Dominoes are a family of board games that are played with tiles similar to playing cards. These tiles are marked with a number of spots or “pips,” which can range from six to none.
They are used in many different kinds of games, such as block, draw and trick and trump. The two most common games in the Western world are block and draw.
Block game
The basic rules of the block game involve laying all of your dominoes in one line, edge to edge. Each of the lines must connect to another, and each of the connected lines must be able to connect to the next line in the same way. If you can’t do that, you lose the game.
You must also be able to connect any of the tiles on either side of the line to other tiles on that side. In some variations, you can even connect the tile on your own end to any other piece on that side of the line.
Draw game
The basic rules of this game are similar to those for the block game. However, in this game a double is placed cross-ways in the layout. Usually, additional tiles can only be placed once they are connected to the long side of a double.
Some variations of the draw game use a different type of tile that is slightly smaller than the standard tile, and some are designed to be bendy and allow more connections than the traditional rectangular tiles. These variations can be very creative and are sometimes called “domino art.”
When creating these designs, Hevesh focuses on the way that each individual domino interacts with its surroundings. This includes the direction of the fall, the force that makes a domino tumble, and the way that it affects other pieces in its path.
She also tests each section of the design before she puts it up, making sure that it all works together. She then films these tests in slow motion, so she can make corrections if any parts don’t work properly.
Hevesh says that one important physical phenomenon in her installations is gravity, which pulls a domino toward the ground, sending it crashing into the next domino and setting off a chain reaction. She says this is essential to her work because it makes the dominoes move smoothly and creates a beautiful, 3-D effect.
Her designs are often intricate, and they take several minutes to fall. But she can do it without any expensive computer-controlled equipment.
She uses the tools that her grandmother had in her garage: a drill press, radial arm saw, scroll saw and belt sander. She also relies on her own creative flair and her love for woodworking. She hopes that her efforts will inspire others to try their own hand at domino art.