The Golden Ratio in Graphic Design

Illustration using the golden ratio, by Vladanland

As a team leader, I conduct many training sessions for new members. Before each session, I always think about what qualities a designer needs in the design industry. A graphic designer needs a combination of technical skills, design principles, and soft skills to create and communicate visually appealing and well-structured designs. Some of the technical skills include expertise in design software like Illustrator, InDesign, and the entire Adobe suite; typography skills; font selection; and the ability to follow branding

guidelines. Design principles include elements like lines, color, shape, space, texture, typography, scale, dominance and emphasis, and harmony. Soft skills include collaboration, emotional intelligence, communication, time management, and creativity. A graphic designer must be able to listen to clients and colleagues, convey persuasive solutions, generate new ideas, and manage deadlines. Another quality that a qualified designer should have is the ability to adopt methods outside the box for better design output.

Nowadays, most designers use AI for designing, while others use hand drawing. However, there is still one method that has been used since ancient times in this industry: The Golden Ratio.

One quick question? What do the Pyramids of Giza and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa have in common with Twitter and Pepsi? Quick answer: They are all designed using the Golden Ratio.

Introduction

The golden ratio is a mathematical proportion that has been used for centuries to create harmonious and aesthetically pleasing designs. The ratio is approximately 1.618, and it is represented by the Greek letter Phi. The ratio itself comes from the Fibonacci sequence. The golden ratio can be found in nature, art, architecture and even in our own bodies. It is also a useful tool for graphic designers who want to achieve balance, harmony and visual appeal in their work.

The Fibonacci sequence is the sum of the two numbers before it. It goes: 0, 1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and so on, to infinity. From this pattern, the Greeks developed the Golden Ratio to better express the difference between any two numbers in the sequence.

How to use the Golden Ratio in design?

One way to use the golden ratio in graphic design is to apply it to the typography hierarchy. By multiplying the font size of one element by 1.618, you can find the ideal font size for another element. For example, if you are using 10pt font for the body text, you can multiply it by 1.618 to get 16pt font for the heading. This way, you can create a consistent and proportional relationship between the text elements.

Another way to use the golden ratio in graphic design is to create a grid based on the ratio to guide your layout. You can divide your canvas into rectangles that follow the golden ratio, and then place your design elements within them. This can help you create a balanced and harmonious composition that draws the eye of the viewer.

The golden ratio is not a strict rule, but rather a guideline that can help you improve your design skills. By using it wisely, you can create designs that are not only beautiful, but also meaningful and effective.

Creating a Golden rectangle

A simple way to start creating a rectangle with golden proportions is to divide 1000 pixels by 1.618. This will give us a height of about 618 pixels for our width.

Adding a square of 618 x 618 pixels on the right side of the canvas will leave us with another golden rectangle on the left side, with dimensions of 382 x 618 pixels.

Creating another square within that new rectangle will leave another golden rectangle in the remaining space, which you can keep dividing into smaller golden rectangles, and so on.

It's not an accident that each time you divide your golden rectangle, the largest dividing line kind of spirals in onto itself, forming the shape of a "golden spiral". This is one of the most ubiquitous shapes that you'll encounter when working with the golden ratio.

Golden ratio in Logo design Examples

Sketch out the proportions and shapes of a new logo using the Golden Ratio, a helpful tool when you're feeling stuck. Many popular logos follow the Golden Ratio, such as Twitter, Apple, Pepsi and National Geographic.

Conclusion

The golden ratio is a mathematical proportion that can create harmonious and balanced compositions in logo design. You have learned some basic information about the golden ratio, its usage, and some examples of logos that use it. Whether you want to use the golden ratio in your logo design or not is up to you, but it can be a helpful tool to guide your design process.