Signature series
Fermat’s Spiral
Mathematics · Polar curve · 1636
- Original infographic and mathematical visualisations by Simon Tyler
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Named after Pierre de Fermat, who described it in 1636, the spiral that bears his name grows outward in a way that appears throughout nature - in the arrangement of sunflower seeds, pine cone scales, and the florets of a daisy. Two interlocking arms, each winding in perfect opposition.
About this print
About this print
Fermat's spiral grows outward as the square root of the angle: each successive turn sits a little closer to the last than the one before it. Two arms wind from the centre in exact opposition, each completing twenty turns.
That square-root growth has a consequence worth knowing. Every full turn encloses the same additional area as the one before, so points spaced evenly along the curve are also spaced evenly across the surface. Nothing crowds at the centre; nothing thins at the rim.
It is why the shape turns up wherever things must pack without gaps or overlaps. Sunflower florets, pine cone scales and daisy heads all approximate it - a fact formalised in 1979, when Helmut Vogel showed that a Fermat spiral with a fixed angular step reproduces the sunflower head almost exactly. Pierre de Fermat had described the curve in 1636, three centuries before anyone noticed the plants were using it.
Part of the Signature series of mathematical art prints.
The Signature series
The Signature series
Signature is a collection of mathematical, scientific and infographic visualisations - prime number distributions, evolutionary trees, geological timescales, and other structures that become something unexpected when rendered at print scale.
Each piece begins as a data-driven computational process and is developed into a finished artwork through a combination of custom code and design refinement. The aim is not to illustrate mathematics but to make the underlying structures visible - to find the image that was always inside the data.
The series draws on fields including number theory, evolutionary biology, palaeontology, topology, and information design.
Paper and printing
Paper and printing
All prints are produced to order on 250gsm archival matte paper using pigment-based inks, chosen for colour accuracy and long-term stability.
Each print is rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in a rigid cardboard tube, sealed for moisture protection, ready for framing on arrival.
Dimensions
Dimensions
Large · 50 × 70 cm · 20 × 28 in
XLarge · 70 × 100 cm · 28 × 40 in
Delivery
Delivery
UK: Free · 3-5 working days
Europe: €8.50 · 3-7 working days · No customs charges
USA & Canada: $8.95 / $12.00 CAD · 5-10 working days
Australia: $14.00 AUD · 5-10 working days
Rest of World: £14.95 · 7-14 working days
All prints are produced to order and dispatched within 1-3 working days. Orders placed before 5pm GMT ship the same day. You'll receive tracking information by email once dispatched.
Orders outside Europe may be subject to local customs charges on delivery - these are the responsibility of the recipient.
Returns
Returns
Returns accepted within 30 days. Email returns@axisophy.com with your order number and we'll provide return instructions.
Return postage is the customer's responsibility except where the print arrives damaged or there's been an error - in which case we'll arrange a replacement or refund immediately, no return needed.