The Golden Ratio

Most artists and designers of some experience use the golden ratio unconsciously, but for those who want to learn it precisely, it is "the irrational number," or the Greek letter Phi. You can look up the number, which is 1.618.... something or other, on Wikipedia, and you'll also get instructions on how to draw a square and arrive at your golden mean by using a compass. The diagram I'm including is a lot more casual, but accepted as a way to get there without stopping your painting, photo or sketch to use algebra. It's the method I learned and it works in a natural way. I put up a 12" x 9" box, and divided it not three areas across and another line 4" down. That leaves the area under the four inch mark close to the golden ratio. The circle that I put in red indicates what we call the sweet spot, which is, formally, where you put your focal point. You can turn this diagram any direction, flop it, or just discard it and use the irrational number, but eventually, you find yourself out somewhere with a sketch pad and something you need to draw quickly. Then you can remember the thirds lengthwise and the just above the middle or below the middle widthwise (your horizon). Take a look at a painting on my website, "Artist at Work," and analyze the composition I used. It's a cruciform layout, and the artist's head is in the sweet spot. Sketch a lot. Work a little every day at this and it will start to come naturally. The golden ratio actually is the most common design in nature. And you are part of nature.

Nancy
www.nancyparkart.com