PRINCIPALS OF FLORAL DESIGN
The principals of design are similar for all art forms. They are guidelines that reflect what we generally find appealing to the eye. After centuries of design experience, these are guidelines that we can learn from in creating floral arrangements.
Balance Your design needs to look stable, not as if it will tip one way or the other. The most common problem is an appearance of too much weight at the bottom. Although the design should have larger elements centered near the bottom, it should be balanced by an area of lighter material higher. Divide your design visually into four quadrants and evaluate the weight of each quarter of the arrangement.
Proportion
Proportions are relationships... between areas and amounts to each other and the whole. What percentage of the foliage is round versus pointed. Is there enough open space in proportion to solidly filled areas? Consider the amount of plant material in proportion to the container - too much? too little? Sometimes problems that appear to be balance, may actually be in the proportions.
Rhythm
Dominant features should carry your eye through the design. Your placement of lines, color, forms will create a visual path through the design. Rhythm can be created through repetition or by placement of dominant features. It is the movement of your eye through the arrangement. Disruptive elements destroy the rhythm.
Contrast
Colors, darks and lights, large and small, all provide interesting contrasts. The contrasting features are enhanced by being together. Be cautious of creating confusion. Less is more.
Proportion
The dominant line should be at least 1 1/2 times the height of the container. If you are using a flat container, measure the width for this proportion.
Dominance
More of one color or form might define this principal. More round shapes than sharp, more red flowers than yellow. One thing is more noticeable than another A dominant line through an arrangement, with other lines subordinate.
Scale
Proportion relates to the whole. Scale is about the relationships of the parts to each other. A big, dominant bloom would not look right with a bunch of tiny, frothy blooms if there were no transitional flowers to provide scale. Individual flowers should be in scale with each other.
© 2009, AFY All rights reserved
Home | Shopping | Affiliates | About | Ideas | Learning | Feedback | Links | FAQ | Privacy Policy | Contact Info
