Use the 'Golden Ratio' for a visually pleasing web design. This ratio is a divine proportion for anything that is aesthetically pleasing. It is found in living things including humans, in art, in buildings, and in web sites. Designers who use this concept create designs that are more effective and visually compelling.

The divine proportion ratio is based on phi, which is the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet and is equal to 1.618. Phi's connection to the divine proportion is based on the relation of three lines: line A, the longest, is 1.618 times the length of line B, and line B is 1.618 times the length of the shortest line, line C.

Combinations of the three line ratios are said to be the basis for everything that is perfectly proportional.






To Use the Golden Ratio in Web Design

1. How wide is your design? You can design a page using the golden ratio using fixed or flexible widths, but in order to use the ratio you have to have a number. Say you width is 760px.

2. Once you know the width, divide it by Phi (1.62 rounded is fine). 760 divided by 1.62 is 469.14 or 469 (Web browsers prefer whole numbers). That should then be the width of the main column.

3. Subtract the main column width from the whole width. This will give you the second column width. 760 - 469 = 291.