The Principles and Elements of great design in floral art and flower arranging is finally now available in an exclusive CD, " Principles and Elements in Floral Design" with Ngaire Clarke. Try a lesson on each element and principle with a floral project to try, read more here. The feature illustrated here is dominance

"The emphasis of one part over another. The predominance can be in quantity, size, colour, density or position" from 'Flair' published by FASNZ.

Dominance is just that, a part of a design that dominates over the rest, in traditional work, or several areas that draw the eye in more modern design. Your eye will keep returning to this place of dominance. Traditionally this was the central part of the design, from which all other parts radiated.

In this modern design by Auckland Floral Artist Colleen Fernie, the red of the anthirriums  against the complementary colour, green, draws your eye, so this is the area of dominance.

The design on the left is by Laurel Frogley. It won Auckland Designer of the Year 2001. It seemed absolutely impossible to photograph with the green speckled carpet, the background windows, and the sheer height of the design. However we found a solution and photographed it in 3 parts! 

And why bother? Well besides being a wonderful piece of  work it  showed how an accomplished floral artist can make you keep looking at a piece of work for ages, and then go back for more. And it was all because of...dominance.

The top section used pink anthirriums as the dominant colour  with pink lilies to support that with the dark contrast of the purple stock. That is were your eye went first.

The middle section is seen clearly in the second photo. Two perspex cubes with shatter glass in the bottom of one, supported the top section. In the box was a purple ball of feathers with gold threat, gold glycerinated camellia leaves around it.

In the bottom photo you can see that below the perspex hung more gold camellia leaves on gold thread. None of this perspex section first attracted your eye and it was only after seeing the top and bottom that I noticed it. Then my eye saw all those delicious goodies, the purple feathery ball, the hanging threads, the vine wrapping around it all. It was all in recessive colours making you look long and deep.

Finally the bottom of the arrangement  was reinforcing the vibrant colour of the top, a second area of dominance. Pink King Proteas complemented the pink anthirriums and  loops of astelia. Once again the purple stock retreated into the background.

Wonderful, wonderful  work from a New Zealand Floral Art Teacher and Judge who has been designing for 30 years.