The Golden Mean
The Mathematical Formula of
Life
The Golden Mean
The Golden Mean is a ratio which
has fascinated generation after
generation, and culture after culture.
It can be expressed succinctly in the
ratio of the number "1" to the
irrational “l.618034.”
The Golden Mean
Also known as:
The Golden Ratio
The Golden Section
The Golden Rectangle
The Golden Number
The Golden Spiral
Or the Divine Proportion
The Golden Mean
The golden ratio is 1·618034. It is often
represented by a Greek letter Phi Φ.
The Fibonacci numbers are 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8,
13, ... (add the last two to get the next)
The golden ratio and Fibonacci numbers relate
in such that sea shell shapes, branching plants,
flower petals and seeds, leaves and petal
arrangements, all involve the Fibonacci
numbers.
One Way to Understand It
A M B
The line AB is divided at point M so that the
ratio of the two parts, the smaller MB to the
larger AM is the same as the ratio of the
larger part AM to the whole AB. Does that
make sense?
OR
Given a rectangle having sides
in the ratio 1:phi , phi is defined
such that partitioning the
original rectangle into a square
and new rectangle results in a
new rectangle having sides with
a ratio 1: phi. Such a rectangle
is called a golden rectangle,
and successive points dividing
a golden rectangle into squares
lie on a logarithmic spiral. This
figure is known as a whirling
square.
Have You Seen This?
Note that each
new square
has a side
which is as
long
as the sum of
the latest
two square's
sides.
The Golden Mean and Aesthetics
Throughout history, the ratio for length to
width of rectangles of 1.61803 39887 49894
84820 has been considered the most
pleasing to the eye.
Artists use the Golden Mean in the creation
of great works.
The Parthenon
“Phi“ was named
for the Greek
sculptor Phidias.
The exterior
dimensions of the
Parthenon in
Athens, built in
about 440BC,
form a perfect
golden rectangle.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Many artists who lived after
Phidias have used this
proportion. Leonardo Da
Vinci called it the "divine
proportion" and featured it
in many of his paintings, for
example in the famous
"Mona Lisa". Try drawing a
rectangle around her face.
Are the measurements in a
golden proportion? You can
further explore this by
subdividing the rectangle
formed by using her eyes as
a horizontal divider.
The “Vitruvian
Man”
Leonardo did an entire
exploration of the
human body and the
ratios of the lengths of
various body parts.
“Vitruvian Man”
illustrates that the
human body is
proportioned according
to the Golden Ratio.
Look at your own hand:
You have ...
•2 hands each of which has ...
•5 fingers, each of which has ...
•3 parts separated by ...
•2 knuckles
Is this just a coincidence or not?????
The Golden
Mean is
Also Found
in Nature
The Golden Spiral can be seen in the arrangement of
seeds on flower heads.
Pine cones
show the
Fibonacci
Spirals
clearly. Here
is a picture of
an ordinary
pinecone
seen from its
base where
the stalk
connects it to
the tree.
On many plants, the
number of petals is a
Fibonacci number:
buttercups have 5
petals; lilies and iris
have 3 petals; some
delphiniums have 8;
corn marigolds have
13 petals; some asters
have 21 whereas
daisies can be found
with 34, 55 or even 89
petals.
Patterns of Nature
In this assignment students will choose a pattern from
nature which is created through the phenomenon of
the Golden Mean such as the pattern in a Nautilus
Shell and create an original design.
Students will use this pattern, or the one
demonstrated in the “Last Supper” to create an
original work of art using the Golden Mean to create
the composition.
The solutions to this problem are infinite.
Ideas for Designs
The pattern of a butterfly wing….
Patterns of sea creatures……
Close ups of patterns from nature…..
Leaf arrangements, leaf veins, petal patterns….
Feather patterns from birds such as one
feather, or the entire tail pattern of a
peacock….
Look at animals, bugs, fish, and plants to get
ideas…..
Rubric
The design must be original.
The composition must use the Golden Mean.
The painting must use a pattern found in nature to
inspire the design.
The design must demonstrate knowledge of space as
an element of design.
The project is to be done in acrylic paint.
The design must show technical craftsmanship.
The student must use proper care and conservation of
tools and supplies.
The fairest thing we can experience
is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands
at the cradle of true art and
science. He who knows it not and
can no longer wonder, no longer
feels amazement, is as good as
dead, a snuffed-out candle. —
Albert Einstein