Lessons; esthetics

Styles in flower art

Introduction

During the centuries there are developed many styles in flower art. These styles originally come from the culture period where they developed itself. Culture, art and flower art are closely connected in development. Even today new styles in flower art see the daylight. Above all the development of new techniques lead to another way of flower design. Some terms as introduction are use full to understand:

Style

  1. This has to do with unity in design, with harmony in composition, color and materials.
  2. It is the whole of rules for a specific way of flower arranging or style, it is the unity in the complexity of the different parts of the arrangement.

Style group

  1. Art movement about 1920-1930 around the Dutch painter Piet Mondriaan and Van Doesburg. The Style group.
  2. Each group who has an own specific art style.

Style study
This are the lessons or study in art, architecture, color, composition- and form. Knowledge of this is very important to create flower art.

Style period
The time a specific style was the central way of art and or architecture, during a culture period, example the Biedermeier style around 1820-1848.

Style arrangement
Flower arrangement made according the rules specific created for that style, we also called it Period design.

Floral art has various styles and many interesting variations on the basic styles of flower arrangement. We can divide the styles according to several design schedules, below you see a few possibilities:

  1. Geometric: Symmetry - Asymmetry
  2. Historical: Classical - Modern - Experimental
  3. Design: Decorative - Vegetative - Linear - Parallel

The historical table:

Classic composition
Characteristic is the rather compact form. We call these styles decorative as the individual flower plays a secondary role. The most important are the symmetric one-sided triangular forms; the round forms and the variations on these, such as the Star, Fan, Cone, L-shape, Inverted-T and the Ellipse. The classic styles we also include the elegant Hogarth style and the Crescent style. In fact both originated from the circular form, which in it self forms the base of many compositions.

Schedule:

  • Symmetric one sided triangular.
  • Symmetric all sided, compact (biedermeier), open with space, ajour (mille fleur).
  • Asymmetric one- or all sided.
  • Floating flowers.
  • S-style, Hogarth style.
  • Half moon form and circle forms.
  • Diagonal forms.
  • Fan forms.
  • L-form.
  • Oval form.

Modern composition
Characteristic for the modern styles is the free and spontaneous use of the geometrical basic forms. Also the characteristics of the materials itself are more important than in the classic composition. Modern compositions are varied in design and often typical for the spacious look, the lines and the open spaces. But also they are often very decorative and can have a mass-form. Nowadays we see bindings, constructions and all kinds of weaving techniques. We distinguish styles as: Linear, Parallel, Vegetative, Decorative and many more.
The vegetative style is usually a very natural style. The garden style can be either vegetative or decorative.

Experimental composition
Before we try to experiment it is very useful to start by studying the basic styles and techniques of flower art.

A good base is welcome and helps to get good result quickly. Without guts and a rigorous 'different than normal' attitude we can't create anything new. It is a continuous game of brainstorming, try outs and sometimes failures too.

Words such as floral objects and abstract composition show us the fashion of experimental designing. Searching for real originality is extremely difficult. You can wait for 'the moment' but it will appear suddenly or it will never come. Creativity is the source of success.

  • Free forms, trends, techniques such as binding, thread, string, clasp, glue and weave, but also, pile up, floral objects and so on.
  • Avant-garde is an specific way of the experiment in flower art.

Another table:

  • Symmetrical.
  • Asymmetrical.

Another table:

  • One sided, two sided, all sided.
  • Decorative, vegetative.
  • Mass, line, mass-line, garden, linear, parallel, theme, symbolic, style arrangements, Eastern styles, combinations.

As you see more tables are possible to divide flower arrangements in a schedule (table).

Reed for a complete schedule and flower art philosophy the book Flowerworld.

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Last update of this page 23.05.2004