Basic Design "At Home With Flowers"

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN    

The Guidelines in Any Arrangement

Principles of Design
Balance
Dominance
Contrast
Rhythm
Proportion
Scale

Trick for Remembering the Principles

Be
Darn
Careful
Riding
Past
Schools

 

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Balance  Visual stability from top to bottom, side to side, back to front.  Does it look as if it is falling to one side or heavy at the bottom (the most common fault).

Dominance  The greater force of one kind of element - such as more curved lines, more round forms, or more of one color.  There must be a "boss" in one of the elements.

Contrast  Difference. Stimulates interest and helps distinguish both form and space.  There must be just enough contract so as not to compete for what appears to be dominant.  Too many contrasting factors will cause confusion and unity will disappear.

Rhythm The dominant visual path through the design.  It is the factor that brings life to a design.  It is movement in the arrangement.  It might move via repetition of the parts that are similar or it might move via interest areas throughout the design that are different but attract attention and keep the eye moving. Not necessarily smooth movement.

Proportion  Relationship of areas and amounts to each other and to the whole - such as areas of round forms to areas or amounts of spiky forms.  Amount of open spaces to solids.  If you have a balance problem, this may be the reason - proportionate areas are not pleasing.

Scale  Scale is size relationship - such as size of individual flowers to each other and to the whole.  Wide variances can be tolerated in more creative designs where less plant material is used.

 


 

 

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