Floral Arrangement Workshop

As I’ve been doing some work with flowers, when the opportunity to participate in a flower arrangement workshop came up, I grabbed it.

The workshop was quite practical in nature, focusing on the actual “construction” process of a bouquet: start from the bottom and build up. Searching around I found a paper that offered some theoretical context: Principles of Design: A Course in Design Production by By James L. Johnson

In summary, many of the elements and principles will be familiar to photographers and probably other visual artists.

Elements of Design:

1. Line: Line is the visual path the eye follows through a composition to produce motion
2. Form: Form is defined as the shape or contour of the individual components in a composition.
3. Space: Space is the element of design that we think of as referring to the open areas around the individual components in a composition
   • Positive / Negative Space: Positive space is the area occupied by materials and negative space is the part of the composition NOT occupied by materials. Negative space is open space.
4. Texture / Pattern: Texture is the surface quality of any material as perceived by sight or touch: (smooth, glossy, rough, fuzzy, velvety, etc.)
5. Colour: Color is the visual response of the eye to various reflected wavelengths and pigments
6. Size: Size is the measurement of the amount of space something occupies such as a design or a component of a design
7. Fragrance: Fragrance in floral design is identified as a sweet or pleasing odor, perceived by the sense of smell.

Principles of Design:

1. Proportion: Proportion compares the relationship of the units of a composition to each other in size, quantity and degree of emphasis within the composition It is the relationship of one part to another or of one part to the whole design.
   • proportion will be pleasing if materials are approximately 1-1/2 times the height of a tall container or 1-1/2 times the width of a low container.
2. Scale: Scale is the relative ratio of the size of a composition to its surroundings
3. Balance: Balance is a state of equilibrium and is achieved when the components of a design are so composed that they give a feeling of stability and security. It is achieved in two ways:
   • Symmetrical – formal, with perfect mirror-image symmetry, manmade, equilateral.
   • Asymmetrical – informal, without perfect symmetry, natural.
   • Physical (or mechanical) Balance is gained by the proper placement of main stems forming the design or pattern.
   • Visual Balance is achieved by the proper use of color and placement in sequence of related sizes of materials in conjunction with structural balance.
4. Dominance: Dominance is the visual organization of a design that emphasizes one or more aspects of the composition.
   • Focal Point: Area(s) of greatest visual impact or weight; center(s) of interest which naturally attract the eye.
   • Accent: Accent is any detail added to a design to enhance interest and emphasize other stronger elements.
   • Emphasis: An area in a composition that is given extra importance to make it stand out.
5. Rhythm: Visual movement throughout a design, usually achieved by means of repetition or gradation.
   • Repetition: The repeating of like elements within a composition; i.e., line, form, space, color, texture, pattern and size.
   • Depth: Placement of materials at different levels in and around an arrangement
   • Transition: This is the easy visual movement that comes from gradual degrees of change in line, form, color, space, pattern and size; i.e. small to large; light to dark; closed to open, smooth to rough.
6. Harmony: The aesthetic quality created through the pleasing interaction of a combination of components in a composition i.e. compatibility.
7. Unity: A oneness of purpose, thought, style and spirit
8. Contrast: The difference between objects when they are placed next to each other
   • Variation: Basic similarity but with minor differences
   • Opposition: This is total contrast that brings about contradiction in a design
   • Tension: A dynamic aesthetic quality expressing action or the force of energy within or upon a design component by the skillful use of opposition or contrast.