Post on 19-Aug-2018
transcript
Designing Basic Floral Work
FLORAL DESIGN is fun and can be a great
way for you to express your creativity.
The designs that can be made with flowers
are endless. Of course, many of the most
creative floral designs are made after years
of practice and education in the floral arts.
Objective:
� Examine basic floral design concepts.
Key Terms:
�
Basic Floral Design
Floral design, like many other forms of art, requires basic tools, supplies, and design con-
cepts and procedures. Once the basics have been mastered, you can pursue more advanced
techniques.
BASIC TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
Many floral design practices today are made possible through the use of design tools and
supplies. The primary tools used are cutting tools.
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anchor pin
brick
chicken wire
contour
floral foam
florist shears
greening pin
grouping
hyacinth stakes
needlepoint holder
pan-melt glue
poly foil
pruning shears
rosettes
water tubes
waterproof tape
Cutting Tools
Knives are cutting instruments
used extensively by florists. The
pocket knife is excellent because it
can be folded for protection when
not in use. The advantage of a
knife is that using one is faster
than using shears or scissors. A
disadvantage is that thumbs and
fingers are more easily injured. A
knife should be kept sharp for
best results.
Florist shears are a cutting
tool with short, serrated edges
designed for cutting thick or
woody stems and flowers that
have been wired. An advantage of
this tool is that stems will not
become pinched in the cutting
operation, allowing for better
water uptake after cutting.
Pruning shears are tools
used in the landscaping area to cut
branches from trees or shrubs.
The cutting style of shears is pre-
ferred to the anvil style, which
cuts by pinching the stems. Prun-
ing shears are typically used on
very tough branches and stems.
They are extremely valuable dur-
ing the Christmas holiday season
because of their ability to cut
evergreen stems.
Scissors are valuable for cut-
ting both ribbon and floral stems.
However, there are different kinds of scissors. Fabric scissors are preferred for cutting ribbon,
while utility scissors are preferred for cutting flowers and other materials.
Floral Foam
Floral foam is a porous material that holds a great amount of water and provides stability
for flower stems. Flowers can be placed at an angle in this material, and the foam will hold
them in place. Foam comes in two formulations. One is for fresh materials, and one is for
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FIGURE 1. A knife is an efficient tool for any floral designer.
FIGURE 2. Florist shears (top) and pruning shears (bottom) are indispensable
for cutting thick and woody stems.
dried and artificial materials. The foam comes in the shape of a rectangle and is referred to as a
brick. Florist foam can be cut to the desired size and shape with a knife or heavy-gauge wire.
The foam should be allowed to soak in a solution of floral preservative for a minimum of
one-half hour before using it to assure maximum water absorption. Foam should not be
re-soaked. Neither should a brick be forced into the solution, because this will create air bub-
bles in the foam.
When foam is being put into a container, an inch or more of the foam should appear above
the edge of the container. This practice allows for the placement of flowers at angles that might
not be permitted otherwise.
Foam placed in a clear glass
container will appear green from
the outside. This appearance can
be changed by wrapping the foam
in silver foil. Also, using a con-
tainer made of colored plastic
material can mask the green color.
Leave a small area in which the
recipient of the arrangement can
add water later. This is very
important for a design in which
the foam would cover the entire
area of the container.
Anchoring Materials
Foam must be secured to the container to prevent an arrangement from falling over. Floral
foam can be secured with waterproof tape, anchor pins, or hot glue.
Waterproof tape is the most common method used to secure foam. It can be used with
wet foam, but the container must be dry. Waterproof tape is available in 1/4- and 1/2-inch widths
and in green, white, and clear. Lengths of tape are usually affixed from a 12 to 6 o’clock posi-
tion and from a 3 to 9 o’clock position.
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FIGURE 3. Floral foam is porous and easy to cut with a knife.
FIGURE 4. Foam can be secured to a container with tape (left) or an anchor pin (right).
An anchor pin is a plastic four-pronged device secured to the bottom of a container with
glue or floral clay. Floral foam is placed on the anchor pin. An anchor pin permits a small piece
of foam to be used in a container. If a larger piece of foam is used, multiple pins might be nec-
essary.
The pan-melt glue method uses dry foam and a dry disposable container. The floral foam
is dipped into a pan of hot glue and then secured to the container. When the glue is dry, both
the container and the foam are placed in a preservative solution.
Other Foundations
Other foundations are used by a designer for different purposes.
A needlepoint holder, also referred to as a frog or pin holder, is a device that has a heavy
metal base with upright metal pins attached and evenly spaced. This device is secured to a con-
tainer using floral clay. Except in exhibition work, florists seldom use needlepoint holders
because of their high cost.
Chicken wire is inexpensive and creates great support for heavy and thick-stemmed flow-
ers. It can be secured into place with plastic “S” clips.
A greening pin is a metal
“hairpin” with an “S” or flat top.
It is used to keep moss or foliage
in place. Wire bent in a “U” shape
can achieve the same effect.
Water tubes are plastic tubes
with rubber tops that have holes
in them for the fresh flower
stems. They are often used to add
fresh flower accents to potted
plants.
Hyacinth stakes are green
wooden stakes that offer needed
support for heavier flowers in an
arrangement.
GEOMETRIC DESIGNS
Three basic types of geometric floral designs are vertical, triangular, and circular. Each geo-
metric design offers a different visual experience. Designers need to visualize the shapes they
plan to use in their designs. Basic techniques involve setting the height of an arrangement first,
adding width, and then adding the contour.
Contour is the three-dimensional radiation in an arrangement from the vertical height
placement to the horizontal placements when viewed from the side. Proper contour should
have a gentle roundness to it.
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FIGURE 5. Water tubes, hyacinth stakes, and greening pins are common
supplies that a floral designer may use.
Floral foam is an important component in achieving geometric designs. Flowers that appear
on the left should be placed in the left side of the foam, and flowers that appear on the right
should be placed in the right side of the foam. A symmetrical design should be centered in the
foam, while an asymmetrical design should be placed to the right or left of the center. The
designer should place tall flowers near the back and then work forward.
Types of Geometric Designs
Vertical designs are very eye catching and bold. The flowers are placed in a linear fashion,
forming a strong vertical statement. The width of these designs is secondary to the height. Bud
vases are typically vertical designs. One of these arrangements can be placed on a desk, table, or
counter with a small amount of space.
Triangular designs are popular for all types of occasions. They are often seen in church altar
arrangements for weddings and in funeral pieces. They can be asymmetrical or symmetrical in
design. Symmetrical triangular designs are equilateral or isosceles. Asymmetrical triangular
designs are right or scalene.
Circular designs offer diverse styles, including oval, crescent, and Hogarth, or “S”-curve
designs. The oval design is often used commercially in get-well or Administrative Profession-
als’ Day (or Week) bouquets. The crescent is common in holiday design pieces, and the
Hogarth curve is seen in formal and exhibition design work.
NATURALISTIC DESIGNS
Naturalistic designs draw on nature and gardening for inspiration. A common technique
used in this design concept is grouping. Grouping is placing flowers and foliage in units as if
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UNDER INVESTIGATION…
LAB CONNECTION: Steps in Wrapping Potted Plants with Poly Foil
Sales of potted plants make up a good segment of all florist shop sales. Decorating the pots
is relatively easy and inexpensive for the florist, and it produces much customer satisfaction.
Potted plants can be placed in baskets and other containers. Adding accessories such as bows,
birds, and seasonal items also adds value. Decorating pots with foil is one of the most common
methods used.
Wrapping a potted plant with foil begins with the selection of foil. Both lightweight and poly
foil are used, although poly foil is more resistant to tears. Cut a square of poly foil to fit the size
of the pot. Fold the cut edges over for a more attractive look. Place the plant in the center. Bring
the foil up to the pot rim on one side and tuck a small portion into the rim. Bring the other sides
up and tuck them into the rim. Smooth the foil gently around the potted plant. Add a bow to
complete the decoration.
they were naturally growing there. Designers who understand nature and how things grow
will be able to create these designs easily.
Naturalistic designers often use baskets, trays, and bowls that are very low in height. Often
the containers are not visible. Designers will also typically use containers that are made of nat-
ural fibers. Sheet moss and Spanish moss are common materials used in naturalistic designs.
Florists sometimes design rosettes, in which foliage stems radiate from a central point as if
growing in the wild.
Accessories such as realistic birds, butterflies, nests, and even insects can offer something
special to naturalistic designs.
DECORATING
POTTED PLANTS
The ability to decorate potted plants is a
very important skill for a person working
in a floral shop. A florist sells many potted
plants for various occasions. Few plants
leave the shop in just the clay or plastic
pots in which they were grown. A plant
may be placed in a basket or in a pre-
formed pot cover. Once the cover is in
place, bows, birds, seasonal items, or live
flowers may be added. The most com-
monly used decorating material is foil.
Foil comes in two types, lightweight
foil and poly foil. Lightweight foil is not as
resistant to tearing and water damage. It is
colored on one side and silver on the
other. Poly foil is thicker because a polyethylene material is applied to the silver side of the
foil. The thicker material lessens the chance of the foil tearing and water escaping.
Summary:
� The primary tools are cutting tools, such as knives, florist shears, pruning shears,and scissors.
Floral foam is a material that provides stability for flower stems. Foam that holds agreat amount of water is used for fresh materials. Another is used for dried and arti-ficial materials.
Foam is secured to the container with waterproof tape, an anchor pin, or hot-meltglue.
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FIGURE 6. Wrapping a potted plant adds to its appeal.
Three basic types of geometric floral designs are vertical, triangular, and circular.Vertical designs are very eye catching and bold. Triangular designs are popular forall types of occasions. Circular designs offer diverse styles, including oval, crescent,and Hogarth, or “S”-curve designs.
Naturalistic designs draw on nature and gardening for inspiration. A common tech-nique used in this design concept is grouping.
The ability to decorate potted plants is a very important skill for a person working ina floral shop. The most commonly used decorating material is foil.
Checking Your Knowledge:
� 1. What are the primary tools used in floral design?
2. What are the characteristics of floral foam?
3. What are the basic types of geometric design?
4. What defines naturalistic designs?
5. How are potted plants decorated?
Expanding Your Knowledge:
� Apply the skills learned in class to make different geometric and naturalistic floraldesigns. Practice foiling potted plants.
Web Links:
� Flower Arranging 101
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/hisofartoffl.html
Meanings of Flowers
http://www.aboutflowers.com/floral_b5.html
Flower and Plant Varieties
http://www.aboutflowers.com/fpvar/fresh.html
Green and Blooming House Plants
http://www.aboutflowers.com/gandb/green.html
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