This is the linear foundation of a floral arrangement. A line can be produced by the stem of a flower, or by similar flowers placed in a line. It is the framework of line which brings the composition together. Lines can evoke and emotional response. A vertical line gives the appearance of strength, a horizontal line relaxation or tranquility. A curved line adds gentleness and motion, and a diagonal one indicates movement and anxiety. It is line which leads the eye from one point to another. The drawing at the right shows an arrangement using the element of Line.
This is the three-dimensional form of the arrangement. (e.g. Pyramid, Sphere, Cone, Cube, Cylinder, or portions of these geometrical shapes). This is loosely represented at times in two-dimensional terms, in which we view these shapes as being horizontal, vertical, triangular, or radial designs.
Space in design can be either positive or negative. Positive space is that which is occupied by the plant material and the container. Negative space is represented by the voids in the arrangement. The negative space, as well as the positive space is important to the design.
As an example, a Flemish triangular design may be filled with flowers having almost no space between them. Here, the space is almost entirely positive. However, a pure triangular Oriental arrangement may contain few flowers, and there inevitibly are substantial voids between the flowers, representing points of the triangle. These are voids or negative spaces, and are important in Fefining the boundaries of the triangle, even if they contain no floral material. [top of page]
This refers to the surface characteristics of the flowers, foliage, plant material, accessory material or container. Surface textures may be rough or smooth, dull or shiny, hard or sofr. Furthermore, the flower shape itself may be fine, with few unbroken surfaces, as in the Anthurium and Football Mum, or with sharply angled petals and sepals, as i the Iris or Cattleya Orchid. These are, of course, the extremes in texture, but there are intermediate gradations as well.
It is oten advantageous to maintain some relationship between flower texture of the foliage and also the container. Generally, finely and roughly textured elements should not be very evenly balanced, but one or the other should dominate, and should set the mood of the arrangement.
Glossy or shiny textures attract attention rapidly, but rough or dull textures retain attention for a longer period of time. [top of page]
Color is, without a doubt, the most important element in floral design, affecting the mood and feeling with which an arrangement is viewed. The color wheel, shown below, shows an orderly arrangement of the basic colors, primary, secondary, and tertiary -- and is helpful in selecting and mixing. The use of color in rendering, as well as the specifying of colors, must start with a familiarity of the color wheel if pleasing combinations are to be achieved.
The following definitions are concerned with Color:
Hue: Synonym for color. the colors on the color wheel (below) at their fullest brilliance are the basic hues of color in floral design.
Primary Color:
Red, Yellow, and Blue
[top of page]Secondary Color:
Mixture of any two primary colors in equal proportions. The secondary colors are Green, Violet and Orange.
Tertiary Color
Mixture of a Primary Color with and adjacent Secondary Color in equal proportions. Tertiary Colors are Red-Orange, Yellow Orange, Yellow Green, Blue Green, Blue Violet, and Red Violet.
Value
A Value will depend on the amount of black or white that is added.
Tint
A Tint is a Hue which has been lightened by the addition of white.
[top of page] Shade
A hue which has been darkened by the addition of Black.
Tone
A Hue that has its brilliance reduced by the addition of Gray.
Intensity
Degree of modification of a hue by addition of white, gray, or black. A pure hue is said to be at it's fullest chroma.Color Harmonies Monochromatic
Use of all flowers in an arrangement having tints, shades and tones of a single hue.
[top of page]Analogous
Use of two or three hues found next to each other on the color wheel.
[top of page]Complementary
Use of two colors found directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
[top of page]Split Complementary
Use of a color and the two colors directly adjacent to its complementary color.
[top of page]Triad
Use of colors that lie equal distances from each other on the color wheel. (red, yellow, and blue; red-orange, yellow-green and blue-violet).
[top of page]Tetrad
A Tetrad consists of four hues equally spaced on the color wheel.
[top of page]
Color TemperatureColors seem to have the quality of being Warm or Cool, psychologically.
Red and Yellow seem to give a warm feeling, possibly because they are the colors of fire and sunlight. Warm colors have high visibility, and appear to Advance toward the viewer.
Blue and Green seem cool because they are the colors of Ice, Foliage, Water, and Sky.
Cool colors tend to Recede from the viewer.The color wheel may be divided in half with the warm colors on one side and the cool colors on the other side. Green and Red may be either warm or cool, depending upon whether there is more Yellow (warm) or more Blue (cool) in the Red or Green Shades.
You should use Yellow, Orange, or Red in an arrangement to give a feeling of cheerfulness, brightness, and warmth. Blue and Blue-Greens are refreshing and cool. Violets and purples give a feeling of relaxation and spirituality. Dark shades tend to be depressing.
You should be aware that colors appear different under the illumination of different light sources. Colors which look brilliant under incandescant light, may look drab or dull under fluorescent light.
Color and the Principal of Balance
Color may affect the visual balance of a floral arrangement. Dark flowers, such as dark red, maroon, purple, and dark blue are usually appear heavier visually than the lighter warmer colors of yellow, pink, orange or yellow-greens, even though they may occupy the same space physically. This should be taken into account when considering the Principal of Balance in your design.
[Top of Page]
[Back to Commercial Floral Design] [Principles of Design] [Home]
