NoVLMUKit 28, 1911'. 



The Florists^ Review 



11 



THE ART OF FLOWER 

 i^ ARRANGEMENT i^ 



By FRED C. W. BROWN 



THE CONVENTIONAL IN AKT. 



Its Rules and Limitations. 



A\'e iiioet "with many different styles 

 of (lesij;;ns, and designers, in our worl\. 

 We iiud one store wiiere loose and airy 

 nork is always turned out, no matter 

 what the design, and in another i)lace 

 we find only close and severe outline. 

 It makes little difference Avhich form of 

 work you get your trade accustomed to, 

 or "what may be your manner of ar- 

 rangement, so long as you retain ]>ro- 

 portion, whether in a natural cluster or 

 a conventional design. 



Just here we should lii\e 

 word "conventional." 



to d(^line the 



What Is a Conventional Design? 



By a conventional design avc mean a 

 design that embodies in its detail a 

 principle of accurate proportion. Thus, 

 ;i wreath is a complete circle, and if it 

 IS divided into halves, the two parts 

 will be found to be equal in a general 

 way. A square, also, is conventional, 

 for it is comjiosed of four straight lines 

 lit equal length, joined together so that 

 The points are .at equal distances within 

 the line of a circle. .V triangle is the 

 >anie, only tiiat the lines and [loints are 

 ihrcc, as till' name implies, instead of 

 four. 



'I'lK'n lit us I'cnn nil'er iliat if we are 

 portraying sdine conxcnt ional design, 

 wi- must not wander too far .-iwiiy I'l-uni 

 "'w Miiyinal form. 



Mr. Brown will be pleased to answer, as this 

 series of articles progresses, any criticisms or 

 questions that may occur to his readers. The 

 first article of the series was printed in tlie issue 

 of October 10. The next installment will appear 

 in an early issue. 



The Inner and Outer Circles. 



In the illustration on the next page 

 we see a wreath th.it has lieeii l)uiit 

 all out of iiro2)0ition, though the con 

 \entional lines lia\(^ been retained. 

 The inner circle is fai' too small; there 

 is too great a difference between the 

 inner and outer circles. The eye is 

 ]ileased with the outer line, but between 

 its generous size and the snuill inner 

 space the difference is so great as to 

 (•aust! a lai'k of harmony. If W(> try the 

 etfect of greater innei- sjiat'e, as shown 

 in the upper ])icture on jiage J/., thus 

 commanding more respect for oui- 

 smaller circle, we shall lind the story 

 much better told arul the mind is not 

 taxed to make the connection between 

 such extreme differences. 



The observance of sucdi jirinciples is 

 iit the foundation of your work. Build 

 well your foundation, for on this <le- 

 pcnds the success of your finished ar 

 tide. 



An Unfortunate Tendency. 



There seems, tmfortunr.tely, at the 

 present time to be a tendency to o\erdn 

 wiiik, .and nuuiy of mir doigneis 1m^- 

 lie\e they ha\(' reached the iieigllt i<\ 

 I M'ri'eit KOI when tlie\ have taki.'ii the 



wire shape of some standaril furm and 

 so co\ered it that it is neccsstiry to se- 

 cure the services of an interpreter to ex- 

 |d;iin its nu'aning. We he;ir, in defense, 

 thai this is ''the modern method." 

 lint \(tii ;iri' not dealing with modern 

 principles; you may be dealing with 

 modern interests or high lights, l^it the- 

 principles of your foundtition are as old; 

 as the understanding of art by man, 

 N'our form is conventiotial, anil while- 

 yen us(^ the con\(>nt ional lorm for your- 

 Inundations _\'ou must retain its |jri.r.- 



ciples. 



Unrecognizable Without a Label. 



^'nii may wander as far as your fiincy 

 pleases in your opposition or high light, 

 sii long as you retain ))roportion, but 

 yen must be conventional in thiirgs con- 

 sent ional. .V designer's individuality 

 will show itself (;onspicuousl\- in his 

 opposition or higli light, but his igno- 

 rance will glare from a violation of the 

 conventional. You have your o[qiosi- 

 tion in which to work in your own 

 feeling, but your main body is some- 

 thing you are portraying. \)o it well, 

 or yon will find yourself in the class 

 with the lio\- who dr<'w a I'icture and 

 had to use for its title, ''This is a 



might 



ha\ ( 

 ■allei 



pig, ur it 

 lor a goat. 



We ;ire (d'tei 

 lliiral emlilems m ilic 



Sdciety di si^ll ur I'ad'^e. 



tile (jenia leK t h.-i I .-i t •■ ma 



been mistaken 



on to supply 

 form of some 



r.e faithful to 

 de (in \'ou. anil 



A Commendable Form for the Three Links Design. 



