8ctopuS' Garden...

Golden ratio, as you know, is a mysterious and wonderful figure. Especially, it strongly relates to the aesthetics and the beauty of a visual work. This week, I’m gonna make some researches about this topic.

Firstly I’m gonna show you how to draw a golden rectangle:

How to Draw a Golden Rectangle?

Since the Renaissance, many artists and architects have proportioned their works to approximate the golden ratio—especially in the form of the golden rectangle, in which the ratio of the longer side to the shorter is the golden ratio ( φ = 1.618 ) — believing this proportion to be aesthetically pleasing.

1. Construct a square

2. Then bisect the square

3. Draw a line from one end of the bisecting line to one of the opposite corners. Extend the baseline of the square

4. Using the diagonal line as the radius, drop an arc from the corner of the square down to the baseline

5. Draw a line from the point of intersection of the arc and the baseline, perpendicular to the baseline. Extend the top edge of the square to meet this line and form a rectangle

This rectangle is referred to as the golden rectangle

This is the Parthenon temple in Athens, Greece. As you see here, its facade shows us an interpretation of golden rectangle in its proportions. This construction was made by a Greek sculptor, Phidias. And the 3 letters “Phi” (φ) from his name was used to symbolize the golden ratio.