Creating Purposeful Floral Designs Inspired by Fine Art

Hey, floral designers! When it comes to flower arranging, what aspects of the design do you consider when working toward an arrangement?

As a floral designer, you will heavily consider what stems and color palette to include. These are essential parts of the design process. The colors and hues of the arrangement should be considered thoughtfully. (Check out my other Team Flower articles for more of a discussion on color theory, fine art, and floral design.)

Nevertheless, blooms and color tones should not be the only things considered when designing an arrangement.

The shape of the design is also an integral aspect of creating an arrangement with flowers.

In the same way that different orientations and compositional effects greatly affect a painting, so do these elements have importance in floral design.

In this article, we will discuss how the design principles of shape and lines can inform how we think about our floral arrangements.

We’ll also explore the way the master artists can be a guide to us as floral designers!

What Floral Design Elements Catch Your Eye?

Consider for a moment the floral arrangements you either create yourself or are drawn to.

Considering Shape

What shape do these arrangements have? Are they balanced and symmetrical? Do you prefer rounded arrangements? Or maybe loose and naturally flowing ones? Does an installation with wild and eccentric movement spark your excitement?

The shape of floral arrangements can take many forms. For me, it is the dynamic and uniquely shaped arrangements that capture my attention!

Designs that are striking due to strong color combinations and shape can turn an arrangement into a show stopper.

Whatever form and orientation you prefer for floral arranging, understanding the importance of intentional design shape is key.

Playing with Lines

There are many principles of design to consider when arranging, and the consideration of creating implied lines is one of those crucial parts.

Not only does the creation of lines provide the eye a trace to follow in the composition, but the orientation of lines can also alter the mood or theme a piece of art is meant to evoke.

For example, horizontal lines create a calm and balanced mood. Visualize a painting with rolling hills. In this landscape painting, the rolling hills create a horizontal line across the middle of the composition. Horizontal orientations are simple and can be considered static or lacking motion. This does not make a horizontal design inherently bad, but it just simply means that horizontal lines should be used to evoke a sense of calm.

On the other hand, vertical lines can create an illusion of height. The eye naturally follows a vertical line. For example, utilizing vertical lines in a floral arrangement or installation can accentuate or enhance an object's height or building.

Some other design shapes created by lines include jagged, triangular, rounded, and circular. The first creates tension by using jagged edges and lines. Triangular shapes evoke stability. Rounded lines are restful and soothing. And circular lines are a symbol of completeness.

Lastly, diagonal lines create dynamic compositions evoking a sense of action or motion. I believe that adding diagonal lines to a floral arrangement can have such a dramatic effect!

Swaying Dancer, 1877-189. Edgar Degas. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. Madrid, Spain.

Incorporating Diagonal Lines into Design

Swaying Dancer by Edgar Degas (1877-1879) is a prime example of diagonal lines utilized in a way to evoke motion.

Degas paints his ballerina dancer with arms extended at an angle. This angle, along with the diagonal lines created on the bottom of the painting, creates movement. Our eye naturally traces the lines formed on the two-dimensional canvas. The lines create an illusion to the view that the dancer is in the middle of a twirl.

Diagonal lines create movement and dimension within a piece of art. In the same way, flowers forming diagonally shaped designs can intrigue its viewers.

So, how do you incorporate lines into floral arrangements?

One way to consider the use of lines in your arrangement is to integrate heights and levels. Can you create a sloping line utilizing the length of a stem in a circular table arrangement?

The formation of sloping heights of stems will draw in the viewer by the flowers, color, and the shape created by the differing heights and levels of the arrangement. Even in a floral arrangement, diagonal lines can add dimension and movement to an otherwise static piece.

The Starry Night, 1889. Vincent Van Gogh. MoMA The Modern of Modern Art. New York City.

Balance of Design

In addition to creating lines in an arrangement, the balance of a floral design is another essential aspect to consider.

Symmetrical designs are pleasing to the eye. There is a strong level of balance and order when it comes to symmetrical designs.

However, proportional balance can sometimes appear static, whereas asymmetrical design brings in a whole new fascinating orientation.

Take the very well-known The Starry Night painting into consideration. There are many lines and compositional effects that have enthralled its viewers for so long.

In this painting, Van Gogh used vertical, rounded, and diagonal lines. Notice the horizon line. This line is not horizontal but placed at an oblique angle. This painting portrays asymmetrical balance. Each side of the painting is not identical. If it were, our eye would not be drawn to the prominent tree in the foreground on the painting's left side.

Likewise, a simple arrangement can suddenly become all the more exotic when asymmetrical balance and lines are at play.

Consider how you might incorporate shape, diagonal lines, and asymmetrical design into your next floral arrangement. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!