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DESIGN AND COLOURThe elements and principles of design are the building blocks used to create a work of art. The Elements of design can be thought of as the things that make up a painting, drawing, design etc. Good or bad - all paintings will contain most of if not all, the seven elements of design.The Principles of design can be thought of as what we do to the elements of design. How we apply the Principles of design determines how successful we are in creating a work of art. note - the hyperlinks within the text of this page will open information in a new browser window. After you have read that information the window can then be closed leaving this window open.THE ELEMENTS OF DESIGNLINELine can be considered in two ways. The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.SHAPE A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form. A positive shape in a painting automatically creates a negative shape.DIRECTION All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique. Horizontal suggests calmness, stability and tranquillity. Vertical gives a feeling of balance, formality and alertness. Oblique suggests movement and actionsee notes on directionSIZE Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.TEXTURE Texture is the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physical (tactile) or visual.see notes on textureCOLOURAlso called Huesee notes on colourVALUEValue is the lightness or darkness of a colour. Value is also called Tonesee notes on tonal contrastTHE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGNBALANCEBalance in design is similar to balance in physics A large shape close to the center can be balanced by a small shape close to the edge. A large light toned shape will be balanced by a small dark toned shape (the darker the shape the heavier it appears to be)GRADATIONGradation of size and direction produce linear perspective. Gradation of of colour from warm to cool and tone from dark to light produce aerial perspective. Gradation can add interest and movement to a shape. A gradation from dark to light will cause the eye to move along a shape. REPETITIONRepetiton with variation is interesting, without variation repetition can become monotonoussee notes on repetitionCONTRASTContrast is the juxtaposition of opposing elements eg. opposite colours on the colour wheel - red / green, blue / orange etc. Contrast in tone or value - light / dark. Contrast in direction - horizontal / vertical. The major contrast in a painting should be located at the center of interest. Too much contrast scattered throughout a painting can destroy unity and make a work difficult to look at. Unless a feeling of chaos and confusion are what you are seeking, it is a good idea to carefully consider where to place your areas of maximum contrast.HARMONYHarmony in painting is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar, related elements. eg.adjacent colours on the colour wheel, similar shapes etc.DOMINANCEDominance gives a painting interest, counteracting confusion and monotony. Dominance can be applied to one or more of the elements to give emphasis UNITYRelating the design elements to the the idea being expressed in a painting reinforces the principal of unity.eg. a painting with an active aggressive subject would work better with a dominant oblique direction, course, rough texture, angular lines etc. whereas a quiet passive subject would benefit from horizontal lines, soft texture and less tonal contrast.Unity in a painting also refers to the visual linking of various elements of the work.
After studying these notes on the elements and principals of design,
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TYPES OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS
Flower compositions are usually of four different types:
1. Line arrangements, where a few flowers, leaves, and buds are arranged naturally to show their characteristic lines of growth.
2. Mass or composite bouquets, where many flowers are used together for their color and texture effect.
3. Platter bouquets, where only the heads or blossom ends of flowers are shown in flat receptacles.
4. Geometric bouquets, where flowers are arranged in design forms.
Line Arrangements. Many flowers, berries, seed pods, and branches are suitable for line arrangements because of the beauty of single sprays of the plants. Flowers like jonquils, iris, and lilies look well in line compositions, and so do branches from lilac, maple, elm, willow, or fruit trees, which will leaf many weeks earlier if brought indoors. They exhibit a type of beauty often overlooked.
Mass Bouquets. Mass bouquets are usually intended to bring color and sparkle into a room. Peonies, asters, lilacs, larkspur, and chrysanthemums are only a few of the flowers that are attractive in mass arrangements. These bouquets may consist of one variety of blossoms with its own leaves, buds, and seed pods, or they may be of several harmonious varieties. In a composite bouquet one kind of flower should dominate in quantity, in attractive power, and usually in size, while one kind should be very inconspicuous. All should be decidedly different in form, size, and texture.
Platter Bouquet. The platter bouquet is a more unusual and more difficult composition of flowers than the line or mass arrangements. The stemless blossoms of dahlias or zinnias.look well floating with a few leaves on the surface of the water in flat bowls. Less important flowers of other varieties may accompany them.
Geometric Bouquet. The geometric bouquet is the opposite of the naturalistic one. The flowers are placed in a stylistic orderly design, which is particularly desirable in modern rooms where there are other geometric forms. Usually the vase forms used are simple geometric shapes that determine the lines of the entire bouquet. Variety of form, color, and texture in the flowers adds interest to a geometric arrangement. One unusual semigeometric bouquet consisted of a tall central stalk of phlox with a small tiger lily and a cluster of geranium blossoms of vermilion and magenta at each side, and red-violet stock hiding the stems which were set in a wire stem holder in a flat green dish. All through the bouquet were many long stems bearing downy soft green seed pods that served to unify the arrangement.
Uncut Flower Arrangements. Flower lovers who do not like to see flowers cut can make pleasing arrangements by combining growing plants. Bulbs and foliage plants look well in one container. Cactus plants of various shapes make interesting combinations. The possibilities for imaginative expression in this kind of plant arrangement are numerous.
Color. In arranging flowers the color element is even more fascinating to consider than the form element. The best way to get a safe, quickly chosen, and effective bouquet is to have a sequence in one color, as violet with red-violet and blue-violet, or the more brilliant harmony of yellow with yellow-orange and yellow-green, or the Russian combination of red, red-orange, and red-violet. It is best to have a bouquet definitely warm or definitely cool in color.
The best opportunity for fine color combinations is in mixed bouquets. It is well to plan them so that one color dominates, with enough yellow or white to make them sparkle, and some violet for peace-maker if there tends to be a discord. Green should be sparse and what there is should be an unusual sort, such as is found in wheat, oats, seed pods, etc. A colorful fall bouquet consists of tritoma (red-hot pokers) supported by small purple asters and quantities of yellow yarrow. Another successful bouquet for a low table consists of a mass of California poppies sprinkled with blue corn flowers and magenta stock.
An effective small arrangement is the one known as a Dutch bouquet, which is a composite of many varieties of rather small flowers of all colors. Almost any flowers that can be spared from the garden fit into such a bouquet. The stems are cut about four inches long and are all held together tightly in a small container about the size of a low cup. The effect is that of a pin cushion of solid embroidery, and is jolly and bright.
A dozen American Beauty roses make an uninteresting color effect, because there is merely red above and green below and the playfulness that is expressed in imaginative combinations of color and form is lacking.
Occasion. Any flower arrangement should be expressive of the occasion for which it is made. The form and the color of the flowers combine to produce the desired emotional effect. Large impressive masses are suitable for formal affairs; a few dainty, airy flowers are best for intimate occasions. In flowers too, the cool colors, blue and violet, express dignity and restraint, and the warm colors, yellow, orange, and red, are cheerful and friendly.
Personality. Flowers, like other forms of decoration, should express the personality of their owner. One would not expect an exotic brunette to have sweet peas in her home, a sophisticated blonde to use red geraniums, or a gentle grandmotherly person to care for bristling cacti. For personal adornment, too, flowers should supplement, not contradict, the characteristics of the wearer. The coloring of the face, the gown, and the background naturally affect the choice of flowers to wear. Not all women find flowers becoming to them.
Rooms and Flowers. The type of furnishing in a room should similarly influence the selection of the flowers to be used therein. A primitive type of room requires flowers of sturdy character, whereas fine Neo-Classic furnishings demand refinement in the flowers and their receptacles. The coloring of a room also definitely limits the selection of the flowers for it. Rooms with positive color and pattern may not need any flowers but merely bold foliage plants. A dainty room with a Marie Laurencin type of color scheme of pale pink, silver, and pale blue might have a flower arrangement of these same colors plus the pale orchid that completes the adjacent color scheme. On the other hand, a living room with rich, heavy colors such as dark violet with its triad of dull orange and dull green would be a suitable background for gorgeous tulips or zinnias or composite bouquets of many rich colors. A dining room of silver, white, and black allows the flowers, linen, candles, dishes, food, and gowns to provide the color, thus permitting an entire change of color scheme as desired.
FLOWER CONTAINERS
A large collection of receptacles and stem holders for flowers is necessary in order to arrange flowers to look their best. An adequate collection of vases should include Oriental, modern, and conservative containers of metal, glass, pottery, and porcelain. Entirely plain receptacles are preferable to any others, as the receptacle must not compete with the flowers for attention. A collection of containers should include various textures, as glass for the delicate cosmos, pottery for the marigolds, and pewter for the pussy willows. There should be large, heavy jars and pitchers to place on the floor to hold generous arrangements of budding tree branches, pine boughs, autumn leaves, sunflowers, or seed pods. Baskets are often attractive receptacles for flowers; if there is a tall handle on the basket usually the flowers should not be as high as the handle. The ten- and twenty-fivecent stores offer a variety of simple undecorated containers of glass and earthenware, the round fish bowl being one of the best. Any well-shaped glass bottles or tin cans can be painted with ordinary paint and used as receptacles for flowers.
Medium and tall vases should flare at the top, because the stems need space and because the flaring tops follow the lines of growth of radiating flowers. A pinched-in mouth on a vase seems stingy. Low containers are necessary for platter bouquets and for arrangements of flowers like the iris which have sturdy stems that are interesting enough to exhibit. When stem holders are used they should be concealed if possible by foliage or flowers.
Some of the most useful colors for containers are foliage green, putty color, dull blue, black, browns, dull reds, yellows, and clear glass. The most stimulating effects occur, however, when pure red-violet, turquoise blue, jade green, or similar colored vases are used to hold flowers of adjacent colors.
As has been stated previously, the color expert considers also the receding and advancing qualities of color. Orange-colored flowers should not be placed in a blue vase because the vase will appear to recede and the flowers will advance, producing a disturbing effect. It is also safer to refrain from using cool-colored flowers in warm-colored bowls. Neither should the artificial or acid colors such as orchid, blue-green, and turquoise blue be combined with the earth colors such as brick red, clay yellow, and brown. These restrictions on color are somewhat arbitrary, but should be studied by persons who wish to produce the most subtle effects
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