Some claim that the design of the United Nations headquarters building in New York City exemplifies the application of the golden ratio in architecture. Debunkers of the golden ratio say no, that this is just another groundless myth to be dispelled. Let's look at the history of its design, the sources of the claims and mathematics of the dimensions. Perhaps we can come to a … [Read more...]

Phi is often applied in product logos. From Renaissance artists of the 1500's to graphic artists of today, phi is recognized for its ability to give a sense of aesthetic appeal in balance and harmony of design.  Product logos represent an image that must make a positive and memorable impact on the conscious and subconscious minds of consumers, so it is no surprise to find phi … [Read more...]

Phi is used in the design of many consumer products. Phi has been used to bring beauty, balance and harmony to some of the world's greatest art and architecture. It is also used to add style and appeal in the marketing and design of everyday consumer products. The applications are endless, but are illustrated by a few of the products below.  Click on the image for a … [Read more...]

What do James Bond, Aston Martin and the Golden Ratio have in common? James Bond, also known as 007, drove an Aston Martin DB5 in the movies GoldFinger and GoldenEye, and Aston Martin is now boasting its application of the Golden Ratio in the design of its latest DB9 and Rapide S automobiles. The Aston Martin Rapide S is described as: "Breathtaking Proportions - The ‘Golden … [Read more...]

"Without mathematics there is no art,"  said Luca Pacioli, a contemporary of Da Vinci. Just as the Golden Section is found in the design and beauty of nature, it can also be used to achieve beauty, balance and harmony in art and design.  It's a tool, not a rule, for composition, but learning how to use it can be a great Art 101 lesson on laying out a painting on a canvas. For … [Read more...]

Artists and designers have used for the golden ratio for elegance, balance and aesthetics in design since at least the Renaissance, and possibly even as far back as ancient Greece and ancient Egypt.  If the vision of Gene Roddenberry for Star Trek continues on course, the design of future starships will also be based on the unique and timeless proportion of Phi, 1.618,  the … [Read more...]

Georges Seurat (1859–1891) was a French Post-Impressionist painter, who according to Wikipedia, "is noted for his innovative use of drawing media and for devising the technique of painting known as pointillism." It continues, "His large-scale work A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–1886) altered the direction of modern art by initiating … [Read more...]

Seurat as the Creator of Pointillism As discussed on page 1 of Georges Seurat and the Golden Ratio in Art Composition, Seurat "is noted for his innovative use of drawing media and for devising the technique of painting known as pointillism.” Seurat and the Golden Ratio Seurat is also said by one art expert to have "attacked every canvas with the golden ratio." Some have … [Read more...]

"The Birth of Venus", painted by Sandro Botticelli between 1482 and 1485, is one of the most famous pieces of the 15th century Italian art.  It is based on Ovid's Metamorphoses, a classic of Latin literature, and portrays Venus, the goddess of love, positioned between the Hora of spring, her handmaid, and Zephyros, god of the wind whose breath creates the blowing wind.  "The … [Read more...]

Phi (Φ) the Golden Section, has been used by mankind for centuries in architecture. Its use started as perhaps early as with the Egyptians in the design of the pyramids.  When the basic phi relationships are used to create a right triangle, it forms the dimensions of the great pyramids of Egypt, with the geometry shown below creating an angle of 51.83 degrees, the cosine of … [Read more...]