The Design of Life

How many of you live by 'feeling', rather than logical thought?

The truth is, both go hand in hand. Science and mathematics prove it. 

Many designers, whether traditionally schooled or not, have trouble with composition. I've sat with plenty of designers who simply move things around until they feel ‘right’. Design is, in essence, communication but the vehicle for communication is the design. One of the key components in the vehicle of communication is composition, and in design schooling it is something that is taught as something you should 'feel' rather than create logically. This is something that has always bothered me.

When creating a design, or composing a photograph, we reach a point when we say ‘that’s right’ (or ‘that’ll do’ depending on the deadline and budget). How many of you create compositions based on feeling rather than logical thought?. Well I do, but i’m beginning to think more about what underpins that feeling.

'The Golden Section', or the 'Divine Proportion' is a visual representation of a number called Phi (pronounced fi). Oh, and before I go on, yes I have read the Da Vinci Code! Anyway, Phi is a number produced by bisecting a line at a particular point. Phi is 1.618033988749895, or by the numerical sequence called the 'Fibonacci sequence'.

So, what has this got to do with design?

Well, in short, a lot! The Phi is evident everywhere in the universe — Nature, Space, Physics, Mathematics, Art and Design. Phi creates the Divine Proportion (so called by the renaissance artists because of it’s abundance in the known universe, they thought it was created by God!), is used by artists and designers. 

Using the 'Divine Proportion' as a guide to your compositions can improve the communication of your design.

How?

Divine Proportions & Leonardo Fibonacci's 'Sequence'

By creating a natural language that your brain is 'hardwired' to understand. If the unique reaction Phi creates is all around us, it stands to reason that designs created this way are more comfortable to us and therefore do their job quicker and more effectively.

The 'Fibonacci sequence' is such a powerful tool in design, because the human brain subconsciously understands it. It's something that is absolutely fascinating and cannot be ignored.

Good old Leonardo.

J.