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Are you wanting to make the gridlines? If that's what you want then an A2 is 4.25 x 5.5 so 4.25 / 3 would mean you draw 2 lines 1.416 apart and 5.5 / 3 would be draw 2 lines spaced 1.83 apart. Is that what you mean?
Sometimes it's easier to use millimeters when you're dividing by an odd number... so with Marti's measurements above, you'd have lines at 36mm and 72mm on the short side and 46.5mm and 93mm on the long side.
Now my brain isn't working! What is a card based on thirds?
Not the card itself but placement (of images, sentiments, embellishments etc). So where the lines described above intersect there's a "sweet spot" - the rule of thirds says that a design will generally be balanced if you use those sweet spots for positioning elements. And indeed, the lines themselves can help with deciding on division (the bottom third of a card in one colour, the top two thirds in another, for example).
Oh that is great, Dina, thank you!!! I'll try it in the morning....I really need to convert to metric!
It's tough converting... I live in Canada, and as a country we converted to metric when I was still a little kid but even so, I relate to a lot of things in inches and pounds. Metric really is easier, and it's what I learned in school, but for some reason I relate to inches better most of the time.
Marge is right on. In actuality the "sweet spot" isn't really exact thirds. Using thirds is an approximation. You would use .618 instead of .667 to determine the 2/3 placement.
But that's going a bit far even for those of us with CDO. Images at that point are way bigger than that size.
(OCD in alphabetical order!)
ETA: To use the golden ratio of .618 in making a template you would measure 86 mm from each end of the 5-1/2 side and 67 mm from each end of the 4-1/2 side. This gives you a smaller center space than the edges, but it is mathematically most accurate, and is the ratio that the old painters used in their compositions. It is also the ratio found in the beauty of everything in nature. See this collection of pictures: https://www.google.com/search?q=gold...2&ved=0CCYQsAQ
This is called the phi grid and looks like this:
Again, your focal points are best either along a grid line or at the intersections.
Im pretty ocd myself, but I made the template and just don't quite get it. I know what looks good to me. If anyone has time, would you mind looking in my gallery and telling me if it looks like I follow that thirds rule or maybe need to figure it out...this is not a ploy to get you to my gallery! LOL I just wonder if my brain naturally follows the rule even though it doesn't wrap around the template or if I need to figure out how to use the template.
Thank you for posting this video. I searched youtube but only came up with photography rule of thirds...same thing but I wanted a template specifically.
I do naturally follow the rule for the most part but I have issues with some of my
cards not looking quite right. So I thought a template would help.
So appreciate it!!
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
sorry Kathy! Didn't see your post about already seeing the photography related videos.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Im pretty ocd myself, but I made the template and just don't quite get it. I know what looks good to me. If anyone has time, would you mind looking in my gallery and telling me if it looks like I follow that thirds rule or maybe need to figure it out...this is not a ploy to get you to my gallery! LOL I just wonder if my brain naturally follows the rule even though it doesn't wrap around the template or if I need to figure out how to use the template.
Kathy, I checked out your gallery; your cards are gorgeous, and for the most part, you are right on target. Your door cards are beautiful! And I see you're a fan of Julie Nutting paper dolls too! Great cards using them. Love 'em!
There are only a couple I see that I would tighten up to make a stronger focal point, by grouping the images closer and having them on one of those 4 imaginary points. The "butterfly thanks" would look better with only 3 butterflies instead of 4 (this is another rule: the Rule of 3's says that things in odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye); the lotus cards would look better with part of the stem stamped off the edge of the card; this would keep them from looking like they're floating and would put the blossom in one of the sweet spots (again, those 4 imaginary points). I would move the sentiment on the Concord Crush blossom to the bottom of the card to keep it from looking top heavy.
I hesitated to respond because I'm certainly no expert; this is just my opinion, and I wouldn't hurt your feelings for anything. I hope I didn't and that you can take this just as an answer to your question.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Last edited by uncbballfan; 02-17-2015 at 12:10 PM..
Reason: More info
Kathy, I checked out your gallery; your cards are gorgeous, and for the most part, you are right on target. Your door cards are beautiful! And I see you're a fan of Julie Nutting paper dolls too! Great cards using them. Love 'em!
There are only a couple I see that I would tighten up to make a stronger focal point, by grouping the images closer and having them on one of those 4 imaginary points. The "butterfly thanks" would look better with only 3 butterflies instead of 4 (this is another rule: the Rule of 3's says that things in odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye); the lotus cards would look better with part of the stem stamped off the edge of the card; this would keep them from looking like they're floating and would put the blossom in one of the sweet spots (again, those 4 imaginary points). I would move the sentiment on the Concord Crush blossom to the bottom of the card to keep it from looking top heavy.
I hesitated to respond because I'm certainly no expert; this is just my opinion, and I wouldn't hurt your feelings for anything. I hope I didn't and that you can take this just as an answer to your question.
This is exactly the feedback I was looking for! Thank you so much for taking the time. I'm going to go look those over and work on your suggestions! You're awesome!
Kathy, you are so sweet... and you are very welcome. Your response brightened my day!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Well dang it, I had no clue. Now I am second guessing all of my cards!!! But since I am seriously challenge when it comes to measurements, I probably will just keep on guessing!
Well dang it, I had no clue. Now I am second guessing all of my cards!!! But since I am seriously challenge when it comes to measurements, I probably will just keep on guessing!
Oh Ruthie! Your cards are lovely, and if they give you and those who receive them a lot of joy, then I think they're perfect!
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Marge is right on. In actuality the "sweet spot" isn't really exact thirds. Using thirds is an approximation. You would use .618 instead of .667 to determine the 2/3 placement.
But that's going a bit far even for those of us with CDO. Images at that point are way bigger than that size.
(OCD in alphabetical order!)
ETA: To use the golden ratio of .618 in making a template you would measure 86 mm from each end of the 5-1/2 side and 67 mm from each end of the 4-1/2 side. This gives you a smaller center space than the edges, but it is mathematically most accurate, and is the ratio that the old painters used in their compositions. It is also the ratio found in the beauty of everything in nature. See this collection of pictures: https://www.google.com/search?q=gold...2&ved=0CCYQsAQ
This is called the phi grid and looks like this:
Again, your focal points are best either along a grid line or at the intersections.
I asked this question AGES ago & people were kind enough to answer, but I never quite figured it out! LOL I too am math deficient! ALL of your answers & this graph have helped TREMENDOUSLY!!!!
I am going to make one of these graphs too & try it out! SUPER THREAD LADIES!!!!! THANK YOU!!! ;)
I'm with you, Hobbysue! While I DO make use of the phi grid when evaluating art (art appreciation class), I really don't use it to make cards. I usually just "make it look good".
Oh my gosh if I had to put that much thought into my cards I'd never get anything done! LOL and probably quit making them. Only my opinion
And that's what makes us hobbyists so interesting. Some like everything placed very precisely, others make some attempt at it and others couldn't care less! ;)
Thanks for posting this video � explains perfectly how the rule of thirds benefits visuals! In every example, the image was made much more dynamic and alive by using the rule. I've been working on an art journal page that hit some of these lines but needs some embellishments at the others, I've just learned
Thanks all for all the info. I sometimes see double and do not see straight most of the time. I depend on rulers and even question them sometimes. It doesn't have to be perfect just look pleasing. I was in my 20's when I tried to play tennis. Only tried a couple times because my husband and the other couple kept laughing at how far I missed the ball. Heck, I was hitting at the wrong ball. lol. (Took me another 20 yrs to figure that out!)
imho, it's good to know the rules, it's great to have some control over your own work, but rules are meant to be broken. Picasso and ee cummings, all the way, baby! Keeping the spirit of creativity, joy and beauty in your work ... that's what it's all about. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming a technician, and what's the fun in that?
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
I see it this way, There are some "rules" you need to follow, like mixing red & blue paint, you end up with purple, whereas if you mix red & yellow, you won't get purple, but orange! There are some basic "rules" you need to consider if you want your piece to have that special POW! Yes, have fun, it isn't all clinical or technical, but there are some basics we all need to learn to make our work stand out from the rest! Notice: take a look at the women who are the leaders of this community, such as Dini or some of the others; I think they "follow the rules" unconsciously, they're that good. The "freedom" everyone wants to talk about in their art may be found in the technique isle! Even with doing Collage work, there are "rules," balance being one of them. The graph above helps to bring balance to our work. Just a thought for you to ponder! ;)
I prefer to think of them as "guidelines" and not "rules." "Principles" would also work. Rules are things that must be followed in order to avoid chaos and disorder. I don't think that a card looks chaotic and disorderly if the "rule" of thirds isn't followed. ;)
I see it this way, There are some "rules" you need to follow, like mixing red & blue paint, you end up with purple, whereas if you mix red & yellow, you won't get purple, but orange! ...
And if you mix paint/ink colors that are opposites on the color wheel, such as red and green, you will get a muddy color. Dea
Hey gals, it's fun to see what everyone thinks about design and balance...some people can throw stuff on a card or scrapbook page and it really looks awesome! They're free spirited and just have an innate ability to make a bunch of stuff look great. I am not that way...for my brain to be satisfied I need some rules to follow...it's not a right or wrong, just a preference. I have made many a card and realized there was just something off about it, but couldn't place my finger on it. Then I heard and read about the rule of thirds when I took a photography class...it made sense to me that the same theory could apply to my card making and so I set out to try it. My dilemma was not knowing how to evenly divide the thirds for an A2 sized card.
Then I learned that they couldn't possibly be divided evenly no matter how hard I tried (see I told you I was math challenged..lol)
I thank all of you for your insight, opinions and for those who either provided the measurements, the template itself or the Youtube showing how to do it, I feel much more confident in my card making. Now, I don't use it every single time because as others have mentioned, I can just sense when it works. BUT that is the exception rather than the rule for me (my wastebasket will testify!)
Another of my challenges is that creativity in its purest form, is very challenging for me...I wish I was the free spirited type, but I'm not and believe me I've tried hard to change that. God wired me to like order and exacting measurements...it doesn't stifle me, it gives me freedom to express myself my way. I like being this way, but I don't expect everyone else to do it my way because that would be terribly boring! I certainly enjoy the creations of those who have that more loosey goosey way about them makes looking through the gallery so much fun!!
We are an amazing bunch, aren't we?!
__________________ Kathy
Last edited by klh54; 02-28-2015 at 04:54 PM..
Reason: left out some words:)
Wow!!! I've spent a couple of hours this afternoon looking for this information and was not satisfied until this popped up on google! I've been a member on here for some time but for some reason it never entered my mind to check for it here! Duh!?! I needed it for putting together a card kit for a workshop I'm doing. You ladies are awesome and I'll remember now where to come with a card question!!!
Rule of thirds template
SUPER THREAD
