Have you ever lined up dominoes to make an interesting shape, or played one of the many games that can be played with these black and white rectangles? If so, then you have experienced the Domino Effect, which is the idea that a small action can cause a chain reaction that leads to larger–and sometimes even catastrophic–consequences. Today’s Wonder of the Day takes its name from this concept, and we’ll also learn about a young lady who has become famous for her incredible domino art.
Dominoes are a fun way to pass the time, and they can be used in a wide variety of games. The most common set of dominoes has 28 tiles, each of which features a number in one of four suits: 1, 3, 4, or 5. The numbers represent the number of dots on each side of the tile.
The most popular type of domino game is called a layout game, and it’s played on a table with a domino board or mat. Each player starts with a hand of dominoes that is arranged in front of them. They can choose to place the first domino down in one of several ways, but they must be careful not to knock over their own tiles or those that are already on the board. If they do, then they must take their turn again.
Some people enjoy creating elaborate domino layouts, which can be anything from a line that makes an interesting shape to a grid that forms pictures when the dominoes fall, or even 3D structures such as towers and pyramids. Some of these creations are incredibly difficult, and it can take days to complete. A domino artist known as Hevesh has created her own YouTube channel where she shares videos of some of her amazing creations. Hevesh is careful to test each section of a layout before putting it all together, and she even films her tests in slow motion so that she can make precise corrections when something doesn’t work out as planned.
Hevesh has also worked with major film and television productions to create domino displays for movies, TV shows, and events such as an album launch for pop star Katy Perry. Some of her largest layouts can take several nail-biting minutes to fall, but once they do, the result is stunning.
When writing a story, the domino effect can help you to ensure that all of your scenes are logically connected. If you have a character who does something immoral, for example, it’s important to provide the logic that will allow readers to give him or her a pass on that action or keep liking him or her as a protagonist.
If you’re a pantser, meaning that you don’t make detailed outlines of your plot ahead of time, the domino effect can be a helpful tool for weeding out scenes that are either at the wrong angle or don’t have enough logical impact on the scene that comes before it. You can use a tool like Scrivener or an outline app to help you get your scenes in order.