Transformation of floral material
Transformation is a change in shape, that is, transforming it in the required direction: rounding, stretching, increasing or decreasing in size, using individual parts. In floristry, transformation is widely used to create new forms, textures and images.
One of the first works in the transformation technique was the production of glamelia. Modern florists widely use the transformation technique in a wide variety of ways. At the same time, the plant, losing its individuality, acquires new qualities as a material. For example, petals or leaves twisted into tight tubes, flowers mounted on wire, branches cut into circles - these are completely new elements from which you can create unusual, very interesting and expressive compositions.
The technique of material transformation is indispensable when creating floral textures. By creating new textures from individual plant elements - leaves, stems, petals, seeds, and combining different materials, you can achieve truly amazing effects.
Plants. Features of cutting and care.
Restoration of living plants.
Maidenhair
The plant is cut in the phase of fully formed fronds. Their ends are burned or dipped in boiling water.
Azalea
Cut at the stage of several flowers. The ends of the shoots are split 2-5 cm, cauterized or dipped in alcohol for a few seconds. You are supposed to spray the plant with water and add water to the vase.
Silver acacia
After cutting, the ends of the stems are crushed and placed in boiling water so that the buds bloom faster. Otherwise, they will wrinkle and dry out before opening. The plant does not like dry air. If the flowers shrink, they are held over steam to make them fluffy again. Mimosa should be placed in hot water and the inflorescences should be sprayed with cold water.
Alstroemeria
Cut at the stage of dissolution of several buds. The stem is broken off from the rhizome and then trimmed. Cutting costs 5-10 days.
Amaryllis (hippeastrum)
Cut at the stage of the first blossoming flower. The ends of the hollow stem are immersed in hot (50 ° C) water for 10-15 minutes. To allow air to escape from the stem, it is pierced from above, and before placing it in a vase, water is poured into the stem and the cut itself is plugged, for example, with cotton wool. Each cut flower lasts 4-6 days.
Anemone
Cutting is done when the petals are colored and fully developed, but the flowers are only half opened. The stems are cut and scratched. It recovers and blooms well if the entire stem is immersed in water.
Asparagus
It is recommended to prune in hot water; leave the plant in it for 5 minutes, and then put it in cold water. Before arranging, it is necessary to wrap it in damp paper or, after tying loose bunches, lower it deep into water. The freshness of greens lasts longer in a cool room.
Aster
Cut off when the inflorescences are at least three-quarters open. It is imperative to remove leaves from the entire stem, as they wither earlier than the flowers. Then the stems are cut, and alcohol is sometimes added to the water. At night, it is recommended to place the plants in a sugar solution - 0.5 teaspoon per 1 liter of water. It is necessary to update the slice before this. If the flowers fade ahead of time, they are immersed in water up to the head overnight and placed in a cool room.
Begonia
After cutting, the ends of the stems should be sprinkled with salt or dipped in alcohol.
Verbena
The ends of the stem should be sprinkled with alum before placing in a vase.
Viola (violet)
After cutting, the flowers are tied into bunches and immersed in water for several hours so that the stems become elastic. To preserve the scent of the fragrant violet, after immersing it in water, you need to wrap it in parchment paper and, in this form, lower it into cold water. Plants last for 4-7 days when cut.
Carnation
Cutting is carried out in the phase of half-opened, colored buds. Flowers should not be cut, but broken off in the area of the thickened node. After this, it is recommended to keep the plants in warm water for 3-5 hours, after removing the lower leaves. Promotes long-lasting preservation of flowers by placing them in a 2-5 percent sugar solution, adding in. alcohol water or 1/3 aspirin tablet. Can be sprayed with water. If such measures are observed, the tenderloin costs more than 15 days.
Dahlia
Cutting is carried out when the flower is fully or 2/3 blossomed. It is recommended to burn the ends of the stems, dip them in boiling water for 15 minutes or sprinkle them with salt. You can add a little vinegar to the water with the plants. Water is injected into the hollow stem with a syringe or a cotton wick is inserted. Flowers should be sprayed generously with water.
Geranium
After cutting, be sure to remove the leaves and split the stem or burn its end. To maintain its decorative appearance, it is useful to immerse the plant in cold water at night. When cut, it lives for 5-8 days.
Gerbera
The stems are not cut, but pulled out at the base when the inflorescences have fully blossomed and pollen appears on them. The stems are trimmed and immersed in warm water (18°C) for 1 hour until the base of the flower. Also, plants can be kept in salted water for 0.5 - 1 hour or the ends of the stem can be cut by 4 - 5 cm in hot water (60°C). To better allow water to flow into the stem, it can be pierced at the bottom and top with a needle or cut along the bottom. It is necessary to frequently change the water and renew the cut. It is recommended to add alcohol or sugar to the water - 2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water. If plants wilt due to the stems becoming soft and drooping, they should be revived in a container of water, the depth of which should be greater than the length of the stem. In this case, the stem will not touch the bottom and after 1.5-2 hours it will become elastic and slender again. Cut flowers last 7-10 days.
Hyacinth
After cutting, the ends of the stem are split along their length. To preserve the smell during storage, plants need to be wrapped in parchment paper. If flowers fade prematurely, the stem must be treated with hot water. When cut, it takes 5 - 7 days.
Hibiscus (Chinese rose)
After cutting, the ends of the stem must be broken with a hammer. It is recommended to place the plant in alcohol or a weak sugar solution.
Gladiolus
Cutting is carried out after the first lower flower has fully opened. It is even recommended to cut the plant in the middle of the day, when the flower has faded slightly. If cutting is carried out in the morning, it is recommended to keep the flowers for half an hour without water so that their tissues soften and thereby delay the opening of the buds. Then, to speed up the blooming of flowers, you need to tear off the top buds. After pruning, the stems are split and placed in water at room temperature overnight. It is recommended to place them in a vessel so that the stems do not touch the bottom, otherwise they will bend. Inflorescences and leaves can be sprayed with water. To extend the life of plants, it is recommended to add aspirin or activated carbon (1 crushed tablet per 1 liter of water), potassium permanganate or citric acid (several crystals per 1 liter of water), ammonia or camphor alcohol (a few drops per 1 liter of water), table salt to the water or boric acid (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water). Each cut flower lasts for 2 days, and all inflorescences last for 7 - 10 days.
Wisteria
After cutting, the end of the stem should be placed in alcohol for a few seconds.
Hydrangea
Cutting is carried out during the period of almost complete blossoming.
To extend the life of quickly fading flowers, the ends of the stems are split by 2 - 3 cm and immersed for 30 seconds in boiling vinegar, alcohol or boiling water to a depth of 5 cm, then cauterized and placed in cold water. You can also put the plants in water with vinegar for 0.5-1 hour. Before placing in a vase, it is recommended to completely immerse the flowers in water for 1.5-2 hours so that they become elastic. Then the stems need to be scratched or notched by 5–6 cm.
Dicentra (broken heart)
The plant is cut when 4-5 flowers have bloomed on it. The stem should be slightly cut before placing it in water.
Sweet pea
Cutting is carried out when the inflorescence is three-quarters open. To prolong the life of flowers, they are dipped in alcohol for a few seconds, and then placed in a 1.5 percent sugar solution (2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water). It is not recommended to spray the plant.
Iris
Cutting is carried out at the first blooming flower. The stem must be cut before installation in water. When cut, each flower lives 1-2 days, and the entire inflorescence 7-9 days.
Calla
You can cut it at any stage of flowering, but if cut, the flower will not fully bloom. The ends of the stems need to be trimmed and placed deep in cold water. It is recommended to cut off not only the end of the petiole, but also the outer edges of the leaf blades, and then immerse them in water for 1 hour. Plant cuts are sprinkled with salt, alum or ash and renewed daily. To ensure better absorption of water, it is injected into the stem using a syringe. Inflorescences last 10-15 days.
Calendula (marigold)
Cutting is carried out in the phase of half-opened buds. Before placing the plant in water, excess leaves must be cut off and the stem scratched.
Canna
Cutting is carried out at the stage of half-blooming inflorescences. It is recommended to cut the end of the stem lengthwise and place the plant in water with vinegar for 0.5 - 1 hour.
Clematis (clematis)
Flowers are cut when they are three-quarters open. After cutting, the stems and leaves are placed deep in water. To restore the freshness of plants, use alcohol or vinegar (a few drops per 1 liter of water). The cut can be sprinkled with salt or immersed in alcohol, as well as menthol oil.
Cosmea
The cutting stage of the flower does not affect the duration of preservation in cut flowers. You can cut the plant both in the bud stage and in full bloom. It is recommended to rub salt into the cut; you can also immerse it in salt water for 0.5 - 1 hour.
Crocus
After cutting the ends of the stem, it is recommended to immerse it in alcohol for a few seconds.
Lily of the valley
You need to get off when the lower flowers have bloomed and all the buds have turned white. In order to preserve the aroma during storage, the flowers are wrapped in paper. It is not recommended to place plants in a sugar solution. Cuttings can last for 3-7 days.
Levkoy
Cutting is carried out when the inflorescence is three-quarters open. The plant can be pulled out of the ground by the roots. After this, you need to remove the leaves, split and mash the end of the stem and place the plant in very cold water to a depth of 5-7 cm. In case of premature wilting, it is recommended to trim and split the ends of the stems in hot water. If you want to speed up the opening of the buds, this can be achieved by pinching the top. A cut flower lasts 5 - 12 days; as for double forms, they last even longer.
Lily
Cutting is carried out during the period of blossoming flowers.
It is recommended to split the ends of the stems by 3-5 cm and
immerse in cold water. The anthers on the stamens need to be plucked out so that the flowers are not contaminated with pollen and bloom longer.
Lupine
Half of the flowers in the inflorescence are cut off during the opening phase. Excess leaves must be removed, the end of the stem should be split and placed in cold water overnight. The plant likes to be sprayed with cold water.
Poppy
Cutting is carried out when the bud cracks. It is recommended to cauterize the end of the plant and immerse it in alcohol for a few seconds or in boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes. Instead of these procedures, you can rub a mixture of salt and alum in a 1:1 ratio into the cut.
Daisy
Cut when the inflorescence is half open. The end of the stem must be burned immediately.
Muscari
Cut when the inflorescence is half open. It is recommended not to cut the plant, but to carefully pick it. Trim the ends of the stem and place in cold water. When cut, they last for 3-5 days.
Narcissus
Cut off in the phase of a formed colored bud. It is recommended to pick, but not to cut. To prevent juice from escaping from the stem, the plants need to be lowered with the inflorescences down, and it is also necessary to treat the cuts with warm or hot water. Before using in the composition, flowers must be kept for 24 hours in cold water. To prolong the life of flowers, you need to add sugar (10 grams per 1 liter) or salt to the water. Spraying with water is recommended. When cut, it lasts 5 - 7 days, and in a cold room - 7 - 10 days. The shelf life of the plant depends on the type and variety.
Nasturtium
Cutting is carried out during the period of half-blooming flowers. After cutting, the end of the stem must be dipped in alcohol. To prolong the life of the plant, it is recommended to add salt to the water.
Orchid
Cut after the flower has fully opened. It is recommended to place it in warm water, change it often and regularly trim the end of the stem to 1 - 2 mm. After trimming, you can dip the cut in alcohol, then add a few drops of it to water. Spraying plants is not recommended.
Ferns (adiantum, nephrolepis)
After cutting, the ends of the fronds (leaves) of the adiantum should be held over a candle flame or dipped in boiling water. Frequent spraying with water is necessary.
Peony
Cut during the period of colored buds. After cutting, it is necessary to remove excess leaves, cut the ends of the stem and split them by 5 cm. If you need to restore the plant, it is placed in alcohol for a few minutes; if this is not required, it is placed immediately in cold water, where the buds open to the desired state. If the flowers were in the stage of strong and full opening when cutting, the ends of the stems should be immersed in hot water for 10 - 15 minutes, and then in cold water, and the flowers close. The cut lasts for 7-8 days.
Primrose
Cutting is carried out during the opening phase of half the flowers in the inflorescence. It is recommended to split the end of the stem slightly. Flowers should be stored in warm water until used in the arrangement. When cut, they live for 5 - 8 days, but the lifespan depends on the type of plant.
Poinsettia
Cutting is carried out in the phase of full blooming of inflorescences. After cutting, the end of the stem must be burned over a flame or cut in hot water so that latex - milky juice - does not release.
Mignonette
The inflorescences are cut off when they are three-quarters open. It is recommended to burn the ends of the stems.
Rose
Cutting is carried out during the period of colored buds, when the first two sepals are bent. After cutting, you need to remove unnecessary leaves and thorns, split the end of the stem and then immerse it in water for 1.5 - 2 hours. To prolong the life of plants, add aspirin to the water - 1/2 tablet per 1 liter, calcium chloride - 5 g per 1 liter of water. To revive the flowers, the stems are cut by 4 - 5 cm in water and their ends are split, and each flower is wrapped in paper. After this, the ends of the stems are treated with hot water for several minutes and then placed in cold water. At night, roses must be placed in a deep vessel in water, immersing them right up to the flowers. You can first wrap the plants in paper. It is recommended to spray the flowers with water. Lifespan with proper care is up to 10 days.
Lilac
Cutting is carried out during the period when 2/3 of the flowers bloom in the inflorescence. The ends of the stems need to be crushed with a hammer or split with a knife, then remove 3-4 cm of bark from them under water. All leaves and side shoots must be removed, but do not throw away, since the gus can also be used in the arrangement. After all these activities, the plant must be immersed in water overnight, covering the inflorescences on top with damp newspaper. It is advisable to carry out this procedure every night. You also need to spray the lilac with water, quickly immerse the entire inflorescence in water and daily renew the cut and knead the ends of the stem. To renew wilted inflorescences, they must be placed in hot water. It can sometimes be stored as a cut for more than 7 days, but the period depends on the variety.
Tulip
Cut at the stage of colored bud. After cutting, the plants should be wrapped in paper, placing the flowers at the same level, and stored in a cool place and in cold water. To prevent the buds from blooming prematurely, thin elastic bands or strips of plastic film are put on them. Wilted flowers can be revived by dipping the ends of their stems in warm water for a while, and then keeping the plants in a cool room and cold water for 1 to 2 hours. The lifespan of flowers depends on their membership in garden groups. When cut, they last 5-11 days.
Phlox
Cutting is carried out when half of the flowers have bloomed in the inflorescence. You need to split the end of the stem and lower it deep into cold water. To revive the plant, it is immersed in salty hot water. When cut, it lasts 10-12 days.
Freesia
Cutting is carried out when the first buds bloom in the inflorescence. The end of the stem should be cut 2 - 5 cm along. Store in damp paper. To prolong the life of the plant, it is recommended to take it out into a cool room at night, and to maintain freshness, spray it with water. When cut, each flower lives for 2 - 3 days, and the entire inflorescence - 10 - 12 days.
Chrysanthemum
It is necessary to cut when the inflorescences are fully open. It is recommended not to cut, but to break out the stem. Its the end
it is supposed to be split or broken into 5-10 cm in length. When installing in a vase, the lower leaves must be removed. To prolong the life of the plant, add ½ tablet of aspirin to the water. You can revive wilted flowers in hot water by adding sugar - 1.5 - 2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water. They are kept in this water until it cools down. After this procedure, the cut is renewed and the plant is placed in a vessel with cold water. Costs 20 when cut
days.
Cyclamen
The plant is not cut, but the flowers and leaves and tubers are broken out so that there are no residues. The stems need to be scratched lengthwise with a needle, but not all the way, otherwise the end of the stem will begin to curl. After this, it is recommended to keep the plant overnight in cold water. To revive the flowers, you need to renew the cut of the stem and scorch it for 10 - 12 seconds, and then immerse it in cold water for 1.5-2 hours. There is another way: immerse the cut in alcohol and then in hot water. When cut, it takes 5 - 7 days.
Cineraria
Cut off when more than half of the flowers in the inflorescence have bloomed. Excess leaves must be removed and the stem split. It is recommended to prune the plant in warm water, then it will last longer.
Zinnia
Cutting is carried out when the inflorescences are fully bloomed. It is necessary to remove the leaves from the stem and split its ends. When cut, it lasts for 7 - 8 days.
The leaves of some potted plants can also be used for cutting. The leaves of calla lilies, sansevierias, dracaenas, aspidistras, monsteras, palms, and begonias retain their fresh appearance for a long time. It is recommended to wash these leaves with water after cutting and split the end of the petiole. When using begonia leaves, add salt to the water - 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.
When using branches of flowering and evergreen shrubs (mock orange, forsythia, ornamental plum and apple trees, etc.) in cutting, their ends after cutting are split or kneaded to 3 - 10 cm in length, sometimes the bark is also removed 5 - 8 cm from the end of the stem . Excess leaves are removed. Before arranging, the branches are stored in warm water. In order to revive the branches, their ends are dipped in boiling water for 10 - 15 seconds, and then in cold water. It is necessary to ensure that steam does not get on the flowers and leaves. Mock orange branches can be dipped in menthol oil. It is recommended to add glycerin to the water where branches of bushes and trees stand - 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.
About the compatibility of cut flowers
Some plants mutually influence each other, and the influence can be both beneficial and detrimental. This influence is explained by the release of “harmful” or “useful” substances into water or air. This must be taken into account if you want to preserve cut flowers longer. Sometimes you have to abandon some flower arrangements or destroy successfully created ones in order to prolong the life of individual plants.
Incompatible flowers
Roses, carnations, daffodils, lilies, and poppies cannot tolerate the presence of other flowers. They last longer if they stand alone in water.
Cut roses release metabolic products into the water that are toxic to other types of flowers, and thereby accelerate their withering. The scent of roses is detrimental to cloves. Roses of different varieties are also incompatible. For example, tea roses quickly die if they are in the same vase with dark red ones.
Daffodils placed together with tulips, roses, freesia, irises, and carnations have an unfavorable effect on each other; lilies - with cornflowers, poppies, daisies. If you still decide to use
When arranging daffodils with tulips or other flowers, it is necessary to soak them in water for 24 hours.
Mignonette, sweet peas, bird cherry, orchids, and lilies of the valley have a bad effect on other plants. You cannot put lilies of the valley and violets together, as the violets will quickly die; with lilies of the valley in one bouquet, tulips and forget-me-nots will quickly wither. Yellow primroses should not be combined with muscari or other primroses. Roses, lilies of the valley and sweet peas will not last long in one vase. The withering of flowers is accelerated by branches with sea buckthorn berries and apples, as well as fruits located next to the flowers. This is due to the fact that the fruits emit ethylene. This gas strongly affects carnations, roses, lilies of the valley, sweet peas, freesia and snapdragons. Ethylene is also released by leaves affected by fungal diseases and wilted fallen flower petals.
Tobacco smoke also causes cut plants to wilt.
Compatible flowers
There are quite compatible flowers, and even plants that mutually contribute to prolonging life. For example, a branch of cypress or juniper standing nearby not only lengthens the life of tulips, but also makes their color more intense.
Tulips and thuja, nasturtium and thuja have a beneficial effect on each other.
Roses and lilies support each other. The aroma of roses is enhanced by the proximity of ordinary onions.
Lilies of the valley will retain their freshness for a long time, and their aroma will increase if several stems of fragrant woodruff or a sprig of jasmine are placed in the same vase with them.
Cyclamens favorably influence the faded color of calceolaria, changing it from dull brown to bright red.
Floristic techniques
Floral work can be performed using various techniques,depending on the purpose of the work and the effect the florist wants to achieve.
Floristic technique is a way of working with material, its modification.
Highlight: 
- Natural stems.More often used for bouquets.
- Artificial stems
or Taping technique
(). Made on artificial stemsbouquets
for brides, such as Biedermeier or English bouquet. This is important when the bouquet needs to be held in your hands for a long time, it turns out to be light. Technique: the flowers are first soldered with water or a solution, each flower is placed on a wire, wet cotton wool or toilet paper (wildflowers) is added, and covered with tape. The stems are collected only in parallel, without twisting. The handle, assembled from wire stems, is taped and decorated with ribbon. But you need to remember that flowers do not last long (12 hours).
Used when adding orchid flowers to bouquets. - Sticking technique
for compositions or for a bouquet on a portaquet. The bouquet holder is an oasis placed in a plastic frame with a handle. You can make any bouquet, with outlier elements or asymmetrical.
The sequence of assembling the bouquet:
- soak oasis
- strengthen the handle with wire to keep the lid in place
- determine proportions and shape
- decorate the oasis with greenery, place the flowers at an angle of 45 degrees, the lower flowers are splinted.
- drain the water by turning the bouquet over
- decorate the handle, add decor
4. Mixed media . The work is performed using several techniques, for example, live and artificial stems, + weaving. This technique is used when you need to do work with complex outlines or falling outliers.
9.Stringing technique – putting decorations or berries on stems and branches.
10. Tying technique .
11. Transformation technique
material - modification of the material so much that it is difficult to recognize. For example, making glamelia.
12. Pinning technique. Pin the leaves to the wreath using pins.
13. Technique of filling with gelatin, polyurethane foam...
Methods for arranging material in works:
- Radial method – plants in a bouquet are collected in a spiral on natural stems. An ideally executed bouquet should stand without support on a plane. The compositions are assembled in such a way that it visually appears that the plants emerge from one point.
2. Parallel method
– the stems are placed parallel to each other. Bouquets are collected from bunches of plants tied together, each bunch is contrasting in color, texture or shape, at its own height. In compositions, the stems are placed parallel to the chosen direction. Bouquets and compositions can be high or low, they must stand and the flowers reach the water. For the beauty of the lines, expensive exotic flowers are added. Ties - tourniquet, rope, raffia (bows are not made). You can use stones and candles. The center of the bouquet or composition is at different levels: above, below, in the middle.
3. Free way. Plants are arranged freely, naturally, without following strict rules. You can create the impression of an overgrown garden or forest clearing.
1. Visual means for creating a decorative composition: dot, line, spot.
At the initial stage, students can be given simple tasks that use only two colors - black and white. With the help of lines and spots, students can depict anything - plants, animals, insects, trees, household and interior items, people. The main condition is that they use only contours and silhouettes. That is, they drew with a line and filled the silhouettes with a solid color - in our case, black. Such a limitation will encourage them to develop imaginative and associative thinking. There are no intermediate tones - dark gray, light gray..., no volume. Also, you can first give the task to use only the line. And then give a task in which you can use only a spot (silhouette). 
Afterwards, you can combine both line and silhouette. Such exercises help develop imaginative thinking, which is the basis of decorative art. In a decorative composition, a planar solution is most often used, where there is no volume and space. Therefore, the above exercises will be of great help to novice artists in the beginning of mastering the decorative arts.
2. Rhythm in compositional structure: symmetry, asymmetry, statics, dynamics, condensation and discharge.
In the previous tasks, students will be faced with the need to place outlines and silhouettes in a way that is interesting. So that there is no emptiness in the sheet, and it is not crowded. This is where it will be necessary to explain to novice artists about rhythm. Rhythm can be seen in the alternation of shapes, colors, different tones, in the alternation and placement of various objects, which means rhythm is everywhere - both in easel composition and in decorative ones. Like rhythm in music, rhythm in art brings life to a composition. If, for example, tree trunks are placed in a drawing at the same distance from each other, then it will be boring and unnatural. And if you draw one tree closer to another, a third further from the previous one, then a kind of melody is formed: closer - further, larger - smaller, rarer - more often... The same applies to a decorative composition.
It is also very important to convey rhythm in the sizes of various objects. For example, in a still life, objects are most often placed according to this rule: large, medium, small. That is, objects must be of different sizes, different sizes. This makes the production interesting and dynamic. The same “rule of three dimensions” can even be applied to a tree drawing. For example, the spaces between the leaves of a tree, i.e., the gaps where the sky is visible, can be tiny, medium-sized, or very large. The branches of the tree will be small, medium, large. And here you need to not just copy a tree from life, but be guided by this rule and even change the nature somewhere, not copy it.
It should also be noted that there are two main types of compositional construction - symmetrical and asymmetrical. Symmetry is when the right and left sides are the same. Asymmetry is when they are different. If we apply this to a composition, then the compositional center can be located in the literal center of the sheet, or it can be shifted to the right or left. Thus, the artist can create a feeling of dynamism (movement) in a composition, or he can create a feeling of staticity (stillness). After all, symmetry is associated with staticity, and asymmetry with dynamism. Using this principle, you can create the most interesting rhythms in any type of composition - both decorative and easel.
3. The concept of image. Stylization and artistic transformation.
An image is a semblance of a reproduced object, where only some of its characteristics are conveyed. Let's take a drawing of a cat as an example. If in an easel composition the artist can literally depict it, repeating the silhouette in detail with all the details and giving it volume, then in a decorative composition the artist can highlight a number of features characteristic of cats and convey only them in the drawing. For example, these could be the curves of a cat's back, which the artist can easily draw with only a few conditional lines, without depicting all the details of the figure. Or it could be a triangle, the shape of which is the basis of a cat's face. Here the artist will simply place several spots of paint in the shape of a triangle, and as a result the character of the cat will be guessed. As a result, we see only a few features that allow us to recognize a cat in the image. Others, such as the color of the cat's fur, the detailed pattern of the eyes, and the nostrils of the nose, will be missing. But an artist can do the opposite. Convey the pattern of the cat's fur, draw the eyes in detail, but ignore the shape of the cat's face, the shape of the curve of the back, etc.
The approach described above underlies such a technique as transformation of form and its stylization. For example, the same cat's face can be “assembled” from geometric shapes. Or you can create its silhouette from abstract spots, strokes, lines, dots, etc. That is, the artist transforms the drawing. Changes and transforms it. But the character of the depicted object remains recognizable. The way artists and designers do this has a lot to do with their creative thinking. When using fundamental stylization techniques, you should try to avoid templates. The main methods of transformation include creating a silhouette according to the shape of a generative line. A formative line is a line underlying the shape of an object. For example, a jug from a still life has a certain shape, which is not similar to the shapes of other jugs. The artist notices the character of this form and repeats it, but in a stylized and transformed image of the jug. That is, such a transformation will be based on a formative line. The author can translate this line into geometric shapes, abstract spots, etc.
A good example of transformation and stylization is the creation of signs and logos. Let me give you an example of a sign based on the silhouette of animals. For example, it will be a lion. When creating an icon, the designer can repeat the silhouette of the lion as it is. Or it can be composed of triangles or other geometric shapes. He can also depict a lion with just one line, which either thickens, then becomes thin, or even disappears in some areas of the drawing. After all, a sign is a conventional and simplified form of the object that is depicted. But the character of this object should be well guessed. This is the essence of transformation and stylization. The artist brings the literal image to some style. For example, he can compose an image from vertical strokes of paint or vertical strokes. It will look like rain. All elements of the drawing will be depicted only with vertical strokes and lines. If this is a still life, then the draperies, and jugs, and cups, and boxes - everything will be worked out only with vertical strokes. The result is a unified style in the elaboration of still life. This is just one of the possible styles. And there can be a huge number of them. Moreover, style can manifest itself not only in the nature of the stroke or smear of paint. Style can be manifested in how the silhouette is solved - with a “chopped” straight line, a rounded line, rectangles or other geometric shapes. That is, the style will be visible in the nature of the silhouette shape itself. Further, these silhouettes can be simply painted in one color, or they can be filled with patterns or textures. And here we come to the next stage in the work on the decorative composition - the development of silhouettes.
After the artist has created the main objects of the composition through stylization and transformation, they should begin to decorate them. What does this mean in practice? For example, the proposed work contains silhouettes of a decanter and an apple. They can be painted entirely with just one color or filled with texture (this will be discussed in point No. 5). But you can divide the internal space of the silhouette into several parts. The shape of these fragments may be different, but if it is based on a generative line that repeats the shape of the jug (see above), then it will look guaranteed harmonious and good. For example, our imaginary water decanter will have an elongated neck and a wide bottom. In a similar way, we can break the entire silhouette of this decanter into several parts. They will also have elongated tops and a wide, squat base. That is, the character of these fragments will be similar to the character of the entire form. Next, these fragments can be filled with color, texture or ornament. By filling the inner emptiness of the silhouette in this way, we will give it special expressiveness and beauty. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the silhouette of the jug is not completely filled with texture or painted over with paint, but those fragments that we have already created inside this silhouette of the jug are painted over. Thus, the jug will consist of intricate figures, which are further developed with paint or texture. This doesn't mean, however, that you can't simply fill the entire silhouette with one color or pattern with texture. But this will be too boring a solution, which is better used together with the one we are discussing.
In addition to the objects themselves, we still need to decide the background on which our imaginary decanter and apple are located. But here you need to remember that in a decorative composition the background will be conditional. It does not have to be a table and a wall. It can be abstract and consist of fictitious decorative elements.
When filling objects and backgrounds with decorative elements, you also need to remember about the predominance of any motif. If you imagine a composition of triangles, rectangles and circles, then one of these figures should be the main one. The decorative filling of the silhouettes here can also consist of ornaments with rectangular, triangular and round motifs. But one motive must be predominant and basic. If the main thing in the composition is a triangle, then it is reasonable to make the main motif of the decorative design of the silhouettes a triangular motif.
5. Texture and texture.
In a decorative composition, the image most often does not have chiaroscuro, but is flat, that is, conditionally decorative. With this solution, the artist can simply paint the desired fragment of the drawing with one color. But you can also fill this fragment with texture. This will enliven the work. Texture (from the Latin “textura”) - means the appearance of the surface, which depends on the internal structure of the material: wood, stone, plaster, brick, fabric, glass, paper, etc. That is, in fact, it will be a drawing from fibers, inclusions, streaks..., which is determined by the internal structure of the material. Texture (from the Latin “factura”) means the appearance of the surface, which depends not on the internal structure, but on the nature of the processing. For example, glass will be smooth and glossy. The paste applied to the canvas with a palette knife will be embossed and “greasy”. And fiberboard sanded with sandpaper will be matte.
In actual work on a graphic decorative composition, these textures and textures can be obtained in different ways. Even with an ordinary pencil, you can work out the plane with “clumsy” shading, dotted, dotted... You can take a toothbrush and spray paint. You can take a hard bristle brush and rub it with liquid paint - the result will be an imitation of wood fibers. You can also glue pieces of fabric, textured paper, paper with a texture pattern applied to it, threads, leather, wallpaper, etc., etc. But here you need to be careful. A certain performance technique must be chosen in the composition. This will be the style of the technical solution. And if you mix various performance techniques as if “your hand takes it,” you may end up with a cacophony. Therefore, you should not get too carried away with the technical side of things. It happens that it is better to introduce one or two textures, and simply paint over the rest (in easel painting the word “paint” is not used because it will have a negative connotation, but the word “write” is used, but in a decorative composition this word is quite acceptable). Therefore, a sense of proportion is important in the use of textures, just as it is necessary in any other area.
This topic needs to be highlighted specifically. If only because it is not clear to everyone. But that doesn’t make it any less important. The fact is that artists usually create their creations based on some images and forms from the real world that surrounds us. If we talk about decorative composition, then the silhouettes of objects and objects from what surrounds us are taken as a basis: household items, animals, plants... Further, the authors can transform these forms. But for such a transformation you need to have associative thinking. That is, to create a new image you need to be able to think abstractly. And here a non-objective associative composition will come to the rescue. This is a composition in which there are no real objects. That is, the artist depicts only abstract fantastic forms that can only vaguely resemble something from the real world. When we see something, and at the same time some images or memories come to mind, this is called an association. If an artist has developed such associative thinking, then he will not have problems with transformation, creating an original image, or the creative process. Therefore, the above topic is very important in composition lessons.
But it's not just about developing creative thinking. Any decorative composition can contain not only stylized forms, but also abstract design elements. Take, for example, an ornament based on a plant motif. If these are flower petals, then in addition to them, there may be some abstract oval shapes, or intricately twisted lines. If we consider a decorative still life, then in it, next to, for example, a jug, there may be some polygons, stripes, zigzags and the like. But this is an abstraction.
7. Mood in a decorative composition.
Works of fine art affect the viewer's feelings like music. They can evoke different emotions in people. This is especially applicable to abstract non-objective associative composition. When a person contemplates a work in which nothing specific is depicted, then the imagination begins to work in it and the senses become involved. If the picture depicts swiftness, speed, flight, then the viewer will feel it. If there is joy, fun, peace, then the viewer should feel the corresponding emotions. But how can an artist convey the mood in general and in a decorative composition in particular? Many people believe that it is enough to draw something like a bouquet of flowers against the background of a sunny sky - and a joyful mood will be conveyed. And although such a bouquet will indeed convey joy, it will not be enough. Here, in addition to the plot, you need to include color, tone, rhythm, shape and its location. That is, if you depict a bouquet of flowers in brown colors, in similar gray tones, in the center of the sheet, with the same size buds, then such a still life is unlikely to cause an abundance of joy. And if you take advantage of the contrast of yellow, orange and blue flowers, build a dynamic composition, where the central bud will catch the eye, and other flowers fade into the background, where a flow of sunny color will be felt, where the shapes will be rhythmically arranged in the leaf - then indeed, such a still life will cause a lot of positive emotions, a feeling of joy and emotional uplift.
When they say that color can influence feelings, this is intuitively clear to most people. But how can a form convey any mood? Let's imagine three geometric figures: a circle, a square and an elongated non-equilateral triangle. Which of these figures will evoke a feeling of swiftness, movement, or restlessness? Most likely it will be a triangle. After all, our triangle has a pointed shape, as if piercing space and rushing forward. A circle and a square have a clear center equidistant on all sides. That is, they are more balanced, therefore more associated with calmness than with movement. Thus, we see that in addition to color, the shape of objects can also influence the emotional perception of works of fine art.
But besides color and shape, there is also tone and arrangement of objects in the composition. How do they affect the transmission of mood? A few words about tone. If you place black and white next to each other, they will create contrast. If dark gray and light gray, then they will look soft and will not attract much attention. This tonal contrast or lack thereof can also be used to convey a mood.
If we talk about the arrangement of objects on the sheet, then let's remember that there are static and dynamic compositional solutions. Statics is often based on symmetry, and dynamics on asymmetry. Therefore, the way objects are arranged on a sheet can also convey different sensations. But besides symmetry and asymmetry, there are other manifestations of compositional solutions. For example, if you arrange the objects of the composition in turn from large to small, then the movement will fade, as if narrowing, moving from large to small. But if, on the contrary, objects are arranged from small to large, then such expansion will be associated with increase and development. Likewise, the condensation or decongestion of objects in a composition can convey a certain movement or mood. For example, yellow autumn leaves may occasionally appear on the right side of the picture and become more and more frequent on the left. The result is a condensation of objects on the left and a discharge on the right. This “flowing over” can also convey different sensations. For example, the feeling of the wind blowing or a feeling of lightness.
P.S. When working on any decorative composition assignments, students should understand and apply the fundamentals above. They are applicable to a variety of areas of fine art and to a variety of tasks in decorative composition in particular. Below I provide a list of sample decorative composition and design basics activities that teachers can use in their work.
List of sample topics for assignments on decorative composition in art school and art college:
- A composition of three geometric shapes - a circle, a square and a triangle.
- Composition “Ornament”
- Composition “Decorative still life”
- Composition “Ornamental plant”
- Composition “Decorative animal”
- Composition “Decorative fish”
- Composition “Decorative insect”
- Creation of a sign and logo
- Font composition “Letter-image”
- Composition “Decorative wall in the interior”
- Costume modeling
- Package design
- Layout
- Layout of a decorative composition based on a plant motif (flat-relief and three-dimensional)
- Showcase design layout
- Layout of packaging design solution
- Mock-up of an interior design solution (flat-relief and three-dimensional)
Lesson No. 8.Drawing from life
Goals and objectives: Drawing from life of a flower with a stem from a herbarium or copying a botanical drawing. A4 format, pencil, gel pen. The drawing takes up ½ sheet.
Presentation is graphic.
Homework: making sketches of plant forms.
Lesson No. 9.Silhouette
Goals and objectives: Planar image of the selected object. Transferring the characteristic features of a flower. Cutting off the unnecessary and insignificant.
Presentation is graphic (use of spots).
A4 format, pencil, ink, felt-tip pen, white paper. The drawing takes up ½ sheet.
Homework: execution of silhouette options for plant forms.
Lesson No. 10.Transformation of an object's shape
Goals and objectives: Changing the silhouette shape of an object by changing the proportions of the object:
· relative to the vertical axis (expansion, compression);
· changing the proportions of an object relative to the horizontal axis (stretching, flattening);
· changing the proportions between the main structural elements within the depicted object.
Presentation is graphic (using spots and lines).
A4 format, brush, felt-tip pen, white paper.
Homework: performing additional options for transforming plant forms. The diversity of living and inanimate nature is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for a creative person. Only in contact with nature does a person experience its beauty, harmony and perfection.
Ornamental compositions, as a rule, are created based on the transformation of natural forms.
Transformation is a change, transformation, in this case the decorative processing of natural forms, generalization and highlighting of the essential features of an object using certain techniques.
Techniques of decorative processing can be as follows: gradual generalization of the form, adding details, changing the outline, saturating the form with ornaments, transforming a volumetric form into a flat one, simplifying or complicating its design, highlighting the silhouette, replacing the real color, different color schemes for one motif, etc. .
In decorative art, in the process of transforming a form, the artist, while maintaining its plastic expressiveness, strives to highlight the main, most typical, abandoning secondary details.
The transformation of natural forms should be preceded by sketches from nature. Based on real images, the artist creates decorative ones based on creative imagination.
The artist's task is never reduced to simple decoration. Each decorative composition should emphasize and reveal the shape and purpose of the object being decorated. Her style, linear and color solutions are based on a creative rethinking of nature.
Transformation of plant forms into ornamental motifs
The richness of the plant world in its forms and color combinations has led to the fact that plant motifs have long occupied a dominant position in ornamentation.
The flora is largely rhythmic and ornamental. This can be seen by looking at the arrangement of leaves on a branch, veins on a leaf, flower petals, tree bark, etc. At the same time, it is important to see what is most characteristic in the plastic form of the observed motif and to realize the natural connection between the elements of the natural pattern. In Fig. 5.45 shows sketches of plants, which, although they convey their image, are not an absolute copy. When making these drawings, the artist traces the rhythmic alternations of elements (branches, flowers, leaves), while trying to identify the most important and characteristic.
To transform a natural form into an ornamental motif, you must first find an object that is convincing in its artistic expressiveness. However, when generalizing a form, it is not always necessary to abandon small details, since they can give the form greater decorativeness and expressiveness.
Sketches from life help to identify the plastic features of natural forms. It is advisable to make a series of sketches from one object from different points of view and from different angles, emphasizing the expressive aspects of the object. These sketches are the basis for decorative processing of natural forms.
To see and recognize an ornament in any natural motif, to be able to reveal and display the rhythmic organization of the elements of a motif, to expressively interpret their form - all this constitutes the necessary requirements for an artist when creating an ornamental image.
Rice. 5.45. Life sketches of plants
Rice. 5.49. Transformation of the plant motif. Study work
In Fig. Figure 5.49 shows examples of work on the transformation of plant form using linear, spot and linear-spot solutions.
Considering the features of the transformation of plant forms into ornamental motifs, it should be noted that the color and flavor of natural motifs are also subject to artistic transformation, and sometimes radical rethinking. The natural color of a plant cannot always be used in an ornamental composition. The plant motif can be solved in a conventional color, a pre-selected color, in a combination of related or related-contrasting colors. A complete rejection of the real color is also possible. It is in this case that it acquires a decorative convention.
Transformation of animal forms into ornamental motifs
Drawing animals from life and the process of transforming their forms has its own characteristics. Along with sketches from life, an essential factor is the acquisition of skills in working from memory and from imagination. It is necessary not to copy the form, but to study it, memorize its characteristic features, so that later you can generally depict them from memory. An example is the sketches of birds presented in Fig. 5.50, which are made by line.
Rice. 5.50. Sketches of birds from memory and imagination
Rice. 5.52. Examples of transforming the shape of a cat's body into a decorative motif.
Study work
The subject of plastic reinterpretations of animal motifs can be not only the figure of the animal, but also the varied texture of the cover. You need to learn to identify the ornamental structure of the surface of the object under study, to feel it even where it does not appear too clearly.
Unlike fine arts, in decorative and applied arts the identification of the typical occurs in a different way. The features of a specific individual image in ornamentation sometimes lose their meaning, they become redundant. Thus, a bird or animal of a particular species can turn into a bird or animal in general.
In the process of decorative work, the natural form acquires a conventional decorative meaning; this is often associated with a violation of proportions (it is important to clearly understand why this violation is allowed). The figurative principle plays a significant role in the transformation of natural forms. As a result, the motif of the animal world sometimes takes on the features of a fairy-tale, fantastic quality (Fig. 5.51).
The ways of transforming animal forms are the same as plant ones - this is the selection of the most essential characteristics, exaggeration of individual elements and rejection of secondary ones, achieving the unity of the ornamental structure with the plastic form of the object and harmonization of the external and internal ornamental structures of the object. In the process of transformation of animal forms, such expressive means as line and spot are also used (Fig. 5.52).
So, the process of transformation of natural forms can be divided into two stages. At the first stage, full-scale sketches are made, expressing in a precise, concise graphic language the most characteristic features of the natural form and its textured ornamentation. The second stage is the creative process itself. The artist, using a real object as a primary source, fantasizes and transforms it into an image built according to the laws of harmony of ornamental art.
The ways and principles of transformation of natural forms discussed in this paragraph allow us to conclude that an important, and perhaps the main point in the transformation process is the creation of an expressive image, the transformation of reality in order to identify its new aesthetic qualities.
Lesson No. 11.Geometrization of shape
Goals and objectives: Reducing a plant object (flower) modified in shape to the simplest geometric forms:
circle (oval);
· square (rectangle);
· triangle.
Presentation is graphic.
A4 format, felt-tip pen, white paper.
Homework: implementation of additional options for geometrization of plant forms.
Section 3. Color science
Color characteristics
Lesson No. 12.Color wheel (8 colors)
Goals and objectives: Introducing students to the color wheel and color as an artistic material. Making a color wheel with eight colors. A4 format, gouache, paper, brushes.
Homework: Perform graphic markup format for quick classroom work in the next lesson.
5. Color in a decorative composition
One of the most important compositional and artistic-expressive means in a decorative composition is color. Color is one of the main components of a decorative image.
In decorative work, the artist strives for a harmonious relationship of colors. The basis for composing different color combinations is the use of color differences in hue, saturation and lightness. These three color characteristics make it possible to build many color harmonies.
Color harmonic series can be divided into contrasting, in which colors are opposed to each other, and nuanced, in which either colors of the same tone, but of different shades are combined; or colors of different tones, but closely located in the color wheel (blue and dark blue); or colors similar in tone (green, yellow, light green). Thus, harmonious color relationships that have slight differences in hue, saturation and lightness are called nuanced.
Harmonic combinations can also produce achromatic colors, which have only differences in lightness and are combined, as a rule, in two or three colors. Two-color combinations of achromatic colors are expressed either as a nuance of tones that are closely spaced in a row, or as a contrast of tones that are far apart in lightness.
The most expressive contrast is the contrast between black and white tones. Between them there are various shades of gray, which in turn can form (closer to black or white) contrasting combinations. However, these contrasts will be less expressive than the contrast of black and white.
To create harmonious combinations of chromatic colors, you can use the color wheel.
In the color wheel, divided into four quarters (Fig. 5.19) at the ends of mutually perpendicular diameters, the colors are located respectively: yellow and blue, red and green. Based on the harmonious combination, it is distinguished into related, contrasting and related-contrasting colors.
Related colors are located in one quarter of the color wheel and contain at least one common (main) color, for example: yellow, yellow-red, yellowish-red. There are four groups of related colors: yellow-red, red-blue, blue-green and green-yellow.
Related-contrasting colors
are located in two adjacent quarters of the color wheel, have one common (main) color and contain contrasting colors. There are four groups of related-contrasting colors:
yellow-red and red-blue;
red-blue and blue-yellow;
blue-green and green-yellow;
green-yellow and yellow-red.
Rice. 5.19. Scheme of arrangement of related, contrasting and related-contrasting colors
A color composition will have a clear form when it is based on a limited number of color combinations. Color combinations should form a harmonious unity, giving the impression of coloristic integrity, the relationship between colors, color balance, color unity.
There are four groups of color harmonies: .
single-tone harmonies (see Fig. 26 in color on);
harmonies of related colors (see Fig. 27 on color on);
harmonies of related and contrasting colors (see Fig. 28 on color on);
harmony of contrasting and contrasting-complementary colors (see Fig. 29 on color on).
Monochromatic color harmonies are based on one color tone, which is present in varying quantities in each of the combined colors. Colors differ from each other only in saturation and lightness. Achromatic colors are also used in such combinations. Single-tone harmonies create a color scheme that has a calm, balanced character. It can be defined as nuanced, although contrast in contrasting dark and light colors is not excluded.
Harmonious combinations of related colors are based on the presence in them of admixtures of the same main colors. Combinations of related colors represent a restrained, calm color scheme. To ensure that the color is not monotonous, they use the introduction of achromatic impurities, that is, darkening or lightening of some colors, which introduces a light contrast into the composition and thereby contributes to its expressiveness.
Carefully selected related colors provide great opportunities for creating an interesting composition.
The richest type of color harmony in terms of coloristic possibilities is a harmonious combination of related and contrasting colors. However, not all combinations of related and contrasting colors are capable of creating a successful color composition.
Related-contrasting colors will be in harmony with each other if the amount of the main color uniting them and the number of contrasting main colors in them are the same. Harmonious combinations of two, three and four related and contrasting colors are built on this principle.
In Fig. Figure 5.20 shows schemes for constructing two-color and multi-color harmonious combinations of related-contrasting colors. It is clear from the diagrams that two related and contrasting colors will be successfully combined if their position in the color wheel is determined by the ends of strictly vertical or horizontal chords (Fig. 5.20, a).
When combining three color tones, the following options are possible:
Rice. 5.20. Schemes for constructing harmonious color combinations
if you inscribe a right triangle into a circle, the hypotenuse of which coincides with the diameter of the circle, and the legs take horizontal and vertical positions in the circle, then the vertices of this triangle will indicate three harmoniously combined colors (Fig. 5.20, b);
if you inscribe an equilateral triangle into a circle so that one of its sides is a horizontal or vertical chord, then the vertex of the angle opposite the chord will indicate the main color that unites the other two located at the ends of the chord (Fig. 5.20, c). Thus, the vertices of equilateral triangles inscribed in a circle will indicate colors that form harmonious triads;
The combination of colors located at the vertices of obtuse triangles will also be harmonious: the vertex of the obtuse angle indicates the main color, and the opposite side will be a horizontal or vertical chord of the circle, the ends of which indicate the colors that form a harmonious triad with the main one (Fig. 5.20, d).
The corners of rectangles inscribed in a circle will mark the harmonious combinations of four related and contrasting colors. The vertices of the square will indicate the most stable version of color combinations, although characterized by increased color activity and contrast (Fig. 5.20, e).
Colors located at the ends of the diameters of the color wheel have polar properties. Their combinations give the color combination tension and dynamism. Harmonious combinations of contrasting colors are presented in Fig. 5.20, e.
All physical and psychological qualities of color, the principles of building color harmony, are necessarily taken into account when deciding on a decorative composition.
Test questions and assignments
1. What two groups can color harmonic series be divided into?
2. Tell us about the options for harmonious combinations of achromatic colors.
3. What are related and related-contrasting colors?
4. Name the groups of color harmonies.
5. Using the color wheel, name the options for multi-color harmonies.
6. Make up colors of monochromatic, related, related-contrasting and contrasting color combinations (three options each).
Lesson No. 13.Basic color groups
Goals and objectives: Identify the main groups of colors based on visual impression:
· red,
· yellow,
· green.
Compose shades of the main color groups.
Considering the age of the students, the color scale can be made in an unusual form, for example, in the form of a tree leaf divided by stripes.
The tasks are completed on A4 format with gouache paints.
Homework:
Lesson No. 14.Saturated and desaturated colors
Goals and objectives: Changing color saturation by three levels by adding white and black paints (for the main group of colors).
A4 format, gouache, brushes, white paper.
Homework: performing graphic format markings for quick work in the classroom, performing specified color compositions (similar to work in the classroom).
Lesson No. 15.Dark and light
Goals and objectives: Separation of colors into dark and light: cut out all available shades of colors and lay them out on a medium gray background, while:
· all colors that appear lighter than the background to the eye are light;
· all colors that appear darker than the background to the eye can be called dark .
Assignments are completed on A4 format, applicative.
Homework:
Lesson No. 16.Warm and cold
Goals and objectives: Determination of warm and cool shades of color:
· arrange all available colors on a medium gray background;
Divide into two groups - warm and cold;
among the colors one can distinguish thermal poles (blue is cold, and orange is warm).
The tasks are completed on A4 format using fingerprint.
Obtaining warm-cold shades of color: stretch any color (except “polar” ones) into warm and cold sides.
A4 format. Color presentation. Gouache, paper, brushes.
Homework: implementation of specified color compositions (by analogy with work in the classroom).
