A designer's guide to the Golden Ratio
If you're a designer or artist, you should know about the Golden Ratio. We explain what it is and how you can use it.
Creating a Golden Rectangle is pretty straightforward, and starts with a basic square. Follow the steps below to create your own Golden Ratio:
01. Draw a square
Start by drawing a square of any size. The side of this will form the length of the 'short side' of the rectangle.
02. Divide the square
Next, divide your square in half with a vertical line down the centre. This will leave you with two rectangles.
03. Draw a diagonal line
In one of these rectangles, draw a straight line from one corner to the opposite corner.
04. Rotate the line
Rotate this line, pivoting from the bottom (or top) point, until it lines up with the bottom of the first rectangle.
05. Create a new rectangle
Create a rectangle using the new horizontal line and original rectangle as guides. That's your Golden Rectangle.
Next page: How to use the Golden Ratio in your design work
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Prev Page What is the Golden Ratio? Next Page Golden Ratio tricksRosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.