Art and

Mathematics in
Designing Visuals
Sonia M. Alensub
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of
Technology
sonia5148@yahoo.com

Introduction

A stage in the development of non-print

instructional media is designing. The design
of any visual or audiovisual presentation is a
crucial factor in getting attention and in
making instruction effective.
There are principles of design that an
Computer Education student or teacher
should apply when developing non-print
instructional media. One such principle is the
Golden Mean, which is mathematical in
nature. The principles in photography apply,
too, in composing our visuals and other
presentations. Then, there are also the usual
principles of designing/rules of composition
employed in the visual arts.

Your task is to form a group of three, find out

what these principles are and how these are
applied in designing the following visual
instructional media: photographs/pictures and
multimedia presentations.

Find answers to the questions below in one

hour by visiting the web sites listed below.
One member of the group may be assigned
questions 1 and 2; the second member,
questions 3 and 4; and the third member,
questions 5 and 6.
Questions

1. What is the Golden Mean?

2. How does the Golden Mean apply to
photography?
3. What are the other rules of composition?
4. How do these rules apply to photography
and the design of other visuals?
5. What are the principles of design?
6. How do these principles apply to the
design of visuals?

Web Resources

Rule of Thirds and Photography

http://www.betterphoto.com/exploring/tips/t
hirds.asp

The Golden Mean

http://photoinf.com/General/Klaus_Schroiff
/Basic_Photography_Techniques.htm

Illustrating the Principles of Design

 http://desktoppub.about.com/od/designpri
nciples/l/aa_pod2.htm

Golden Section and Photography

http://www.photoinf.com/Golden_Mean/Eugen
e_Ilchenko/GoldenSection.html

Composition and Design

https://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/Compose.h
tm

Rule of Thirds
http://www.photoinf.com/Golden_Mean/Ed
win_Leong/Camera_Hobby_-_e-
Book_on_the_Rule_of_Thirds.htm

The Arts – Design and Composition

http://goldennumber.net/design.htm

The Golden Section

http://goldennumber.net/goldsect.htm

Rules of Composition
http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/photogra
phy-the-rules-of-composition/
 The Golden Mean
http://www.thegoldenmean.com/

Beauty in the Human Face

https://www.goldennumber.net/beauty/

The Big Question

Can we make our visual media not only
instructional but also works of art? To answer
this question, within one week, you are
expected to: 1) prepare a report on the rules
of composition, the principles of design, and
their applications in designing
pictures/photographs and multimedia
presentations; 2) present your report through
a multimedia presentation; and, 3) apply the
appropriate principles of design in your
multimedia presentation.

At the end of one week, you are expected to

present your report.
(December 5, 2012)

Template adapted from Tom March,

http://www.ozline.com/templates/hunt.html