The law of proportions is used in design and floristry to create harmonious bouquets and compositions. These works are built on the principles of the golden ratio and Fibonacci numbers, which balance the various elements in the whole work.

In floristry, the ratios most often used are 2:3, 3:5:8. This means that, for example, when placing flowers in a vase, there should be three parts to the height of the vase, five parts to the height of the flowers above the vase, and the height of the entire composition will be eight parts. The parts in a bouquet held in hands should correspond approximately in the same way.

When creating a composition in a flat vase, the same ratios of individual parts are used, but instead of height, the diameter of the vase is usually taken.

It is imperative to take it into account at the 1st stage, when constructing all work, and then - this rule will “work” automatically. Experienced craftsmen can find the correct proportions of parts by eye. It is useful for beginners to practice using vases and other containers of various heights and shapes.

Proportions in works:

1) In height.

We measure the height of the vase, determine how many parts it will be (1, 2, 3), calculate the height (3 parts, 5 parts or 8) of the future composition through proportions, mark the height with the material at hand. When creating a bouquet, the proportions are usually built relative to the place of the bunch, 5 parts go up, 3 parts go down. For flowing compositions on stands, its height and the height of the vase are taken into account.

2) By length.

The length of the vase, or diameter, is measured, and the width of the future work is proportionally calculated.

In height and length.

The work has a horizontal direction, although the height of the vase is taken as the basis for calculations. This ratio is often called law of leverage , those. the longer the segment, the more visually massive the center of gravity should be. The main thing is to maintain optical balance so that the work does not “tilt over”. In the illustration - the height of the vase is 1 part, the length of the work is 5 parts.

4) In the distribution of material in work (mass of material). Most often observed in the production of the so-called asymmetrical group, where the main composition consists of 8 parts, the adjacent 3 parts, and the distant one - 5 parts. We observe in bouquets, grouping flowers and leaves, in collages, in compositions, in wreaths...

The mathematician Leonardo of Pisa (or Fibonacci) .

1: 1: 2: 3: 5: 8: 13: 21:34 ...

A sequence in which each subsequent number is equal to the sum of the two previous numbers.

Basics of composition in floristry. Symmetry - Asymmetry

There are two main ways to create floral works - symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangement of the material.

Symmetry

If the main motif of a composition is placed in its geometric middle, and two sides of the same length are formed on the right and left, we are dealing with a symmetrical composition.

If the main motif is not located in the center, and different side lengths are obtained along its edges, then we get an asymmetrical composition.

Let us first consider the symmetrical construction and some rules for its implementation.

The principle of forming a symmetrical composition

The axis of the composition - the implied auxiliary line - should pass through its geometric middle. It is also the axis of symmetry.

The optical center of gravity must be on the axis, and therefore the main motive of the composition must necessarily be on this auxiliary line. It will visually divide the composition itself into two halves.

Symmetry happens:

* mirror (the material is arranged mirror-like relative to the axis), Fig. 1

* visual (optical - we achieve using similar color solutions, while using different materials), Fig. 4

* vertical, figure 1

* horizontal, figure 4

* radial or radial (more often observed in round works, such as wreaths), Fig. 2 and 3

*group symmetry, when staging several works (the works are located at the same distance, may have a similar arrangement of material)

Everything that is on one side should be repeated on the other side, have the same color and appearance, extend an equal distance from the axis of the group and be at an equal height and depth. This harmony must be optically effective. The appearance on the right should match the appearance on the left, although in fact the number of flowers in the floral arrangement is different sides may vary. For example, our face, as it seems to us, has exactly the same halves, but if we look closely, we will discover certain differences. Impact and Application of Symmetrical Formation

Symmetrical construction is also called strict or architectural. This harmony must be optically effective. The appearance on the right must match appearance on the left, although the actual number of flowers in the floral arrangement on different sides may be different. For example, our face, as it seems to us, has exactly the same halves, but if we look closely, we will discover certain differences.

Impact and Application of Symmetrical Formation

Symmetrical construction is also called strict or architectural.

A symmetrical composition is easily understood, acts clearly and strictly, as geometric figure. Thus, it represents something clear and measurable, statically calm and architectural. Synonyms for it are: isolation, concentration, calm, dignity, severity, triumph.

Therefore, the principle of symmetry is suitable for a solemn or official occasion, church holiday decoration, stage decoration for holidays.

Florists use the following symmetrical means of compositions: shaped trees, garlands, flower columns or flower pyramids, decorative arrangements and even flower walls.

If the florist wants to soften the severity of the symmetrical design, he can use looser individual motifs, lighter and more delicate colors, and gracefully hanging forms.

Compositions performed in decorative style, have geometrically clear outlines and meet the requirements of clarity and simplicity, even if they are made in a decorative style and have a drop-, dome- and cone-shaped shape.

Form-linear-exposures are extremely rarely symmetrical. but in these rare cases they act in an unusual and attractive way.

Since symmetry has its true effect only in the central perspective, compositions should be set accordingly.

Symmetry within a group - In the center is the main element, auxiliary ones are at an equal distance from the main one. There can be 2 axes of symmetry.

Asymmetry

In contrast to the strict order of symmetry, asymmetry is called a free order. Although freedom and ease are actually imaginary. The florist must know the rule of balance and be able to apply it, and therefore creating asymmetrical compositions turns out to be more difficult than symmetrical ones.

Principles for creating an asymmetrical composition

The first and most important principle is that the main motif cannot be placed in the geometric middle of the composition, otherwise a symmetrical group will result. In most cases, the main motif is placed in the right or left third of the main area. M Between the geometric mean and the main motif, or on the basic motif itself, lies the axis of the entire group with its center of gravity. It can only be installed sensually, and not geometrically, as with a symmetrical structure.

All parts that complement the main motif are different in appearance, height and depth. Next to the main part there is a secondary part, and on the other side of the group there is a third part, depicting optical weight balance. The law of leverage applies, and therefore the smaller and, accordingly, easier the motive opposite to the main one is depicted, the further it must be placed in order to maintain the balance of the entire group as a whole. The balance can be adjusted in the following ways:

* Changing the optical weight of the main or secondary parts

* By removing or bringing a part closer to the group axis

* Other connecting parts of the exhibition can be added to the three main elements. The main figure of asymmetry is an unequal triangle that combines three motifs. In all asymmetrical structures - from small stands to large floral decorations - it plays a big role.

Impact of asymmetrical structure

The principle of asymmetry, as mentioned above, is also called free order, since the florist can group the display without a strict pattern. Its parts look together as if they were put together at ease. Creating an asymmetrical exposure is quite difficult, since not everything in it is subject to strict geometric rules. The observer may often find her beautiful without understanding what exactly causes such feelings. This makes the asymmetrical group attractive, and the imagination has unlimited possibilities here.

The impact of asymmetrical compositions is fragile, free, casual, random. Since each part is unique, the differences become more visible and effective than in symmetry. One feels movement, action and reaction, consonance. Therefore, asymmetry has something in common with the essence of all living material in the exhibition. Thus, the vibrancy and development, freedom and diversity of flowers and plants are expressed better in asymmetrical groupings than in symmetrical ones. This impact can be enhanced by rich color combinations with soft tones, or the use of graphic forms. Asymmetry can be softened with the help of a clear one- or two-color, or with symmetrically designed individual parts.

Application of asymmetrical structure

It is used for all vegetative, form-linear styles. Asymmetrical groupings allow the eye to move freely throughout all parts of the display, while a symmetrical grouping draws the eye to the middle.

In large decorations and thematic exhibitions, asymmetry is used if there is a cheerful, cheerful or romantic reason. And in a funeral composition it can only be used if they want to emphasize the personality of the deceased.

Basics of composition in floristry.

The most important component of a florist’s skill is the composition.

Composition - an organizing element artistic form, giving any work unity and integrity, subordinating its components to each other and the whole.

In floristry, the method of placing plants and materials is based on knowledge of the laws of constructing an artistic and decorative composition and the characteristics of each type of plant.

There are several basic laws (*) that must be taken into account when constructing works from flowers. There are a number of other principles that are quite important for a professional florist, but a beginner may miss them.

symmetry - asymmetry

law of proportions, or golden ratio

theory of color contrast and harmony

form of work

Additional: Ranking; Accent; Voltage; rows, etc.

Some people think that floristry is a simple activity that anyone can learn. Others believe that natural or artificial floristry is an overwhelming task for ordinary person who does not have the proper knowledge, skills, artistic taste and creative thinking. In fact, both the first and second statements are true.

Floristry is the decorative and applied art of assembling various flower arrangements, which has its own technical and creative side. This means that anyone can truly learn, especially if they have the desire. Therefore, if the birthday of your beloved friend, mother is approaching, or if roses have simply bloomed in the garden, do not put off your first lesson and try to collect a bouquet yourself. Simple and clear recommendations from an experienced florist will help with this.

Information: The main task of floristry is to provide floral decoration interior design, attire, cars for a holiday, drawing up everyday compositions for work, commercial and residential premises, as well as assembling bouquets various types and purposes. In addition, the florist can create accessories from flowers - frames, arches, garlands, baskets, handbags and even necklaces with bracelets.

Preparatory stage

Assembling bouquets begins with preparing raw materials and tools. Raw materials are primarily the flowers themselves, as well as auxiliary elements:

• small buds and flowers;
• green twigs, grass, ferns;
• decorative accessories - butterflies, bears, hearts, etc.

The tools you need are scissors or pruning shears, a knife, a stapler and stationery will speed up and make the work easier. sticky tape(florists use a special professional one). You will need decorative mesh, film or paper to package the finished bouquet, perhaps some additional tools or decorative details.

Important: in order for the bouquet to look harmonious, you should remember one simple rule: the part of it that will be in a bunch or in a vase is approximately one third of the total height of the composition. There are other proportions - five parts of the height of the flowers remain outside, three parts are immersed in the vase. This rule works for classic vertical bouquets.

Assembly options

Florists have several ways to assemble bouquets. You can’t just gather flowers and greenery in an armful, tie it with twine and wrap it in oilcloth - it will be ugly and sloppy. Although in some cases professionals use exactly this technique to obtain an original and unusual composition. But for beginners, it’s better to familiarize yourself with the classic techniques of assembling bouquets, and then move on to creative experiments. There are these main types:

1. Parallel.
2. Spiral.
3. Asymmetric.

Date of publication: 01/18/2017

Floristry today is not just a hobby, but also knowledge that makes our world more beautiful every day. There are many areas where these skills are widely used. Aesthetics are needed in decoration holiday bouquet(for a wedding, anniversary, birthday or no reason), creating accessories from living plants (New Year's wreath, ikebana, flower arrangement in a basket, etc.), “living” jewelry (hair clips or hoops, earrings with fresh flowers) and etc.

A novice florist needs to know the basic rules of floral arrangement and decoration, thanks to which he can become very successful in this field. So, we recommend that you start mastering new knowledge.

Chroma

When creating any floral masterpiece, adhere to the rules of color harmony. The shade of a flower bud is, first of all, symbolism, so rich bright or pale pink carries absolutely different meanings. So, before making a flower arrangement, find out who it is for or what event it is intended for. Then choose the appropriate shades. A red rose symbolizes passion, a soft pink lily will help express a romantic mood, etc. Experts in the world of floristry still recommend using no more than 3 flowers in one bouquet/accessory.

Quantity

In floristry, it is important to maintain harmony in everything, even in the number of buds or other plants. If you are working with exotic flowers, then use them very selectively. Let Lisianthus, Dendrobium Orchid or Ranunculus be the centerpiece of your arrangement. They can be supplemented with less expensive plants to create a background. For example, in winter period You can use pine needles as a base. In spring or summer - Aralia leaf, Salal leaf, Aspidistra leaf, etc. To do this, you need to acquire an encyclopedia of flowers and study as much as possible more plants, learn to recognize them instantly.

Be sure to complement visual memorization with semantic ones. When a professional florist sees a specific flower, he knows not only its name, but also its symbolism. If you reach this level, then you will become a specialist.

In our country, it is customary to give an even number of flowers only on the occasion of a sad event - the death of a person. In all other cases, an odd number of buds is appropriate. However, in some countries it is quite normal to give a couple of roses to a living person. A highly professional florist should be interested in and national characteristics floristry in different countries. Only by expanding knowledge can one become the best specialist in this area.

Form

There are basic floristic laws: for round bouquet- flowers round shape, for plants with sharp petals, asymmetrical design using floral paper, etc. is suitable. However, in matters of form, individual vision is also important here, as well as your own refined taste. You can, of course, find out the client’s preferences in order to build on his vision. The form, like other features of creating a floral composition, must be felt. Over time, you will learn to do this intuitively, but first we recommend sticking to harmony in the form of abundance.

Flower care

Living plants are an expensive material and also perish quickly, so you need to know the basic rules for handling them:

Tools

The main tools of a florist are his hands, sense of style and knowledge. If you have all this, supplement your own floral “set” with the following universal devices:

• stationery knife;
• pruner;
• stapler;
• wire cutters;
• awl;
• scotch;
• glue gun;
• material for decoration: mesh, decorative spray, foil, beads, rhinestones, ribbons, wire, etc. (depending on the type of activity).

To form compositions, you may need a pomander, porta bouquet, piaflor, kenzan, boulka. You can purchase these products for attaching buds in a specialized store.

Novice florists often ask me the question “I want to get into floristry, tell me where I should start?” I will answer, as always, start with the basics, with theory. Yes, there is a theory in floristry, as in everything. Although, if you have a good sense of taste and style, then intuitively, you will bypass the theoretical part, because floristry is 75% a matter of taste and sense of style and beauty, and the remaining 25% is technique and experience.

1. Basics of composition. This concept also includes the composition plan, its proportions, balance, and harmony. The basic principles of composition are the golden ratio, the rule of thirds, and the Fibonacci number. The law of proportion or the law of the golden ratio - expresses the ratio of quantities 3: 5: 8, this means that the height of the flowers in the composition accounts for 3 parts, the height of the vase accounts for 5 parts, and overall height The composition consists of 8 parts. The golden ratio creates the natural and harmonious visual experience that everyone is looking for. In addition to the golden ratio, it is important to use the rule of thirds. Those. if divided rectangular shape horizontally and vertically into three parts, we get the intersection of the axes, and it is at these intersections that the accents are set. Photographers especially like to use this rule. Next, the Fibonacci number, or the rule of sequence. This means that the next number is equal to the sum of the two previous numbers. In other words, flowers need to be grouped in compositions 1:2:3:5, etc. I believe that these basic knowledge the composition is enough to start practicing floristry.
2. Basics of color. Coloristics is the science of color, its harmony, the science of mixing and combining colors. The most ordinary carnation or chrysanthemum can be drawn out in color in a composition. At first, when the budgets for floristry were not large, I drew out the visual perception of the composition precisely by color, the play of color and texture. Color can either enhance a composition or ruin it. I use the rule of combining cool shades with cold ones, and warm shades with warm ones. This is how harmony is maintained. This applies to flowers, because I combine greens by mixing cold and warm shades.
3. Names of flowers. Learn the names little by little to get your bearings. Each type of activity has its own names and categories, and so does floristry. You will not be able to work adequately with the color supplier, or with colleagues, and in the end you will not be able to competently communicate with the client. I have already compiled a catalog of names of popular wedding flowers. Read here and
4. Environment. Last on my list, but not least. Surround yourself with as much information as possible that inspires you, develops your taste, style and your perception. Subscribe to people whose work delights you and you would look up to them, strive to do like them, and in the future even better. Create a board on Pinterest and collect ideas and inspiration. I'm a visual person and this works best for me. Find the best florists in the city you live in and try to connect with them. Don't be shy. Believe in yourself. Go to master classes. Meet and team up with like-minded people. Be creative, create projects. Be bold and don't let anything faze you.

I hope my short tips were useful to you. Let me know if so! And share this information with those who need it now! All the best! I went to create.

Floral arrangements, bouquets, collages, panels and entire paintings of plants are all floral works. Masters use all kinds of plant components, including leaves, flowers, berries, herbs, nuts, and fruits. The material is used live or dried. A passion for floristry is fertile ground for the realization of any ideas. If you decide to master this skill, we suggest you familiarize yourself with useful tips for beginner florists.

How to master floristry

Ability to create plant compositions and beautiful bouquets requires knowledge and certain skills. To do this, you need to master working with tools and materials. Learn the principles, styles, subtleties of creating bouquets, and of course train and improve your skills.

According to the types of compositions, they are divided into four groups: monochromatic, contrasting, a combination of different spectrums, and a shade range of the same color. The style differs into linear (simple design, not burdened additional elements), massive (maximum diversity, lack free space). There is also a combination of linear-massive and mixed (unlimited flight of fancy, asymmetry, chaos).

Florist tools

If you consider working with herbs and flowers, then you need to have garden shears, sharp knife, pruning shears Scissors are acceptable for most flowers. Secateurs are needed to trim fibrous and dense stems. Using a knife, remove excess leaves and thorns, and cut off the fastening material.

Professionals always use floral foam and sponge to hold fresh flowers in compositions, polyurethane foam for dried flowers, glue gun, pins for fastening. Colored wire and tape help hold thin stems. For decoration: rhinestones, stones, sparkles, various artificial elements.

Principles of floristry

When starting to work, adhere to the basic rules, which apply equally to all areas of floristry, including compositions and bouquets.

Preliminary determination of the size of future work.

Proportions. All parts are proportionate and harmonious.

Focus. There should be a “point” that attracts the eye. The location of the focal point does not matter, it depends on the intended purpose, so it is not necessary to highlight the middle.

Harmony – main principle, do not confuse with monotony. Achieving harmony occurs through the alternation of different textures and materials. There must be dynamics and rhythm, this is the only way to avoid monotony.

Balance. Proper distribution of large and small details (bud, large inflorescence). Correct location additional touches (grass, decorative elements).

- The color scheme is the main “tool” for implementing the plan. It is important to carefully consider combinations of dark-cold shades.

Start working by creating small bouquets.

Do not use more than three varieties of flowers in one composition.

Avoid doing work using only buds.

Build your composition based on color saturation. Delicate shades are on top, rich and heavy at the bottom.

Study the meaning of colors and use them wisely in certain compositions.

Don't be afraid to experiment, express your feelings, fantasize, and show your individuality.

How to make a bouquet correctly

To prolong the freshness of the bouquet, you need to properly prepare the flowers: always cut the stem at an acute angle, directly in the water - this technique will increase the “life” of the plant. The part of the flower stem immersed in a container of water should not have foliage - complete removal of twigs, leaves and thorns is required. The use of floral foam prevents the development of bacteria, rotting and prolongs the freshness of the composition.

It is useful for a novice florist to know a basic technique - do not use only fully open inflorescences in a flower arrangement. Otherwise, the bouquet will look oppressively heavy. Freshness and tenderness will be added by “touches” of several unopened flowers, and such a bouquet will last longer.

By putting these simple tips into practice, novice florists will be able to avoid disharmony and clutter. There is no need to be afraid of mistakes, it is important to create, gain experience, skill and enjoy the work.