Scale and Proportion
Chapter 4 

Now to show scale and Proportion draw the same shape with different sizes to show depth

 Example 9

Proportion is a design principle that has to do with the relationship between size and scale.

• Size is how large (or small) an item actually is. It is a measurable quantity.
• Scale is a relative size. It refers to how Large (or small) an item seems.

Proportion is the relative size of parts within a whole. The Human Body is an effective example of the design principle.

Proportions of the human body as a reflection of cultural ideology

Leonardo da Vinci Vitruvian Man (1487).

Galleria dell' Accademia,Venice

This famous drawing is based on the geometrically calculated ideal human proportions described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in the Book III of his treatise De Architectura.  According to the Vitruvius the human figure was the primary source of proportion used in Classical orders of architecture.

"The Motherland Calls." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Sept. 2012. 

Web. 19 Apr. 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Motherland_Calls.

Looking at the statue itself, you cannot tell how large it is. But Look down at the base and see the visitors looking at it and you get an idea of the enormity of this monument.

The Actual size is 170 ft tall and the sword alone is 108ft

Internal References 
The scale of artworks can impress or hold our attention through their actual size. Scale within a work of art provides meaning, context, and often a clue to how it is made or how we are meant to interpret the image or object.

Art Musuem in New York City. Photography by Camren Stacy . 2011

Contrast Of Scale 

Unexpected or Exaggerated Scale 
An Artest may purposely use scale to attract our attention.  We notice the unexpected or exaggerated, as when small objects are magnifies or large ones are reduced.

Art Musuem in New York City. Photography by Camren Stacy . 2011

Manipulation scale and proportion

Surrealism is an art based on paradox, on images that cannot be explained in rational terms. Artist who work in this manner present the irrational world of the dream or nightmare  (recognizable elements in impossible situations).

Art Musuem in New York City. Photography by Camren Stacy . 2011

Geometry and the ideal
Proportion is linked to Ratio. We judge the proportions of something to be correct if the ratio of one element to another is correct.


The Ancient Greeks desired to discover ideal proportions, and these took form of mathematical ratios. The Greeks found the perfect body to be seven heads tall and even idealized the proportions of the body.  In a similar fashion they sought perfect proportions in rectangles employed by architectural design. Among these rectangles the one most often cited as perfect is the Golden Rectangle.
The Golden Rectangle has influenced art and design throughout the centuries.

 Root Rectangles
Like the golden rectangle, other rectangles are derived from the square. These are called root rectangles and have proportions such as 1:2, 1:3, 1:5. Exploring the dynamics of these shapes and finding their expression in art and design is very interesting.