Floral Design Techniques w/ Sharon McGukin

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Vincent van Gogh once said, “A floral designer is a master of transformation, turning humble flowers into extraordinary works of art.”

Join us for this podcast episode, as we explore Floral Design Techniques - the art of creatively organizing floral material placements to transform simple arrangements into stunning masterpieces."

How we Bloom podcast is an oasis of flower ideas. Host Sharon McGukin of Smithers-Oasis North America interviews floral guests who dare to do things differently. We listen, learn, explore new opportunities and that's how we bloom!

Episode Transcript

Sharon McGukin (00:06):
Vincent van Gogh once said, a floral designer is
a master of transformation,turning humble flowers into
extraordinary works of art.
In this episode, we explore theuse of floral design techniques
to transform a simplearrangement into a stunning
masterpiece.

(00:32):
Welcome to How We Bloom, anoasis of flower ideas.
I'm your host, Sharon McGukinAIFD, AAF, PFCI, and I believe
that every great success storystarts with one simple idea.
That's why we interview thosewho dare to do things
differently.
Inspiring people who plantseeds, grow ideas, and bloom to

(00:56):
their full potential.
In this podcast, we listen,learn, explore new
opportunities, and that's How weBloom.
Consumers often perceivefloristry as the simple and

(01:17):
enjoyable job of"playing withflowers." In reality, this
hardworking profession is adynamic blend of technique and
skill.
Artistry and creativity.
Science and geometry.
Emotion and the profound joy ofbringing beauty into the lives
of others.

(01:39):
To reach a professional level ofexpertise, one must first master
the basics.
In a previous podcast and blog,The Principles and Elements of
Design, we discussed that thesefoundational concepts are the
building blocks of anysuccessful floral arrangement.
As Vincent van Gogh once said, afloral designer is a master of

(02:00):
transformation, turning humbleflowers into extraordinary works
of art.
In this episode, we'll focus onfloral design techniques, the
creative method of manipulatingor arranging floral materials to
transform a simple arrangementinto a stunning masterpiece.

(02:22):
These techniques are not justpractical tools, but an artistic
approach to the personalization,dimension, and visual
storytelling of your designs.
By thoughtfully choosingtechniques that enhance the
structure and purpose of anarrangement, you can add
distinctive details, creativeflair, and emotional resonance

(02:44):
to your design.
When used effectively, thesetechniques elevate your work,
making it both visuallyappealing and artistically
impactful.
There's a long list of designtechniques that you can use in
your work.
Unfortunately, we can't coverthem all in today's podcast, so

(03:04):
we'll begin with 12 populartechniques.
If you enjoy this information,please let me know, and I will
cover additional techniques in afuture episode.
If you would like to see photosas we discuss these techniques,
visit the Floral DesignTechniques with Sharon McGukin
blog, also on theoasisfloralproducts.

(03:26):
com website.
Basing and Terracing We'll startour review of design techniques
with basing.
To enhance the foundational areathat flowers emerge from, we can
use natural, decorative, ortextural basing materials to
cover the floral foam or othermechanic.

(03:48):
This gives a nice finished lookto the composition and helps
give the flower stems a groundedeffect.
There's a variety of basingtechniques that can be used to
determine how to place thebasing materials.
One technique that createsvisual interest is terracing,
where the materials arepositioned in a stair step

(04:08):
fashion.
This creates a series ofhorizontal levels, giving the
effect of outdoor terraces in anopen field.
Terracing can be used to createdepth in a design or to lead the
viewer's eye into anarrangement.
Next we have pavé.

(04:29):
This term refers to the jewelrymaking process of lining up
gemstones set close together ina flat pattern with no visible
structure underneath.
We can use short stemmed floralmaterials to create a similar
effect.
Insert parallel or angledmaterials into a design in a

(04:50):
uniform pattern or tight rowwith little or no depth
variation.
For example, a pavé of roses.
Pillowing is the process ofclustering rounded or dome-
shaped materials into a tightlyorganized pattern or placement
in a design.
This technique works well withnatural materials, creating a

(05:12):
look much like the roundedvisual effect of clouds or
pillows.
Pillowing mosses, dome-shapedgreens, or Kermit button poms
can produce the visual effect ofgently rolling hills.
Banding and Binding.
While teaching design techniquesto floral classes, I found that

(05:35):
many designers confuse bandingand binding.
So let's look at themindividually.
Banding is the process ofencircling a stem, multiple
stems, container, or linematerial in one or more precise
rings.
Banding is most often used as adecorative accent, but may serve
a functional purpose as well.

(05:57):
On the other hand, binding is afunctional process.
Materials are tied or securedtogether with some form of
binding material.
In addition to securingmaterials, the binding may also
serve a decorative purpose.
I like to think of banding as adecorative accent, like wearing
a bracelet, and binding asstructural reinforcement used

(06:20):
for the design's stability.
Clustering and Grouping.
Like banding and binding,clustering and grouping are
similar design techniques thatare often confused.
Clustering is the process ofmassing small, similar materials
so closely together theindividual singular components

(06:42):
become indistinguishable asindividual flowers.
A cluster of carnations, forexample, looks like one mass
flower.
Grouping, on the other hand, isthe process of placing identical
materials together within aspecific, limited area, with
each stem maintaining itsindividuality.

(07:02):
Some amount of space typicallyexists between each separate
group.
Grouping materials together,rather than scattering them
through an arrangement, createsa clean, structured, and unified
look.
Clustering materials in a massof flowers indistinguishable as
individual blooms differs fromgrouping because grouped

(07:23):
components retain theirindividual identity.
Both are popular techniques formodern arrangements.
Repetition of elements likecolor and texture in specific
areas creates a stronger visualimpact for the overall
composition.
Framing and Shadowing Framing isthe process of using linear

(07:45):
branches of color.
or flowers to showcase thefloral materials inside a
composition.
Framing serves to outline anddefine the design space and
typically leads the eye to thefloral area of an arrangement.
Framing integrates negativespace as an element of the
design.

(08:07):
Shadowing is the close placementof one or more materials
directly behind or beneath aprimary material portraying the
concept of'casting a shadow.'This creates a three-dimensional
form and heightens theperception of depth within the
design.
Sequencing and Zoning Sequencingrefers to the process of placing

(08:31):
flowers or other materials in anorderly series with a gradual
shift of some aspect.
It might be color,(lightest todarkest), size,(smallest to
largest), or spacing between theflowers.
Like the sequence of growth frombud to bloom, to fully opened
bloom.
The technique evokes rhythm andtransition in a design.

(08:56):
Zoning is the process ofsegregating materials of the
same type and similar height tospecific growth or
three-dimensional areas within acomposition.
In a vegetative design, forexample, flowers of identical
variety are positioned so as tosuggest a natural growing habit.
Each extending to a similarheight within the composition

(09:19):
for visual flow.
This technique mimics how plantsnaturally grow in nature.
It can be helpful for creating acohesive, unified look in large
scale designs.
Floral design techniques, suchas the ones we've discussed
today, are used to make visuallyappealing and harmonious flower

(09:41):
arrangements with a creativeflair that connects to the
viewer.
Knowledge and use of properdesign techniques demonstrates
your expertise and artistry as aprofessional designer.
Invest in yourself to increaseyour floral knowledge.
Use floral professionalresources, such as a book
available from the AmericanInstitute of Floral Designers,

(10:05):
the AIFD Guide to Floral DesignTerms, Techniques, and
Traditions.
You can purchase on theirwebsite, www.aifd.org.
Please share Floral Hub blog(forreaders) or How We Bloom podcast
(for listeners) with otherdesigners.
The podcast is available onBuzzsprout, Spotify, Apple

(10:27):
Podcast, and similar apps.
Both the podcast and the blogare available at
oasisfloralproducts.com alongwith other valuable floral
information.
To our audience, Smithers-Oasis,North America and I want to

(10:48):
thank you for joining us today.
If you've enjoyed this episode,please share it with a friend
and be sure to hit subscribe.
You don't want to miss theinspired solutions our upcoming
guests will share with you foryour personal or business
growth.
If you have topics or guests youwant to hear, please message me.
We'd love to hear from you.

(11:09):
Until next time, I'm SharonMcGukin reminding you that like
the unfurling petals of aflower, we grow by changing
form, soaking inspiration inlike raindrops, absorbing energy
from others like warmth from thesun.
This growth opens us up to newideas and that's How we Bloom.