Many people think of floristry as simply being an artistic or innate talent. The truth is, stunning floristry is grounded in rules and techniques. Creativity is key. But, as we saw in our last blog post, it’s important to understand composition, colour, flower types, proportion, and texture to create beautiful floral arrangements, as opposed to just a bunch of flowers in a vase.
To begin with, composition is crucial for floristry. Whether you like the look of an arrangement or not, every arrangement has a composition or structure to it. The composition of an arrangement depends on the height, shape and spacing of each element. The elements in the composition influence how the arrangement is viewed, as well as what the viewer thinks or feels when looking at it.
Another vital element to understanding how to create beautiful floristry is colour. When you think of colour, you are likely to immediately associate emotions with it. This is exactly why colour is an important part of floristry design. Different colours are used to create moods and different feelings in an arrangement. While soft colour tones may seem calming and elegant, bold, contrasting colours can be energetic and impactful. An experienced florist doesn’t just grab any bunch of flowers to put in a vase but selects each carefully in order to achieve a desired feeling.
Understanding different flower types, their characteristics and how they react after being cut is an important part of the design. Each flower variety has a unique characteristic that makes it look and feel different from any other. Some flowers will grow in different ways than others; some will bloom much quicker than others; some need more water than others; and some are delicate and have to be handled with care. Being aware of each flower’s unique characteristic makes it much easier to design beautiful arrangements that look their best longer.
An often overlooked but important part of floral design is the concept of proportion. Flowers, greenery, and containers must look proportionate to one another. If one element is too big, it can throw off the whole piece and make the arrangement not look balanced and proportional. An experienced florist will keep this concept in mind as they craft their floral arrangement.
Texture is one of those things in design that can add so much interest. Texture refers to the surface quality of an object. Floral arrangements consist of different components, and some will look rough, some smooth, and some spiky. If an arrangement has the same textures all over, it is bound to get rather dull.
Technique is also important. If a florist doesn’t understand the basics and the techniques of floral design they can’t produce high quality floristry. A florist will want to be sure to cut each stem at the correct angle to ensure that the flower receives enough water to stay alive; it will want to be sure the flowers are placed in the arrangement in a particular order so that they grow and look good. Technique ensures that your floristry is beautiful and will last longer.
Floristry is as much an artistic expression as it is a science. There is creativity that is a part of every floral design. While understanding the elements mentioned above will ensure that a floral arrangement looks good, it’s the creativity that allows the florist to express themselves and their own style. Some of the most beautiful floral arrangements are those that incorporate both creative ideas and a knowledge of the art and science of floristry.
At PetalCraft Course, we understand that the creative aspect is important but we also teach and focus on the fundamentals that every student should know. In our courses, we teach you how to create different types of floral arrangements, why you want to create them in such a way, and how to develop your own style.
There’s nothing wrong with putting a bunch of flowers in a vase. However, beautiful floral design is more than that. It is a thoughtful process that takes knowledge, skill and creativity to create something really wonderful.