We had another wonderful class last week! We started discussing the elements of floral design. There are five key components to every floral design:
1) Line: This is the framework of your design. It creates the primary foundation and provides a visual path for the eye to follow.
2) Form: This is the external appearance of your design creating its composition. A well-designed arrangement is three dimensional with length, width, and depth. In general, designs can be round, oval, rectangular or triangular in shape. An exception to this rule is another form of design which uses an S-shaped, curved line known as the Hogarth line, named after William Hogarth, an 18th century English painter, satirist, and writer.
3) Space: This is the three dimensional area in and around your design. There are three types of space:
- Positive – This is the area within your floral composition occupied by material. The flowers in your design occupy a definite amount of positive space.
- Negative – This is the empty area in between your flowers.
- Voids – These are connecting spaces within your design such as stems.
The focal area is the visual point in your design that your eye is drawn to. It’s the highlight and focus of your design.
4) Texture: This is the visible surface structure of the materials you’re using in the composition of your design. Each material has a unique characteristic. Some examples are: leaves, blossoms, dried materials, and other accessories used in your design to provide visual interest. Texture can be fine or course, smooth or rough, bright or dull. You can create tension in your design by using contrasting elements.
5) Color: Color plays a pivotal role in each arrangement. It can create a dramatic effect on the viewer. When colors are combined properly, the results can be breathtaking! Color gives your design personality and makes a statement. There are two different types of color schemes:
- Primary Colors – These colors are bright, cheerful, and energetic, for example, reds and yellows.
- Receding Colors – These colors are relaxing, soothing, and calming, for example, purples and blues.
When we create a design, we want to place the darker-colored flowers on the inside of our arrangement because our eye is naturally drawn to them.
Here is my second creation using a mix of light and dark-colored flowers. Our assignment was to create a triangular-shaped design. How did I do?
More floral goodness soon. Until next time, here’s a kiss and a smile! 🙂
