Just Right! Floral Art demonstration: Too Cold!

21 August 2012
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This is the first design I did for my Just Right! Floral Art demonstration at the BC Floral Art Society club meeting

My easy technique was using wood glue to add wool to the design.

My four designs explored the Goldilocks Principle and how designers can use it to keep their enthusiasm for their floral art work alive.

When we are designing, it is possible to be influenced by extremes. On the one hand, if your work becomes predictable and you remain in your comfort zone you will become bored with your designs,or if you work in the opposite extreme and your work is always too hard to do you will become frustrated and give up.

What you want is to find your own Just right!

Design 1: Too cold! ... in my comfort zone.

Floral Art demonstration design Too Cold.

It is our "porridge" design. We all have a staple technique.

An all too easy "go to" technique that you know well and can always rely on.

But if you are honest with yourself you have to admit that after a while it leaves you rather cold, knowing you can push further.

The aim is to avoid being bored with your own work- it means it is too easy for you to do.

Phalaenopsis or Moth orchids flutter casually through the long stems of wild grass.

Phalaenopsis or Moth orchids flutter leisurely through the long blades of wild grass

It is a very casual, easy going design. In fact, only the Phalaenopsis orchids save the design from looking like it was discovered in an overgrown field at the end of summer.

Wool details add texture and interest to the informal design

Driftwood nestles onto the glass bottles. The bottles are filled with water keeping the grass and all but a single orchid hydrated. The tiny wayward orchid flutters to the edge of the design in its own drinking straw test tube.

A sure sign for me when I am in my comfort zone is when I don’t even bother to take a picture of my design

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Tutorials

21 August 2012 Driftwood beavers lodge

Stack and glue driftwood to rest on bottles to create a frog to keep thin blades of grass neatly in place

21 August 2012 Wool Wire

Create a rigid but fuzzy wool covered wire

21 August 2012 Fuzzy Wool bottle detail

Wood glue not only glues the wool to the bottle but it also makes the wool makes the wool inflexible.

21 August 2012 Wool finish Styrofoam base

Fast and easy way to create a base to rest a few vases or bottles on.

4 January 2011 Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need. If you can't find a suitable drinking straw... I also have an upgrade: tiny food grade pipe water tubes.