I love the neat things that the various manufacturers and importers bring in to our industry. The various products and tools that are available to us as designers can bring a totally different look to our floral art.
And they are loads of fun to play with.
Good case in point, the various colored foams available courtesy of the Smithers Oasis Company. Oasis has always been on the cutting edge when it comes creating wonderful products for us to use in our designing.
The concept behiind colored foam is quite simple. Instead of hiding our foam mechanics with foliage or moss, why not let it work aesthetically as well as structurally? Let the foam itself become an actual part of the design to be viewed, instead of hiding it and having it work in the background.
With all kinds of bright and attractive colors, the creative possibilities are endless!
Wired Beads
The starting point in this design is with the glassware. There is no better way to show off colored foam than by placing it into a clear glass container. In this particular case, notice that we have taken the blue floral foam, and cut it into a variety of different size cubes. The folks at Oasis not only make the colored foam in brick shape, but also have powdered, cube and other shapes available as well to really facilitate these kinds of designs.
Start creating the overall form of this design with the football chrysanthemums.
Next place the carnations as shown in the photograph to fill in and round the design off.
Fill in with a few stems of pompons. This design is essentially a one sided piece. However it could easily be stylized to be viewed on all sides.
To create a counterpoint and visual interest, let's add some wired beads to the design. Some of the beads are worked lightly though the top section of the design around and through the flowers. They are then placed in a more concentrated fahion on the neck of the glassware.
The red beads provide great contrast not only to the flowers, but also the blue cubes as well.
Add some bear grass through the top of the design. Notice how some nice loops really give an interesting effect to the design.
The interesting thing about this design is that if you consider it, we are using everyday flowers. Chrysanthemums, carnations and poms are not extraordinary in themselves. The use of the beaded wire, interwoven bear grass, and most importantly the Oasis colored foam take average everyday things and transform them into something extraordinary!
I could see this one being used in a youngster's room.
It would work quite well for a kid's birthday party.
In fact it would be ideal for any large party or function where you need flowers for the buffet table and where you are looking for a very colorful, rather whimsical solution.
It is large, bright and showy. Best of all this one was quick and easy to make.
We hope that you really enjoyed this brief floral design lesson. At
Rittners Floral School in Boston we provide floral design instruction
that includes a wide range of different styles and techniques. Folks attend Rittners Floral School, because not only are we very, very fine floral designers, but also because we are outstanding teachers!! Please come and take one of our hands-on workshop programs!!
