Golden Mean
by Stefan Baumann
During my demos “The Power to Create” I hear
more and more questions on “Golden Mean” or
“Golden Ratio”. Artists think that it is a
new idea. The concept began in the Renaissance with architects
and artists who witnessed, in nature, a natural order
to things. Artists seem to instinctively put objects into
their painting by their feelings. But there is a mathematical
equation to what we feel. You can experiment with this
by taking the length of your painting and dividing it
by 1.618; then do the same with the height. Where the
lines intersect, place your central focal point in one
of the intersections.
The Greeks were more direct. Their architecture is amazingly
subtle and persuasive. I think part of their artistry
comes from their use of complex mental processes, coupled
with very direct and simple ways of transferring ideas
into wood and stone structures.
To expand the conversation, see how you can use this
diagram to place your center focal-point in your painting.
This is the “Fibonacci Spiral”.
Fibonacci mathematics is a constantly expanding branch
of art theory, with more and more people being drawn into
the complex subtleties of Fibonacci's legacy. In upcoming
editions of OutdoorPainting.com, I will demonstrate how
I use this information.
For more information on the Golden Mean, go to this link:
http://library.thinkquest.org/27890/goldenRatio.html
If you are interested in seeing one of my free demonstrations
of “The Power to Create”, click below.
WWW.thegrandview.org
