Saturday, August 14, 2010

Using the Golden Rectangle

A golden rectangle is one where the length and the width are in the golden ratio or phi, approximately 1:1.62. It is thought to be a more aesthetically pleasing or ideal rectangle.


It occurs in nature in the form of leaf and seed patterns, sea shells, storm systems and galaxies. It even occurs in DNA.


The ancient Greeks knew of the rectangle. It was used extensively in the design of the Parthenon in Athens. At least since the Renaissance many artists and architects have proportioned their work to approximate the golden ratio.
There is extensive information online about the Golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence that goes far beyond my interest or attention span. However if you are so inclined: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio


My interest in the ratio is in it's aesthetically pleasing nature and how I can use it to assemble a better painting. Below are examples of paintings where I used the rectangle, as a compositional tools.
Nude With Butterflies
Jubilant
Red Shirt and Yellow Boy

3 comments:

  1. Forgot to mention that Corel Painter has a Golden Ratio overlay.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great work. Thanks for sharing your art and the helpful information.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I really love the arts/design of your website. I am so thrilled I found your website, I really found you by mistake, while I was browsing on Yahoo for something I found another one Sneha arts like you, Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a tremendous post blog and check these Art talk, also look like your website on arts.

    ReplyDelete