Pleasing Proportion Calculator

This app lets you enter a dimension and quickly calculate a set of other dimensions which are pleasing to the eye when used with the dimension you entered. For example, if you know the width of some project like a chest or table you can calculate possible heights and depths that will make an overall nice-looking piece. The app also has a second page where you can see what various combinations of width, depth and height look like together (it only shows a solid block but you can imagine it being your chest or table - or building!). This app is not only useful for experienced designers and artists but for beginners (including children just learning arts and crafts) who wish to learn the basics of what generally "looks nice" and why.

You enter the starting dimension using the two entry fields, labeled either "ft" and "in" or "m" and "cm" depending on our choice of units (set in "Settings" menu). It defaults to ENGLISH, which uses feet and inches and allows fractions (to 1/32") or decimal notation (choose using the "Settings" menu). For furniture projects you may choose to leave the ft (or m) field blank and just specify the total dimension in inches (or centimeters). For large projects like buildings you probably want to use the ft/m field. The app will handle any combination you enter. With your starting dimension entered, click the "DONE" button on the keyboard to calculate other pleasing dimensions. The app uses the "golden ratio" and also the "3-4-5 ratio, displaying each in a scrollable box.

The golden ratio is any dimension either multiplied by or divided by 1.618... You will see that this app calculates dimensions both smaller and larger than your starting dimension. The 3-4-5 ratio means that if a dimension A is proportional to two other dimensions B and C in the ratio of 3:4 and 4:5 (or multiples of these) then the shape will be pleasing to the eye. This app calculates three different sets of 3 dimensions, using the starting dimension as the "3", then as "4" and then as "5".

Once you have calculated the lists of pleasing dimensions, you can swipe to the left to visualize any combination of these dimensions using the graphical page. Initially, this app displays a block with width, height and depth equal to the starting dimension. At the top of the screen you see 3 spinners for width "w", height "h" and depth "d". Touch any of them to pick a different value from the calculated pleasing dimensions (you do not have to keep the starting dimension if you do not wish to). The block changes size to stay within the screen but is always to scale and uses your chosen w, h and d.

Once you have decided on a width, height and depth for your project you can select & copy the values from either the spinners on the graphical page or from the lists on the starting page.