degree from the University of Paris and while working at a car company, he came up with an idea that would show how to set the points on a curve.

It was here that Bezier used string art to reveal how math can create a curve from any given point via use of straight lines. Bezier’s lines (or curves) are used to create different types of patterns for the string art. With the string art, Bezier managed to show how curves could emerge through a string pattern.

It is due in part to both the works of Bezier and Boole that sting art patterns can be used and developed via a computer.

Paul de Castejau and String Art's Invention

There has been a bit of a dispute in modern media as to whether or not Paul de Castejau added to the string art invention. This is because it was Castejau who came up with the algorithm that Bezier expanded upon. However, most of the time when people think about string art, Castejau is not credited with the creation of the algorithm used by Bezier.

Descartes and String Art

There are also many other people who contributed to the different design patterns of string art as a craft. For example, a man by the name of Rene Descartes invented the Cartesian Coordinate System while lying in bed staring at a tiled ceiling. The system is based on a fly’s location relative to a tiled ceiling pattern in the corner. Each point on a tile represented a coordinate on either an X or Y axis. String art makes use of this coordinate system that Descartes invented.

String Art Invented as an Art Form

While Bezier was coming up with his mathematical innovations, the advent of folk string art evolved and soon became commonplace amongst hobbyists and crafters of the time. So, who invented string art as a hobby or craft?

By 1962 string art hit the mainstream public. It was during that year that string art was marketed to the public by a company called Open Door Company of California. John Eichinger was credited as the chief designer behind string art becoming a hot hobby with kids.

While the string art kits mainly followed the work done by Boole, they soon nonetheless became all the rage with high school students. String art was soon finding itself showcased at local craft fairs as well as becoming an integral part of mathematical lessons nationwide.