Leaving more space at the bottom is a technique used to center things 'optically' in a page (the same thing happens when you draw letters like 'H' 'B' 'S'), this is also explained in Gestalt inspired analysis (Arnheim, etc.)
Big side margins were used in manuscripts to allow for side notes, and sometimes in very dense typographic pages margins were filled with printed commentary (for example in religious books), like an heavy frame. Otherwise the big margins could be used for decoration (like in the 'medieval' revival of Morris's Kelmscott Press).
To save space in cheap or small books margins becomes smaller and every margin should be set equal. Therefore the big margins setting is used to convey a meaning of magnificence (for example in Italy, Adelphi uses this pattern of big margins in the expensive books – it is consistent with their 'corporate identity' – and small margins for the pocket version).
The idea of a 'rule' looks like a modern interpretation of a phenomenon (indeed it is often attributed to Tschichold), The so-called Villard diagram itself is a modern interpretation of a small drawing found in his notebook.
The idea of the golden ratio as a perfect proportion, imho, is also a modern one. My understanding of the Renaissance is that they were interested in integer ratios, like 'musical' ratios (1/2, 3/4, 4/3, etc.)
[sorry for my english]
The golden ratio is not bullshit at all. It's just not scientific as such. But it works.
Wow...you....sound like such a graphic design hater. haha
Re:The secret law of page harmony
by erikpukinskis on Tuesday March 15, 2011 @02:55AM
(#2326373)
I love good graphic design. I've actually never met an actual graphic designer who bought this shit. There are much more advanced theories of design harmony. This kind of stuff always seems to come from graphic design enthusiasts, not professionals.
It's like the CutCo of design theory. You're like "WHOA IT CAN CUT A TIN CAN IT MUST BE AWESOME" but pro chefs don't cut cans or use CutCo knives.
And maybe part of it is that I've read thousands of books in my life, and I don't think I've EVER read one with this layout.
And this guy going on and on about the golden ratio and all this pointless geometric coincidences. It's like some weird fetish.
Now don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate the need for harmony in graphic design, and the importance of geometric relationships. I just think that some relationships are actually felt by the reader, and others are utterly invisible, un-feelable ones that people like this jerk off to.
[cringe]. I need to go look at something beautiful to get the taste of that out of my mouth.
Edit: I also think the golden ratio is bullshit, but that's another story...