Coloring Book Combines Math and Art in Illustrations of the Golden Ratio Found in Nature

In 2016, artist Rafael Araujo wowed the world with his Golden Ratio Coloring Book. The adult activity book proved a wonderful way to marry mathematics with art. Containing 25 illustrations inspired by nature and created using the Golden Ratio, it was a bestseller that is since out of print. But now five years later, Araujo is back with a second installment called the Golden Geometry Coloring Book.

The book is a culmination of a near-lifelong interest in “hidden” geometry inherent in our world. “I remember being fascinated by the intrinsic geometry visible in all living beings, and particularly by the presence of spirals almost everywhere,” Araujo recalls. “After a while, a certain ratio, found in all kinds of natural relationships (shells, flight sequences, whirlpools, etc.) acquired more and more significance to me.” (This is known as the Golden Ratio.)

Like its predecessor, the Golden Geometry Coloring Book has 25 illustrations. It combines “both the old and the new”; there are pages inspired by nature but also outer space including gravitational fields, black holes, space-time deformations, and more, making it perfect whether you enjoy examining the Earth or having your head in the stars. It is printed on acid-free paper that allows you to color with any utensil of your choice.

Araujo’s creative process is almost as fascinating as the drawings themselves. An artist of 40 years, he sketches everything by hand using a drawing board, squares, compasses, rulers, and protractors. “To guide me as I draw, I use a geometrical reference system which I call ‘The Calculation Box,’” he explains. “A good example of this graphic ‘device’ can be clearly seen in this shell, which has been created with strict adherence to a Golden Ratio sequence.”

To get your copy of the forthcoming Golden Geometry Coloring Book, back the project on Kickstarter.