Golden-eye: train your inner 007
I don’t know how she does it.
No matter where I hide the good snacks—behind the cereal boxes, in the vegetable drawer (a classic decoy), even in a container labeled “Quinoa”—my 11 year old daughter always finds them.
Meanwhile, her teenage brother is blindly rummaging through the cupboards in a state of famished hunger (despite having eaten just 30 minutes ago). She lets him pilfer the cupboards and instead zeroes in on the one protected chocolate bar I’d stashed for myself.
Every.
Single.
Time.
Annoying? Yes.
Impressive? Absolutely.
Because here’s the thing—she’s a miniature 007. A great spy notices what others miss. She picks up on tiny details, spots patterns, and sees things before anyone else does.
And guess what? That’s exactly what great designers do.
You might think design is all about artistic talent, but following nature’s lead gets us a long way towards what we find aesthetically pleasing.
Our brains love balance and proportion and it so happens that there’s a secret mathematical pattern behind what makes things look "right".
It’s called the Fibonacci sequence—a simple yet powerful number pattern:
Each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.
When you map these numbers into squares and draw a curve through them, you get a perfect spiral—one that mirrors patterns found in nature:
🌀 The unfurling of a fern
🌻 The arrangement of seeds in a sunflower
🐚 The shape of a nautilus shell
This spiral of perfection is also embedded in the world’s most iconic designs—from the Parthenon to Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpieces and modern branding.
The ratio by which Fibonacci numbers increase is called the Golden Ratio (approximately 1.618).
Whether you're an artist, a numbers whiz, or just really good at spotting hidden snacks, this is a game-changer.
Top designers know that math makes things beautiful.
That’s why some of the world’s biggest brands use the Golden Ratio in their logos:
Even Aston Martin’s design team has admitted to using this when shaping the DB9 and Rapide-S.
Breathtaking Proportions – The ‘Golden Ratio’ sits at the heart of every Aston Martin.
Click here for the New York Times report.
Interested? Here’s how you can help introduce the Golden Ratio to budding designers in a way that’s fun, creative, and totally practical:
🔍 On your weekend walks – Look for spirals and patterns in flowers, pinecones, and even the way leaves grow.
🖌️ Experiment with proportions – Sketch logos or layouts using simple grids based on the Golden Ratio.
🔢 Love math? – Apply it to design work. Composition in art or photography may become just that little bit easier.
🎨 Love art? – Find the pattern in amongst their favourite painters throughout art history. You may find that your 'good eye' can help boost your geometry and sequences maths understanding.
🎶 Love music? – Find a novel way to compose your own piece of music, like this:
❓ Or just curious? Check out this website dedicated to the Golden Ratio and its far reaching applications:
Once you start seeing the patterns, you’ll never stop. That 'good eye' will only get sharper.
Try out some “Golden-eye” training—learning to see details, patterns, and balance before anyone else. Whether you or your kids are interested in designing graphics, architecture, or even engineering something groundbreaking, this skill will set you (and your kids) apart.
So, next time someone in your house finds the chocolate biscuits you swore were hidden, take it as a sign—they’ve got the instincts of a designer (or a secret agent).
After all, every great designer starts by seeing the world a little differently.
Until next time,
Nici
P.S.
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