The secret behind any perfectly balanced design is the Golden Ratio. Whether you are intrigued by the logo of Apple Inc. or mesmerized by the Mona Lisa at Louvre -- the Golden Ratio is the common factor, binding all great designs.
The primary role of the Golden Ratio is to create natural-looking designs that are aesthetically and visually pleasing. That’s why taking care of the Golden Ratio in your designs can give it an edge and enhance your composition.
Let’s understand what the Golden Ratio is and how you can incorporate it in your designs:
What is the Golden Ratio?
The Golden Ratio, also known as Golden Mean, refers to the ratio 1:1.618. This number, which has been derived from the Fibonacci Sequence, helps designers to create the right proportions in a design.
The Golden Ratio comes into existence when a line in any design, divided into two parts, work out as below:
If the longer part of the line is divided by the smaller part or, the longer part is added to the smaller part and divided by the longer part, both result in 1.618. When you use the number from the sequence and convert them into squares, laying side-by-side and resulting in rectangles, the spiral created is called the Golden Spiral.
The Golden Ratio also exists in nature -- flowers, seashells, hurricanes, and even cauliflower can exhibit the Golden Ratio.
Ways to incorporate Golden Ratio to your designs
Since the human brain finds designs with the Golden Ratio visually more pleasing, designers use it as a visual aid to tweak their designs to make a better impact on the audience. Incorporating Golden Ratio can also create focal areas in the design that automatically attract the audience.
The layout, logos, image composition, and typography are some of the key design elements where the Golden Ratio is useful. Here are some quick hacks to use the Golden Ratio to boost the wow factor of your designs:
1- Sizing the Images
If images are one of the critical elements of your design, consider applying the Golden Ratio while cropping or sizing them. While doing so, ensure that the photo’s main focus coincides with the center of the Golden Spiral. Suppose you have many images of varying sizes that you intend to use on your website. In that case, you can consider overlaying the Golden Spiral to determine the best proportions for each and crop them accordingly.
2- Logo Designing
A logo is a vital element of your brand. A memorable logo can instantly differentiate you from the competitors and boost your brand identity.
Using the Golden Ratio while designing your logo can make it attractive, drawing in more audience and helping them connect. Take, for instance, the logo of Apple Inc. The distance between the leaf and the bitten apple is 1.618, the Golden Ratio. Similarly, the proportions of the yellow rectangular box, the iconic logo of National Geographic, are also aligned with the Golden Ratio.
You can use the Golden Ratio to decide the placement of the image and the size of the text in your logo.
3- Creating Layout of Websites
Designers also employ the Golden Ratio for creating the perfect layout. The ratio is used for dividing the space between the sidebar and the body of the website. As a thumb rule, making the body 1.618 larger than the sidebar ensures visual harmony and creates a clean and easy-to-read website.
For instance, the two-column layout of the National Geographic website is based on the Golden Ratio and creates a wonderful visual hierarchy of the elements.
4 - Typography
How you arrange the text and letters in your designs can greatly impact the overall appearance. That’s why good typography is a critical element of graphic designing. The Golden Ratio can help you nail the typography for your designs easily.
For instance, you have to use a 15 pt font for the text in the body of the design. To determine the font sizing for the headline, simply multiply the font for the body with the Golden Ratio. In this case, it will be 15 x 1.618 = 24.27, rounded to 24. Therefore, a 24 pt font will be perfect for the headline and make the entire design more eye-catching. In case you have already decided on the font size for the headline, the Golden Ratio can help you figure out the appropriate font size for the text in the body. For instance, if your headline is 30 pt, the best font size for the body will be 30/1.618 = 18.5, rounded to 18 pt.
Finding it challenging to do this on your own?
The correct application of the Golden Ratio to your designs can make a world of difference. Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator are some of the handy tools to ensure that your designs comply with this magical number. However, if you are not trained as a designer, you may find it overwhelming to apply the Golden Ratio correctly and create more harmonious designs. And that’s why you need an expert like Prrowess.
Prowess, a full-service marketing & design agency, can take care of all your design needs. Enjoy our unlimited design services and keep requesting revisions till you are blown away by the end-product. Our expert designers are extremely well-versed with the various software available to create stunning designs and incorporate the Golden Ratio.
Simply sign up with Prrowess and select a subscription plan that works for you, and you can start submitting your design requests. We also assign a dedicated designer and an account manager for a seamless experience and continuity in service.
Moreover, we work on only one active project per subscription so that you never need to compromise with the quality. So keep submitting your design requests and wait for our talented designers to work their magic!
Are you scared to commit straight away? Check out the demo and sign up today for a ten-day risk-free trial. If you are unhappy with us, you can simply cancel the subscription, and we will issue a full refund.
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