Divine Proportions

Vitruvius described the design of the human body in proportions and ratios. Four fingers make a palm, four palms make one arm, etc. He also happens to be an architect. This theory was illustrated in the famous sketch of da Vinci's, the Vitruvian man. Of course there is no such thing as a human who prescribes strictly to such a design. There are opinions however that those proportions are of that of the ideal man.

The idea of an ideal beauty is probably too absurd to discuss. Beauty belongs to the eye of a beholder. Beauty is subjective. There is no definition for beauty that truly defines it. Yet at the same time, we have accepted certain standards of aesthetics that are imposed upon us. We yearn to look like supermodels and to own sleek macbooks and iPods. Even in the realm of design, we accept certain aesthetics standards.

When I first discovered grids, I repeatedly read the term Golden Ratio and Divine Proportions. We use those ratios, just because. Golden Ratios are a set of numbers derived from the study of nature that supposedly makes beautifully balanced proportions. Or at least, not vulgar or shocking. The Divine Proportions somehow manage to objectify and create a standard of beauty that is acceptable.

One of the books that I was reading – a series of Baron's Art Handbooks, Perspective and Composition (thank you Kristen honey ;P) – spoke of a mathematician (actually the book said The Great Mathematician), Luca Pacioli who wrote a book about the Golden Ratio titled De Divina Propotione. Translated, that means The Divine Proportions. I suppose we can safely assume that Pacioli coined that term. In that book, Pacioli compared the occurrence of the Divine Proportions in both nature and man-made objects to God – mysterious, occult and divine.

The Vitruvian Man, which illustrates man with the ideal proportions remains just that, an ideal (unfortunate for many us). The Divine Proportions however, has become a practical and usable set of numbers that both Mother Nature and men can use to create beauty. When I design layouts and I have no where to start, I used those divine numbers. And it mostly works. Layouts that prescribe to the Divine Proportions look balance and dynamic, and there is no reasonable explanation.

Yet the quest of the ideal beauty in design is a dangerous one to pursue. In such a quest we may forgot the true goals of design. Design is more than just a balanced layout. Design is not a beautification process. Design is not the Divine Proportions – it is neither mysterious, occult or divine.

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