This disclosure relates generally to a system and method for duplicating angles in nature.
The act of duplicating angles and proportions in nature is an important task for painters, artists, and architects, among others. For example, whether a painting is considered a likeness of an object or an amateur rendering of said object may be determined by how accurately a painter can reproduce the angles and proportions of said object in a painting.
Historically, artists are known to hold their arm out and measure angles by twisting their thumb or paint brush between a range of positions so as to get a feel for how said object should be painted. This approach has many flaws, for sure. Most notably, is inaccuracy of reproducing said angles on a canvas. The general imprecision has led to many poorly rendered paintings.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,409, Mr. Arakawa discloses a device for use on a computer display screen to determine direction changes for graphics commands. Said device comprises a circular ring bearing indicia representing degrees around the circumference of said ring relative to a point of origin on said ring, first and second members rotatable within said ring and through which at least a portion of the computer display is visible, each of said first and second members having a straight line movable into and out of registration with the straight line on the other of said first and second members by rotation of said first and second members within said ring, said first and second members bearing indicia along the straight line corresponding to a graphics symbol centrally located of said ring, said first and second members having contrasting colors and being configured so that each forms a semicircular area in one of the contrasting colors within said ring. Arakawa, however, leave much to be desired. Not least because Arakawa disclosed a device for use on a computer display for to determine direction changes for graphics commands. Such a limitation to computer screens would not be well suited to use by painters and the like. Although Arakawa could be used in other circumstances by non-computer users, it is clear that his disclosed device is best suited for computer graphics displays. First, Arakawa does not disclose a handle for use by a painter. Neither does it disclose a means for one handed use. Further, Arakawa's design requires a pair of translucent rings which would likely produce distracting glare if used apart from a back lit computer screen which compensates for glare by shining through the device. Also notable is the presence of numbers and icons upon the surface of said device which would interfere with operation of said device by users less concerned with numerical measurements of angles and proportions and more concerned with matching said angles and proportions for reproduction elsewhere.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,899, Ms. Hesse discloses a graphics instrument. Said instrument is disclosed for drawing and measuring. Said instrument includes a pair of coplanar scale members mounted for concentric mutual rotation. A circular graduated scale on the outer member displays angular degree and radian values, and this scale is in register with a circular graduated scale on the inner member which displays both angular and trigonometric function values. Straight edges are formed to extend along axes of each scale member to facilitate measurement and drawing by a marking instrument. Although useful as a drawing instrument Hesse does not disclose a tool useful for quickly and accurately measuring angles and proportions in nature. Like Arakawa, Hesse is more useful for determining a numerical representation of angles due to Hesse's linear and angular measurement scales marked on its members. Hesse however, goes further than Arakawa and discloses additional functionality; namely, the drawing of a vertex of an angle, drawing an arch, and similar paper and pencil activities. Nonetheless, Hesse does not disclose a tool useful for assessing angles and proportions of an object in nature and, further, useful for reproducing said angles and proportions on a transfer medium (such as a painting).
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant disclosure as claimed. Accordingly, an improved system and method for duplicating angles in nature would be advantageous.