# Golden Ratio vs. Rule of 3's



## platymom (Mar 3, 2006)

OK I've read on the golden ratio both here at the library and other sources and I think I may be missing something. Even with live pictures, I'm not seeing the big or small (as it were) scheme. 

My background is in graphics design and I have a passion for interior design as well. At least in interior, there is a rule of 3's where you group in triplet with varying levels of height (and sometimes scale - size). This is asymmetrical and pleasing to the eye. On both design fronts, there needs to also be a central point of focus. I did see this much (focus) in aquascaping, but not as clearly (sometimes a focus on both the right and left??). 

Is this like going from a piano keyboard to a computer keyboard where your fingers need to be retrained?  Do I need a different "eye" for aquascaping? I'd also be grateful for more illustrations that I may not have seen yet.

Thanks!


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

The rule if 3 is pretty important and often used. It is very common in iwigumi, rock style, layouts. Often the concept is to compine many different triangles so one might use 3, , 7, 9 rocks but they are still arranged in triangles and the different heights of each apex and each triangle is very important.

The golden ratio is also related to the rule of 3. The ratio, 1:1.689 is pretty close to 1/3:2/3 ratio and on th esmall scale of an aquarium the 1/3:2/3 approximation is close enough.

Generally an aquascape will have a focal point and often a focal plant/grouping also. The focal point can be the convergence of lines of driftwood, a high or low spot in the plant groupings or even teh valley created by a concave layout. Generally this apex is located about 1/3 the tank's length from on end. Often one places a focus plant, say ared plant or a grouping of a visually interesting plant, at either this apex or as a subtle balance at the opposite, secondary apex on the opposite side of the aquarium.

If you look through the high placing winners of the varoius contests or many of the photos of Amano's work, youwill see what I mean. Look at these layouts with the sole purpose of studying balance. Squint when you first look at the photo, don't worry about the plant types. Jsu ttry to get a first impression of where the "lines" meet and the color arrangments. You'll be suprised how many of the good ones follow the basic "rules" developed thousands of years ago in Greece, Rome, Japan, China, etc. Also, remember that some rules seem universal, like the rule of 3 or the golden ratio, but many cultures have different styles with conflicting principles. Consider a traditional Japaneese or Chineese painting versus a work Michelangelo or and ancient Greek building.


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

dennis said:


> ...If you look through the high placing winners of the varoius contests ... you will see what I mean...


Great idea! How about looking through the winners of IALC? Could you bring here the winners' photos that fit well into the descriptions, to focus on?


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Here is one example. Notice the lines formed by the wood and edges of the plant groupings. In this case the empty space also serves ot lead the eye around the layout and there is even a small group of a slightly colored plant to accent the apex of the layout.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/contest/index.php?action=showentry&id=103


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Also, it is hard ot see but I believe the layout is less centered than it appears. Notice the sides of the tank are clipped off in the photo. Also, the fact that the front pane of the aquarium is very high in relation to what we are used to seeing (18"highx 24"long and I would estimate 1-2? is lost from each side inthe photo. This makes the tank look almost square) Still, you can see a slight imbalance from the left to the right side... The right side is heavier.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Here is another, very different example. This one is harder to find the groupings but look for arrangments of 3 and triangles. Its pretty obvious the focal point of this layout, although it is a bit left of the golden rule (and personally I think a little to far left) However, this exageration does add a bit of tension to the layout and creates a bit more "feeling"

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/contest/index.php?action=showentry&id=124

Personally I tend to view aquascapes as a single composition. It is an artform, like any painting or sculpture and I tend to think, judge and critique each layout as if it were a painting.

The wonderful thing about art though, everyone takes somehting away from the viewing experience. I like Gomer's work, very much like landscpe painting. It makes me want to take a walk through the work. I wish I were a fish


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## platymom (Mar 3, 2006)

I have a personal journal of tank/scaping photos including contest winners that I've been studying, but I think I may not have been "looking" at them correctly, trying to determine the style without using a guide. The "Urban Oasis" is one of the pics I have saved and keep going back to 

I can see the groupings better the way you've put it (I think.. see below!). And the statement "Generally this apex is located about 1/3 the tank's length from on end" is actually great for planning my 30 for which I want a very strong focal point complimented by it's immediate surroundings.

OK here are those two tanks with illustrations of where my eye is now going (to more intimate detailing). Are these points what you see?

PS - thank you much for your insight.


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## tao (Jun 15, 2005)

It seems to me, I'm probably being a bit heretical, like the golden rule and the rule of three's aren't so much things to design your aquarium around as much as once you have an idea of what you are designing, good spots to put stuff in so that it appears natural and/or pretty.

I think it depends on how much you want to imitate nature. Like the weeds in my backyard are nature, but I sure as heck hope my aquarium never resembles my backyard. (the neighbors own a wildlife preserve, it's a straight line of trees)

Just for another parameter, you could also probably look at sense of scale. Like you have the giant landscapes, like just about all of the tanks Amano does, where you feel like you are looking at it from a couple miles away. Or Tony Gomez's nano from the 2004 AGA, that feels more localized, like you are on the ground looking at it from very close (though these tanks seem to be penalized for not 'maximizing space'). Most tanks seem to warp your idea of scale just a bit, probably to make it less specific to a place. And there's the ones that completely ignore the idea, which are freer.

You could also look at order vs. chaos (fight the collectoritis...must resist nana petite...).

Or for tanks that are deliberately imitating a specific effect, like a ravine, or a path surrounded by trees, or even a stump; pay attention to how it succeeds or fails in doing so.

Personally for aquarium ideas, I like to go back to nature, particularly Japanese photography. http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~yuka0225/main.htm
To each his/her own.

Also what would be lovely, if the thread isn't already there; is some sort of list of the parameters by which people personally judge tanks, w/ examples or some sort of exploration. So that you could try to fulfill the ones you like. And if someone else can make you see your tank in a whole new view... opcorn:


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

Great discussion...

a trained GD here as well...[not practising though]

I think you can choose the three basic kinds of layout. mountain, valley or plains layout.

the exact position of the mountain, valley or plains looks great if it correlates with the intersections of the golden section or rule of thirds.

the tank is not static, some are cubes and some are panoramic landscapes, so mountain layouts look nicer in cubes[being the most static shape]
the rest can be a combinations as our layout is in 3D...colour to boot.

i find what's important is the flow of the layout...an unseen movement...this line is usually drawn like triangles like dennis mentioned but in nature it's probably more like sine/cosine waves...
a soothing effect of leading the eye from one object to another...


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