Yesterday I lost a contract opportunity that I thought PG would be perfect for. That was a bummer, but as an independent operator I know it's not some shortcoming in me, but whatever that organization needs right now.
The important thing is to maintain connections, wish everyone well, and KEEP WORKING. Being mad about missing out on a job is pointless and harmful. It's the same kind of thing I tell my soccer kids. If you stay hung up on that goal you missed, you will never get any better. You've got to take that loss and move ahead, it's always about the next thing, never the last thing.
ANYWAY, the contract description and interview made me think about writing. I've almost stopped thinking of myself as a writer (thus, here's J-blogger), despite writing constantly. Constantly!
The thing is, most of my writing these days is help documents for my students. And for whatever reason I had decided those don't count.
Now I'm digging through more than a year of handouts and other creative guidance documents I've written (often with an outline from chatGPT*, maximize your force of one!).
Below is my overview of compositional principles useful in design and photography, the rule of thirds and golden ratio, written for students in the Media and Entertainment program at Atlanta Technical College. Also attached below as a PDF. Peculiar Galaxies' MANY creative skill areas and available services include copy writing 😉!
The Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a compositional guideline widely used in photography, design, and other visual arts.
The “rule” considers human vision and corresponds with how people naturally scan for visual information.
The rule divides an image into thirds horizontally and vertically, creating nine equal parts in a grid that looks like a tic-tac-toe board.
To use the rule of thirds, an artist positions important elements along the dividing lines or at their intersections. Humans tend to naturally move their eyes along these lines, enhancing visual interest and creating a more engaging viewing experience.
The rule of thirds and other compositional guidelines help to:
Balance the Composition
Compositional rules help to balance the “visual weight” of elements in a design. Placing important parts of a picture along the gridlines or at intersections creates focal points and prevents the composition from feeling too centralized or static. This dynamic balance draws the viewer's attention and creates a more visually appealing layout.
Guide the Viewer's Eye
By intentionally placing essential elements at the intersecting points or along the gridlines, designers guide the viewer's eye through their composition in a natural and engaging way. The viewer can take in the entire picture, focusing on key elements in a sequence according to the artist’s intent.
Create Visual Hierarchy
Graphic designers, photographers, and other creatives use the rule of thirds to establish a visual hierarchy within their designs. Elements placed at the intersections or along the grid lines are attention-grabbing and perceived as more important. A hierarchy helps convey the artist’s intended message by leading the viewer to the most critical information or focal points first.
Enhance Harmony and Flow
Applying the rule of thirds contributes to the overall harmony and flow (hey, more music words!) of a design in a way that is pleasing to humans. Placing elements intentionally according to the grid creates a more aesthetically pleasing arrangement. It helps avoid visual clutter and ensures that design elements work together as a whole.
Make Work Adaptable Across Different Media
The rule of thirds is useful across creative mediums. Whether you're building a website, social media graphic, movie posters, or other visual communication piece, compositional guidelines provide flexible frameworks adaptable for many different dimensions and formats.
The Golden Ratio
The golden ratio comes from a mathematical proportion that appears frequently in nature. The ratio between two numbers is approximately 1.618 and is represented by the Greek letter phi (Φ). Designs that incorporate the golden ratio resonate (music!) with human perception of natural, aesthetically pleasing proportions and create solid foundations for physical structures. The golden ratio is often incorporated into architecture and art.
The spiral created by the golden ratio is used in design to guide the viewer's eye gracefully. The ratio’s flow and continuity mimics how our eyes naturally move through a scene or image, contributing to a sense of flow and visual continuity.
The golden ratio’s dynamic natural symmetry adds interest and complexity to a design. Its structured framework also allows for variety and asymmetry that can catch the viewer's attention and create a sense of visual interest.
Human Aesthetic Preferences
Both the rule of thirds and the golden ratio incorporate elements of human perception to create visually pleasing and effective designs. They reflect our cognitive tendencies and preferences, enhancing like vanilla does food the visual impact and engagement of creations across various mediums and cultures.
The universal appeal and utility of design principles like these suggest some human visual preferences are natural parts of our perception instead of being culturally specific. Because of their universality, the rule of thirds and golden ratio are effective tools in engaging diverse audiences.
While the compositional “rules” are valuable in your process and workflow, it is essential to note that there are no absolutes. No one is checking! Creatives often experiment and may intentionally deviate from so-called rules to achieve specific effects or deliver an intentional message. Combining your unique eye, natural creativity, and a solid understanding of fundamental design principles will make all your visual compositions more pleasing to your audience.
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*NEVER repost AI straight from the machine! Outlines have been helpful as a guide that I then write in to. Outlines, as we learned in school, help me touch everything and remind me of things that I might otherwise skip.
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