Why Divine Proportion Matter to Web Designer
Is there a time you can’t decide on what width to use for your content?
Have you ever experience a feeling of uneasiness on your design? But, can’t explain what it is?
Well, then… this article could save you from these problems. It’s a probably some challenge for new web designers. And, it has to do with “divine proportion” or “golden ratio”.
By understanding them or at least having bit knowledge about it, will definitely enhance your design skills.
Let’s have a look.
What’s divine proportion?
If you google the word “divine proportion”, what you will find with explanation is something very mathematical. And that might make you more puzzled, because it’s not linked to “web design”.
Well, you are right and wrong. You don’t need to understand all the complicated mathematical thing. But, do need to know that, this has long history and it’s important for web design.
Some 20th-century artists and architects, including Le Corbusier and Salvador Dalí, have proportioned their works to approximate the golden ratio, believing this to be aesthetically pleasing.
So, here are a list of 7 articles to help you understand the divine proportion better, and confidently make design decisions.
Web Design Principles of Successful Websites
Let us start on the basic ideas and refresh our memories of web design principles. This article provide a simple and easy to understand article regarding web design principles.
10 Top Principles of effective web design
Almost has the same idea and concept as the first article, but discusses the principle in a more broader way. Or, I might say “on a different side or perspective”.
How To Improve Usability With Fitts’ and Hick’s Laws
This article focuses more on Fitts’ and Hick’s Laws to improve the usability part of the design. In my view, I consider it as an essential part of designing, especially in UX design.
Applying Divine Proportion To Your Web Designs
As this article from Smashing Magazine stated “This article explains what is the Divine proportion and what is the Rule of Thirds and describes how you can apply both of them effectively to your designs.”.
The article was wrote in 2008, but it still holds some of the necessary information about the application of golden ratio and rule of thirds to your project.
Applying the Golden Ratio to Layouts and Rectangles
A short article from UX Movement about the golden ratio and its use for layouts. This article also has a Golden rectangle calculator in case you don’t want to calculate it yourself.
How to use balance in web design
Ah yes, the balance of web design. This article focuses on the structure or the balance of the overall layout mentioning the three common types of balance.
Symmetry vs. Asymmetry
A great read on what, about and differences of Symmetry and Asymmetry. This article will greatly help in having an overall feel and understanding of balance that we could incorporate on our design.
There are many aspects of design that we must know, but we must not forget that this are only “guidelines” and must not use it without purpose. I hope this knowledge will be a good tool for you to intelligently make design decision and also have more control on your overall design output.
Good Luck Designing!
