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Elements and Principles:
from the AIFD Guide to Floral Design
SPACE
The area in, around, and between the components of the design, defined by the three-dimensional area occupied by the composition.
In floral design applications, space is a three-dimensional phenomenon. It surrounds not just the two-dimensional outline of a composition, but it also defines the vol-ume and depth of the design. A floral designer learns to visualize space and to fill it accordingly.
Space is typically described as being either positive or negative. Positive space is that portion of a composition which is physically occupied by something ... a flower, a branch, a container, or some solid object. Negative space is the planned area within a composition that is devoid of any materials; essentially, empty space. It is negative space which allows individual materials in a design to be seen clearly. The term void is used to describe empty space that serves to visually separate areas of positive space.
In a formalinear design, there is a relatively large amount of negative space present so as to emphasize, in an uncluttered manner, the strong forms and clean lines which are characteristic of that style.
TEXTURE
The surface quality of a material, as perceived by sight or touch
Every component of every floral design possesses some surface quality, whether it is smooth, coarse, waxy, rough, delicate, or velvety. A visual, as well as tactile experience, texture is emphasized either by contrast or by repetition. In floral design, textures are combined in certain ways in order to create interest and/or unity, and to communicate the emotional message of the composition. Consider the textures of a dainty, Victorian style bouquet, created for a young lady’s bedside table, as compared to those of an architectural, contemporary arrangement designed for the grand opening of a chic gallery; our experience tells us how these textures would look and feel, and each tells a different story. Just as with the other elements of design, the kinds and amounts of textural variations within a composition are determined by the choices of the designer, always with an eye for harmony. Too many different textures in one arrangement can be distracting.
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