How Domino Art Is Created
Dominoes are small wood or plastic blocks with a number of dots resembling those on dice. They are used for various games in which the aim is to build a chain of dominoes that eventually falls over, or to score points by landing one on an opponent’s tile. The word, which can be spelt with either a lowercase “d” or an uppercase “D,” is thought to have been taken from the Latin dominus, meaning master of the house. It later became the French dominie, and then the English domino.
Domino art can be simple or elaborate, and may include straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, or 3D structures like towers and pyramids. Some artists use stencils to mark the way they want their pieces to fall, while others just draw on a piece of paper the way that they imagine their domino art will look. Regardless of how complicated or simple a domino design is, it must be tested and reworked to ensure that it will work properly. In addition to the physics of how each domino will fall, other factors such as the type of surface on which it is being played and the color of the tiles can have an impact on how well the set will work.
Hevesh, a professional domino artist who has worked on projects for film, TV, and events including the record launch of pop star Katy Perry, says that when she starts on a new setup, she considers what she wants it to look like, or what kind of message she wants to convey. Then she works out a plan. She makes a test version, filming it in slow motion so that she can make precise corrections. This process also helps her to ensure that each part of the installation will be strong enough to withstand its eventual tumble.
Once she has finished constructing the largest domino arrangements, she puts them together in a line. She then waits for the dominoes to fall according to the laws of physics. The results are sometimes breathtaking. Some of her larger installations take several nail-biting minutes to completely collapse.
Dominoes are usually arranged in suits of numbers, with each suit consisting of all tiles that have the same number on both sides of the tile. However, some sets have tiles that belong to two suits. For example, a domino that has both 3 and 1 pips on its face is considered to be a combination domino.
When the first domino falls, it transmits potential energy to the next domino, which then converts some of its potential energy into kinetic energy, causing it to push over the other dominoes in its row. This process continues until all the dominoes have fallen. In this way, a simple line of dominoes can grow into a complex and spectacular arrangement. As a result, domino is not only a fun game, but an effective tool for teaching physics and engineering.