Flower
Arrangement
The Principles of Floral Design:
1. Emphasis
2. Balance
3. Proportion
4. Rhythm
5. Harmony
6. Unity
Emphasis
Emphasis is achieved in a floral design by
creating an accented area or a focal point. The
focal point is the area of an arrangement that
will draw the most attention and will direct the
eye of a viewer to a specific location within
the design.
The purpose of the focal flowers is to draw visually all
elements of the design to a single location, the center
of interest. An accent will exist whenever contrast is
present in a design. This contrast may be in the form
of flower sizes, colors, textures, or shapes. The most
striking contrast in a design is created by use of
brightly colored flowers at the center of interest, with
less vibrant tones or tints used as the flowers
approach the perimeter of the design.
The flowers, however, should never be crowded
to form a tightened mass of blossoms.
Generally, it will not be necessary to allow
individual blooms to touch each other; rather,
they should appear loose and natural, with
some foliage protruding between the petals.
Emphasis can mostly easily be achieved in a
design when the smallest, least-open flowers
are placed at the perimeter of the arrangement
and the large, fully developed flowers are
located at the focal point.
Flowers with unique shapes also attract attention;
using varying degrees of flower and foliage
textures within an arrangement may create
another striking contrast.
Coarser textures will appear to have more visual
weight so they will be best used at the focal
point.
An accessory such as ribbons or bow is often
used by retail florists to create emphasis in
bouquets and corsages. The contrast in texture
or color will place the emphasis at the lip of
the container.
Balance
A well-designed arrangement will appear to be
stable and self-supporting. An arrangement
should possess both mechanical and visual
balance.
Mechanical balance is achieved when the container is
the proper size and weight for the size of flowers
being used with it. The design should have the
flowers distributed properly so that the containers
will support them. This is accomplished by the
convergence of lines at the focal point. The flower
and foliage stems should appear to arise from a single
central location in the container.
An arrangement may be composed of symmetrical or
asymmetrical balance.
A symmetrical design will appear to be the same
on each side of a vertical centerline. A formal
balance is created when the focal point is
centered in the container.
Many floral design styles are arranged with
asymmetrical balance. This gives the
appearance of a more natural design and
allows the arranger more originality in his or
her work. The size relationship of flower
stems, distance from the focal point, and color
density must be considered in this type of
balance.
Flowers are arranged from the back of the container
toward the front and sides. Depth and visual balance
are created in the design when the rear flower stems
tip backward slightly, and the focal flower is placed
well in front of the lip of the container. Flower
heights are gradually lowered, as each flower is
placed closer to the front of the arrangement. Balance
is maintained by grading flowers by color, texture,
size and spacing. This gives the arrangement a feeling
of depth and support.
Proportion
A floral arrangement appears best when all the
component flowers are related in size, color,
texture, and shape.
The scale of a design is dictated by the size of
arrangement and its relationship to its
surroundings. Proportion in an arrangement is
accomplished by scaling flowers toward the
focal point. This means that the smallest buds
are placed farthest from the visual center of the
design. The flowers are then graduated in size
by the placement of increasingly larger flowers
in the arrangement until the center of interest is
reached.
The use of negative spaces or voids within the
arrangement is equally as important as sizes of
flowers in creating a pleasing proportion. Flowers are
placed at the same heights within the design will fight
for equal attention. Spaces without flowers are
purposely left to allow each bloom to be viewed
singly. A visual line is left uncompleted with the void
balanced by flowers to create the curved line of the
design. The absence of flowers in these areas adds
interests and proportion within the design.
Good proportion in an arrangement is created by
establishing a pleasing scale relationship of the
flowers to the container. A generally accepted rule of
floral design states that for a tall container, plant
material should be at least one and one-half to two
times the height of the vase. For low, flat containers,
the height of an arrangement is at least one and onehalf to two times the width. This rule is not ironclad
and may be altered provided that good proportion in
the design is maintained.
An arrangement that would exceed these height
limitations would be one where very visually
lightweight foliage and flowers are used.
Balance and proportion are easily maintained
in a tall, delicate-appealing design. A
horizontal style design will have its primary
axis running along its width. The height of this
type of design would be drastically reduced
from the designated rules.
Rhythm
Rhythm is the apparent flow of lines, textures, or
colors that expresses a feeling of motion rather
than confusion in an arrangement.
Motion is created most easily in a design having
a curved line. Here, the viewer is attracted
gently from the top of the arrangement along
the curving elements of line or texture or color
through to its focal point, the center of interest.
Rhythm may be achieved in several ways –
through opposition, repetition, or transition.
When flowers having the same color, texture, or
form are placed at opposing points away from
the focal point, the center of interest is
emphasized. These opposing flowers create a
balance in the design that naturally leads the
eye from one point, through the focal area, and
on to the other side of the design. This eye
movement is the result of the visual motion
within the design.
The repetition of the same flower types throughout an
arrangement ties all the parts into a single unit. The
viewer will see the entire design through a repeated
use of the same colors, textures, or flower shapes.
When flowers are placed with their stems originating
at the focal point, they will appear to radiate from the
center of the design. This radiation from a single
point will create an emphasis at the center of interest
and will provide a visual movement as well.
A transition in color and texture or the gradation of
scaled flower sizes can also be used to create motion
in a design. The darkest or brightest color may be
placed at the focal point. From the center to the outer
edges of the arrangement, the intensity or tone of the
color is graded to be more subdued. A similar use of
texture-quality transition will be effective in creating
motion within the design that leads the eye to the
center of interest in the arrangement.
Harmony
When an arrangement possesses harmony, all the
design parts will fit together into a pleasing
composition of flower shapes, colors, textures,
and sizes. This could be interpreted to mean
that the idea or theme of the design has been
successfully created. In order for harmony to
be achieved all the component parts of the
design must be in an appealing relationship.
Unity
Unity is created when all the design parts blend together
without a noticeable separation. Although each flower
or area of the arrangement may be distinctive, all
elements must visually blend together. Unity is best
achieved by repeating related flower types, colors,
and textures throughout the design. This helps to pull
the components together with the focal point as the
center of interest. When one color or type of flower is
used only at the perimeter of the arrangement and
another at the center, the viewer of the design will
feel a lack of unity.
Elements of Floral Design:
1. Line
2. Form
3. Texture
4. Pattern
5. Color
6. Space
Line
Line in a flower arrangement is the visual path the eye
travel as it passes through the arrangement. The line
establishes the skeleton of the design particularly
when linear flowers or foliages are used. This element
produces the underlying framework of the
arrangement that holds the composition together.
A vertical line gives the arrangement an appearance of
strength. A curved line adds gentleness or
gracefulness and gives the impression of motion. A
horizontal line is more relaxing or informal, so is
used most often for table arrangements.
Form
The flowers, foliages and containers used in
flower arrangements have various shapes or
forms. Flower and foliage shapes add a visual
quality that is important in developing
harmony, creating rhythm and establishing a
focal point. Form is also expressed by the
geometric shape that creates the outline of the
design.
Texture
Texture refers to such surface qualities of flowers
and foliage as smoothness glossiness, and
roughness. This quality of texture may be
expressed either as a physical or a visual
characteristic of the plant material.
Pattern
Pattern applies to the contour of a composition
and the grouping of materials within it.
Pattern is monotonous if placements are uniform
and forms unvaried, but it will be confused if
assorted flowers are randomly spotted causing
the eye to jump about. Pattern relates to
continuity, since the distribution of lines and
forms can proceed either logically or in a
disjointed way that disrupts unity. The pattern
of a design and that of the individual materials
influence each other.
Patterns are different kinds – intricate, bold,
open, dense, regular, and irregular.
The pattern of the materials often identifies the
style, as traditional, modern, oriental, or
naturalistic.
Color
Probably the most important factor in the
compatibility of materials is their color,
because color commands the most attention,
causes the strongest reaction, and often
accounts for success or failure.
Space
It is difficult to think of space as a positive
element of design. Usually we regard it as
emptiness without limits or definition. In a
design, if we mark off space or enclose it, or if
we cut out sections in a solid and leave them
open, then space assumes shape.
Factors in the Selection of
Containers:
In flower arrangement, a container has
connotation beyond the dictionary definition of
“a thing that contains”; it encompasses more
than a vases and bowls, box, can, jar or crate.
In floral work, a container transcends its
practical purpose and becomes an artistic
component of design, an integral part of it.
Thus two factors – size and decorative qualities –
determine the suitability of a container to a design.
As the first requirement is to hold materials, it must
have an opening adequate for a number of stems and
a quantity of flowers and foliage as well as enough
water to sustain them.
Arrangement and container must be in proportion, the
container neither so large that it overpowers the
arrangement nor so small that the design dwarfs the
vase. A container must be sturdy enough to balance
the weight and breadth of a quantity of material.
Decoratively a container may be of little interest or it
may make a positive contribution through color,
form, or texture.
Except in modern design where it may be featured, a
container is usually of less importance than plant
material. In any case, a container should share the
characteristics of a design, be equally formal or
casual, and be related in color but not so intense or
varied in hue, highly glazed or patterned that it
competes.
Compatibility also depends on similarity of style and
shape, container and design correspondingly
traditional, modern, naturalistic, or oriental.
The color, texture, and style of a container should be in
keeping with the setting or mood of an occasion, and
have the same degree of elegance or informality, the
same air of gaiety or restraint.
In collecting containers, be guided also by the
dimensions and shape of the area and furniture
that will be use for their display and for the
type of arrangements to make.