ARTISTIC DESIGN 2016

Transcription

1 ARTISTIC DESIGN 2016 This section gives examples of each of the Artistic Design categories for the Fair Flower Show. It also provides a description that allows the designer to more fully understand the rules that apply to each of the designs. Please use the photos as examples only. Airstream using silver metallic in the design Since no plants are truly silver metallic, plan to use accessories such as a silver container, spraypainted dried plant material, mirrors, or shiny silver ornaments in the design. Other than the use of silver metallic, there are no additional requirements. In the photo above-left, the container is silver, pine cones are sprayed silver, and artificial spikes are silver. The design also includes fresh, white flowers. In the photo above-right, dried palm fronds and leaves have been spray painted silver. Tropical flowers add color. The photo on the right shows fresh, red flowers in a clear vase, but everything else has been sprayed silver. Notice the stems of the flowers are covered with what appears to be aluminum foil. It looks black in the photo because of the reflected light. Judges don t like to see bare stems in a clear container unless the stems add to and are part of the whole design.

2 Big Four Bridge Horizontal, no greater than 24 inches A horizontal design is one in which the length of the arrangement is generally about 3 times as long as it is high. Looking at it from the top, you d see an elongated diamond shape, like this: Notice on the second arrangement that the horizontal design is elevated on top of a container. The height of the container doesn t interfere with the placement of the plant materials. This is just a different type of horizontal design. Even with the triangular, green horsetail pieces, this is still considered a horizontal design.

3 Botkins: Waters Divided, People United Stretch design A stretch design is a 3-dimensional creative design. It uses two similar containers where one is smaller than the other and appears to have been pulled away from the other by straight, connective line material. Line material should be as straight and stiff as possible. Some suggestions: Stem from daylily, piece of bamboo, stick, thick coated wire, piece of driftwood, painted dowel rod.

4 Hussey s Ducks on the Pond Dried arrangement using cattails This arrangement allows designers to use dried plant materials, but not silks, plastics, fabric, or paper. You are allowed to paint and/or dye any dried material in a creative arrangement/design, but not in a traditional design like the one on the top left. The use of fresh plant material is not recommended in this category. Three totally different arrangements are shown here, all using cattails. In the first one, even the container is wooden/wicker. The second arrangement adds gourds and a large lotus pod. One of the rules it breaks, however, is that only the container should be touching the table. The gourd on the left needs to be removed, and the large one on the right should be elevated or removed as well. The photo on the left uses strawflowers, dried weeds and pods, and hypericum berries. The green foliage may be fresh, but its use is minimal.

5 Great Stone Castle Design incorporating stones or rocks Use your imagination to compose a floral arrangement that includes one or more stones and/or rocks. The container itself could be a large rock with an indentation to hold plant materials. Stones may be visible inside a clear, glass container. Again, the key points here are balance, depth, and a pleasing composition.

6 Houston Wildcats Designer s Choice using red and white The Houston Wildcats colors are red and white, and there are so many different flowers and accessories from which to choose for this category. You must use both red and white materials, but that doesn t mean that greenery can t be included. Designer s Choice means that you can put together a masterpiece of any type as long as neither the height nor width exceeds 30 inches. The red anthurium contrasts well with the white lilies. This designer used a black vase so it wouldn t detract from the overall arrangement. The split-leaf philodendron leaves continue the tropical look. Here s another instance where a black vase places all the attention on the red roses and white flowers with a little bit of green peeking through. What NOT to do is illustrated on the left. If you re using a white vase, you must have white flowers or plant materials in your design. Judges also frown on the use of ribbons and the American flag in any design. The design below includes red wine glasses and white flowers. Perfectly acceptable.

7 Lake Loramie State Park Oriental design showing water The keys to a great oriental design are elegance and simplicity. There are many schools of oriental design, but for this category, showing water means that you should use a low or very shallow container. You should also use a kenzan (or needlepoint) similar to the one on the left to hold flowers and foliage in place underwater. The oriental arrangement on the left uses two kenzans to hold the irises in place. Rounded stones cover part of the kenzans, but it isn t necessary to totally disguise them. Notice the graceful angles and curves in the design on the right. Also notice how the design doesn t rely on symmetry to achieve balance. Most oriental arrangements are not symmetrical. The rule concerning white containers and white plant material does not apply to oriental designs. The simplicity of this arrangement is evident, and it would work even with a black container. Oriental designs, in general, rely on fresh plant materials. Using dried materials is limited mainly to seed pods, branches, and bamboo.

8 St. Remy Church Vertical design, no taller than 30 inches Vertical designs are can be traditional or creative, but that doesn t translate to boring. Vertical designs appear as though you ve begun with a triangle shape, and then elongated the top point to its maximum. The base is always wider than the very top. The final product should look rather slender, and the plant material should emphasize height rather than width. The height of the arrangement should be 1-1/2 to 2 times the height of the container. All three of these examples illustrate vertical designs that are far from ordinary and creative rather than traditional. Yet, the basic elements are the same for each.

9 The Spot Multi-Rhythmic, including a circle in the design Multi-Rhythmic designs are three-dimensional, creative designs that emphasize two or more rhythms. The overall effect moves your eyes in a vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or circular direction. The lines created by plant material should be simple, not confusing. In this category, one of the rhythms has to be circular. You can create circular rhythm with flowers, leaves, stems, or non-plant accessories such as wire bent into a hoop shape. There s a lot going on in these multi-rhythmic designs circular, diagonal, vertical, and horizontal movement. However, the plant material used is rather sparse, and not by accident. Multi-rhythmic arrangements use a minimum of plant materials to avoid distraction by non-influential fillers.

10 Tawawa Underground Railroad Transparency design Transparency designs use see-through materials placed in front of plant material to give the illusion of depth and space beyond. The transparent material can be metal (window screen or mesh), lightweight fabric, animal material (sea fan, coral, sponges), glass, acrylic, plastic, or plant material (baby s breath, split leaves, branches, skeletonized leaves). The purpose of the transparent material is to force the viewer to look through the transparency to see what s behind it. A plant tray from a nursery purchase is used as the transparent element, allowing the tropical flowers, foliage, and yes, even the parrot, to be seen. Almost anything can be used as the transparent element in these designs as long as the plant material behind it can be seen. There should also be plant material in front of the transparency to give depth to the arrangement.

11 Anna One Room Schoolhouse Using a single flower plus greenery The main rule that applies to this design is to make sure that the container is in proportion to the size of the flower and greenery. Small flowers need small containers; large flowers call for larger containers. This striking design includes an example of leaf manipulation where a leaf is cut, curled, bent, or otherwise changed from its original shape. Larger leaves cover the shortened stem of the rose so it doesn t show through the container. Here s another example of one flower plus one leaf in an arrangement. The flower is an anthurium, and the phormium leaf is wrapped around the clear container. A flax leaf might also work. U-Glu dashes are small dots of removable, doublesided tape that make the leaf stick to glass or to itself. The last arrangement uses a sunflower, a pliable branch with all of the leaves pulled off, and a fancy leaf. The shallow, black dish does not detract from the overall simplicity of the design.

12 Lost Land Corn Maze Design using dried materials Look in your own garden for flowers, leaves, weeds, seed pods, and many other plants that can be dried at home. Dried plant materials can also be purchased at Hobby Lobby, Joann s, Michael s, Target, Wal-Mart, online, and at many other craft stores. It s permissible to spray paint dried materials if the design is creative rather than traditional. The design on the left uses yellow and blue for an interesting contrast. It s also OK to use pheasant and peacock feathers, but not the feathers of other wild birds. The design on the right uses dried plant materials in their natural colors. Alliums dry easily and quickly. Dried leaves and hydrangea were spray-painted gold, while the tall weed was left in its natural state. The container is very unusual, but could be made by gluing together different lengths of paper towel tubes, cutting holes in different areas, and painting them with textured paint. Since you don t need water to keep these plant materials looking good, a water-proof container isn t necessary.

13 YMCA Design showing motion A design showing motion uses curves of line material, placement of flowers and/or foliage to provide a feeling of movement. The design can be traditional or creative depending upon the design elements and principles used in the formation of the design. Circles sometime imply motion especially if they are not static. Diagonal lines can appear as movement in some cases. Actual movement within the design can also show motion, as a mobile. The arrangement on the far left uses anthurium and cut palm leaves to show motion. Notice how the lowest leaf has been glued into a circle. The oriental design on the left definitely shows motion. Pieces cut from a Harry Lauder s Walking Stick provide the suggestion of random movement. Remember that the motion part of these designs must be made of plant material, not wire or plastic, or anything else. The grassy seed heads in the almost-traditional design (on the right) wave gracefully, and the drooping plant materials echo the downward movement. There are two errors, however, that need to be corrected in order to win a blue ribbon. One is that the vase is clear, and all the stems are showing. It would be better to use a light green or mossy green vase. Even a black or brown vase would work. The second is that the drooping plant material should not be touching the table. Cut shorter, the plant material would have the same effect. Now that you re more familiar with all of the design categories, it s time to start thinking about which ones appeal to your creative senses. There are lots of additional examples online, especially on Pinterest. Take time to browse, experiment with different designs, and come to the Shelby County Fair Flower Show with your entries. We look forward to seeing another great show this year.