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LINE
The vital visual path that directs eye movement through a composition
from the AIFD Guide to Floral Design
In geometric terms, a line is simply the distance between two points. In floral design, line can both impart structure to an arrangement as well as imbue it with a sense of movement.
Lines are generally described in one of two ways: a static line is either vertical or horizontal. Static lines create strength and stability in a floral composition, and as the name implies, are seen as being rigid, unchanging, and without much energy or motion. By comparison, dynamic lines may be curving, slanted, zigzag, contorted, or meandering. They move in more than one direction relative to the vertical/horizontal axis, and consequently are seen as more lively and energetic, especially when used in juxtaposition to a static line.
A distinction is also made between actual lines and implied lines. An actual line is one which is physically, visually present, such as a branch or the stem of a flower. An implied line is one which is created in the mind’s eye when it visually links two or more physical points within a composition, or it connects two or more visually similar elements, dot-to-dot fashion. In some cases, an implied line may be the dominant line in a floral arrangement.
A line design is a floral composition in which line is emphasized over form as the more dominant element.
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broken
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cascading
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connective
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contorted
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continuous
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crescent
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curvilinear
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diagonal
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dynamic
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hanging
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helical
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horizontal
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implied
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interactive
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parallel
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perpendicular
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primary
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radiating
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‘S’ line (Hogarth Curve)
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secondary
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self-completing
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spiral
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static
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vertical
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weighted
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zigzag
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