How do I use the Golden Ratio?

Question from Sherri S.

When using the Golden Ratio, how do you decide how to place items within the rule? Its very confusing to me. I’d like to learn this method to create better compositions.

Thank you so much,
Sherri S.

Dear Sherri,

It is a very good question, and I will be making an additional video to those already included in the Drawing Academy course, in order to cover this topic even deeper.

Professional fine artists do not calculate proportions mathematically. Instead, they create artworks that “magically” happen to have the Golden Ratio. The human brain is wired to this proportion, so artists subconsciously visualize and create compositions that look good. Then, we can analyze and rationalize why those compositions are beautiful. In most cases, there will be one or many golden proportions found.

It is not happen every time. An artist must practice and do many sketches before achieving good results. With time and practice, your composition skills will improve.

Of course, when you are making a complex composition, and are in doubt where to place objects, there’s nothing wrong to measure proportions with a golden gauge. However, it comes after you make some preliminary sketches and simply want to improve them.

So, you start not with measurements first, but with an idea, and draw that idea on paper. Then, you can double-check your layout.

In the Drawing Academy course, I presented several videos on the Golden Proportion, as well as lessons on how to draw landscapes and how to use them.

Golden Section Ratio:
//drawingacademy.com/drawing-lessons/golden-section-ratio

Use of Golden Proportions in Landscape composition:
//drawingacademy.com/drawing-lessons/drawing-trees

Kind regards,

Vladimir London
Drawing Academy Tutor