Please Don't Crop Me!

It’s a bit annoying!

Substack like many other online systems does not respect the original proportions of a graphic and will crop to the layout design of the page. On the home page of my Substack, images in the grid are restricted to the proportion 1.5:1 and this means that they are cropped to 800x600 pixels (depending on the screen size).

Normally this would NOT be an issue if the pictures that head up a post are people, landscapes or other random things, but for me it detracts from crucial element of proportion and why I choose carefully for my art.

I use some very specific proportions in my work.

Divine Proportion or the Golden Rectangle

In this series the landscape shaped pieces are using the golden ratio. The ratio between the long and the short side is 1.61803. To be precise, this should be (1+√5)/2.

The golden ratio rectangle is one of many dynamic rectangles that can be rationally divided into visually interesting shapes.

Here is how we construct a golden rectangle:

Here is an example from this series:

Root2 A Size

In this series the ‘A’ size is used but in a portrait or landscape format. The long side of the rectangle is formed by taking an arc with radius of the diagonal of the square; where this meets the extended line side of the square.

The ratio of the sides of this rectangle is √2 or 1.4142. This rectangle forms the basis of the ‘A’ size, a European standard paper size with A0 being the largest.

Here is how we construct a √2 rectangle:

Here is an example from this series:

Substack is OK when we view the actual post page but not the home page, so life isn’t all that bad.

It’s Worse Elsewhere!

Some sites that love to host your work will give you a square image whatever you give them and I try to avoid those sites. Instagram gives you the option of using the original proportions when uploading but your home page will give a grid of squares.

Finally.

Web designers - please respect original art work proportions!