Basic Design II   "At Home With Flowers"

Illuminary Designs     What To Bring             Print PDF Document

For this design, concentrate on simplicity.  For class, it may be easier to evaluate what light sources you have available and then build a design around them.

 Battery operated LED lights are among the easiest to work with because you have no wires or cords to hide. They are generally available in several sizes and colors. Some are safe to immerse in water and can be placed inside a container.
Fiber optics can be battery operated or plug-in, and vary in size. They do not omit as much light as a battery operated LED-style light. Again, it is easier to hide the mechanics of a battery-operated fiber optic.   click for larger image

Rope lighting should be used with caution because it can become very hot. Seek out those with cool lights. The advantage of rope lighting is that it can be positioned in pleasing sweeps and curves that lead your eye through the design.
Christmas-tree type lights require a power source, but are cool enough in operation to be used under an underlayment or behind a backdrop; threaded through plastic or acrylic tubes; or wound inside a glass container if you are using a different container within to hold the water. Remember that the water line is part of the design, so you may want to consider an opaque container as your water source so that you can fill it to a lower level, keeping it away from electricity!
Underlighting can be effective if using clear containers. LED-type lighting is sufficiently cool not to boil your flowers.
Consider other sources of illumination: small flashlights, fluorescent tubes inside covering fabric or boxes or opaque containers. Keep it as simple as possible - the design type only requires some illumination, so long as the light is an integral part of the design. Other components should be chosen to take advantage of the light.

Principles of Design
Balance
Rhythm
Dominance
Contrast
Proportion
Scale

Elements of Design
Line
Color
Light
Texture
Pattern
Form
Size
Space

 

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