On Runco's Problem Finding,Problem Solving,and Creativity

The relative significance of the "golden section" (? 0.618) and other notable proportions was investigated using a new unobtrusive methodology, a modified Fechnerian method of production. Fourteen professional painters each sketched under controlled conditions--"veridically, accurately, and realistically" (but without there being any mention of proportions)--27 complex stimuli presented as slides, thus producing a total of 378 sketches. The stimuli in the slides were (a) vase cutouts of various proportions placed in a mantelpiece context and (b) paintings by Kodama, Mondrian, and Whistler. The golden section and other significant and control proportions (a total of 120 occurrences) were identified beforehand by the researcher in the 27 stimuli. The 378 painters' sketches were subsequently measured by the researcher and two assistants to determine the accuracy with which the various proportions had been reproduced by the painters (a grand total of 1680--14 x 120--possible occurrences). The overall accuracy of rendering the proportions was found to be low for the vases and Kodama's paintings, but increased considerably for the Whistlers and Mondrians. As predicted, the accuracy of rendering the golden section increased from the vases to the Kodamas to the Whistlers and Mondrians. For the latter two, the golden section was in fact the most accurately rendered proportion, followed by 1.00 (found, for example, in the square and circle). The golden section is clearly important in art and to artists, but both its use and detection are subtle and must be pursued with great analytic care. The use of professional artists as informants and research participants may be of considerable help.