A domino is a small rectangular block of wood or ivory, with one face divided into two square halves marked by dots that resemble those on dice. Each domino has a set of numbers on its sides, and when each is placed next to another, the dominoes make a line of identical or matching pairs of digits. Dominoes can be used to play several games of chance and skill, including a number of positional games, where each player takes turns placing dominoes edge-to-edge until they reach a predetermined target. Dominoes can also be arranged to form shapes, patterns and structures that can serve as backdrops or settings for various games.

A person who knows how to use a set of dominoes can create works of art that look like sculptures or paintings. This art can be as simple or complex as the artist chooses, with straight lines of dominoes that form a picture when they fall, curved lines that require precise planning to follow, grids that make up intricate patterns, and 3D structures such as towers and pyramids. A professional domino artist, known as a “Domino Designer,” can build these creations for movie sets, TV shows and events, or they can be displayed on their own in homes, businesses and other locations.

Dominoes are a popular toy for children, and many of us have lined up a few pieces to create a pattern or a game of some kind. But what if you took that idea to the extreme and created massive, elaborate displays of dominoes that can be seen from the street? That’s the art of a domino designer, who is a professional who arranges and builds these massive sets, often taking hours to complete them.

There are many different games that can be played with a set of dominoes, and most of them involve scoring points by completing a line of matching dominoes. Some are adaptations of card games, which were popular in some areas to circumvent religious prohibitions against playing cards, while others are simple solitaire or trick-taking games. Some domino games also have more complex rules and scoring mechanisms, as is the case with Muggins, a game where players score points by counting the open ends of the dominoes that have been played on.

While most people who play dominoes are interested in a variety of different games, there is also a strong interest in creating and displaying art using the tiles. The most famous example of this is the Domino Project, an art installation by artist Jeff Koons, who used a large number of white dominoes to create a series of intricate patterns and shapes that were later destroyed by fire. Other artists have made similar art using a variety of other materials, such as clay and sand, to create stunning pieces that will be remembered for generations to come.