Hitomi’s Mentor Session Notes

Compiled by Hitomi Gilliam | Photographs by Hitomi Gilliam

Hitomi’s Colour Study Review 

• Ways to use Colour Tools: Color Wheels & Charts to analyze color use in design.

• Understanding the effect of Grey Scale vs. Brown Scale to a Hue to analyze the different emotional temperature that results.

• Tactile 3D Colour Wheel made from foamcore - 12 cutout slices to make each hue with overlay of tints and shades as examples of variation.  Use of yarn as readily available color element to experiment with color.  Matching color of flowers to yarn sampling.

• Use of colored yarn as add-on element to mix into flowers to add color that strengthens the effect of the design.

• Use of yarn covered mechanics… such as Midollino Extenders, Tapestry Sticks, Wire Vine….

• Introducing Yarn covered Medallions, Balls & Wired cardboard sculptural pieces.

• Get creative with Color Teaching Tools that helps make sense of the Science of Colour Theory.  Ways to teach practical use of color.

• Make your own Colour Learning tools that makes best sense for you to use!

• Discussion on GREEN… does it count as color? Or as a ever-present color in floral design?

• Used as intentional color placement or part of the natural form of flower/foliage/stem.

QUESTIONS TO ASK??    

Do you always have to strip away all the leaves from flowers to make the pure color harmony?   If there are some leaves left on the stems or supported by some greens… does it change the color harmony analysis?  How much more green is allowed before the change in the color harmony analysis?  The science of definitive identification of color harmony is not always useful for understanding color play.

IDEA #1 - ALL WHITE BOTANICAL CANVAS (Achromatic Harmony)

The artful all white canvas is an assemblage of largely dried tropical foliage, spathes and infructescence. They were glued to the framed canvas and painted with 6+ coats of matte white paint. A 3D as is Botanical Art, or it can alternately be be flowered with fresh botanicals.

Showing the mechanics of how this canvas can soundly accommodate fresh flower placement… by adding the white yarn wrapped Tapestry sticks to the canvas. Keep the flower choice simple, clean and graphic.

Suggestion for Botanicals: White Mini Callas (Zantedeschia elliottiana) The mini calla stem ends are capped with Equisetum watertubes. Absolutely no foliage, it would add too much contrast. If I want to change the concept to use a foliage, I would use extreme contrast to make it a statement of opposition with intrigue… like a gorgeous grey green Alocasia amazonica.

2 Versions - MIDOLLINO EXTENDER ROUND NOUVEAU BOUQUET (Achromatic Harmony)

BOTANICAL LISTS: 

Version A: Phalaenopsis var.; Mini Calla (Zantedeschia aethiopica); Hellebores niger ‘Winter Bells’; Brunia albiflora; Rosary Vine (Ceropegia woodii): Tillandsia xerographica; Seeded Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea); Equisetum hyemale

Version B: Oriental Lily (Lilium orientalis); Ranunculus asiaticus; Mini Calla (Zantedeschia aethiopica); Hellebores niger ‘Winter Bells’; Lysimachia clethroides; Brunia albiflora; Rosary Vine (Ceropegia woodii); Tillandsia xerographica; Seeded Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea); Equisetum hyemale

SUPPLY LIST: White Midollino & wire vine (Yarn; Midolllino; Aluminum wire; Bullion wire; UGlu dashes) + couple of light grey yarn-covered vines, Oasis Floral adhesive (cold glue)

Prepare multiple lengths of Midollino extender and wire vines with white yarn wrap.  Shape them into the round decorative structure with Nouveau decorative tendril patterning.  All the binding is done with doubled up silver bullion wire.  Anywhere where secure binding is desired, use tan bindwire or white taped wire. Build the 2 layers of circles by lifting the bottom layer in several spots to attach the second layer to it.

The 2 different set of flowers give different effects.

Both have the same grey underlay of botanicals which do not need water source.  They can simply be cold glued to the structure.  They will all hold up for a week or more. 

Version A is more graphic design with repetition of circular shaping and visual flow of mini calla stems with equisetum capping to hold the water. The Phalaenopsis orchid blooms are cold glued to the structure to provide the focal emphasis. The addition of the thin white wire vine as overlay, also emphasizes circular movement. No binding point. This bouquet can be kept fresh longer by misting with water and covering with plastic between use to keep it hydrated.

Version B is a little more gardeny mix of flowers with all the flowers designed radially from the lilies in the binding point position. The mini calla stems with equisetum water tubes radiates from the binding point and moves out and downward.

There are 2 options in the care and handling of these flowers for a bouquet.  

1. The blooms can be cold glued as in the first bouquet and taken care by placing it in hydration box or plastic tenting and place in the cooler. 

2. Or the blooms are wired and taped and added into the bouquet as wired and taped bouquet. The care and handling of this style of bouquet is the same as above… hydration under tenting in the cooler.

3 Versions - SKEWERED BAMBOO IKEA SALAD BOWL  (Achromatic Harmony)

BOTANICAL LIST:

Version A: Mini Calla (Zantedeschia aethiopica); Ranunculus asiaticus; Hellebores niger ‘Winter Bells’; Lysimachia clethroides; Viburnum opulus; Tillandsia xerographica: Boxwood sprigs (Buxus sempervirens). 

Version B: Add into above…. Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus); Clematis virginiana floss

Version C: Add into above… more Carnations.

SUPPLY LIST: IKEA Bamboo Salad Bowl; Bamboo Skewers; Bindwire; Hot Glue; Chickenwire roll, Bullion wire, chenille stems

The bamboo skewers are drilled in through the bamboo bowl randomly and bound to each other with bindwire, criss-crossing to make a very sturdy structure to hold flower stems.  Drill holes only into the upper half of the bowl so it holds adequate amount of water. The structure creates a wreath like effect with center kept open so you can flower in the ring, or fill full. 

Create a small ring of chickenwire roll lightly filled with boxwood sprigs to fit under the wreath shape inside the bowl so the flower stem insertions don’t slide into the center, if the wreath shape is desired. 

Recognize that the bamboo bowl and bamboo skewers are neutral in color, in the natural brown scale.

Order of flowering:

Version A: Tillandsia xerographica leaflets are trimmed at the base to take away the stiff base, cut to a point, and rolled vertically into a pointed cone, wrapped tightly with silver bullion wire.  With the pointed end, these leaflets insert easily and cleanly anywhere…they do not have to reach the water source (they last for weeks looking fresh).  

The mini callas can be capped on the stem end with Equisetum segment filled with water and fitted tightly. These can be placed flowing through the bamboo skewer structure curvilinearly.  

The Lysimachia can also be kept hydrated in the equisetum watertube… but the stems are skinnier than the tube so in order to be able to be placed more horizontal, insert doubled V shape chenille to fill the gap in the tube. Fill the tube with water. 

Hellebores stems are very thirsty so their stem end must reach the water in the bowl.

Ranunculus stems also go to the water in the bowl. The placement of both Hellebores and Ranunculus blooms provides visual stops, the needed punctuation points for the visually moving linear flow of the stemmy components.

The Viburnum opulus heads are placed over the chickenwire/boxwood roll to cover the mechanics of chickenwire deep at the bottom of the bowl.  It is not designed to be a visually important component.

This is a very transparent design at this stage.

Version B: The addition of beige carnations is to introduce the same color as bamboo skewers and the bamboo bowl to keep the container and structure in the neutral color to keep it close to the achromatic harmony.  They are positioned very low in the structure on the inside, as an underlay. They cover the chickenwire mechanics, instead of the Viburnum in this version.

The Clematis floss is added like soft cloud providing the brown scale addition to support to keep it neutral and not a color statement.  This keeps the design in the Achromatic realm in the color analysis.

Version C:  Addition of more carnations throughout the whole design bringing more flowery result, and adding more richness with the additional neutral.  It raises the emotional temperature… it results in a much warmer feel.  It looks and feels less Achromatic with more warm beige bringing some color by quantity and by more visible placement on the top.

The theme of this exercise is to see when the Achromatic Harmony becomes a Color Harmony… using exactly the same material but the proportion has changed.

In this example…. It may be better described as Neutral Harmony. 

I showed the Orange and Peach yarn-covered medallion against this last arrangement….

If you use this color combination added to this last version…. we can transition this design into a Monochromatic or further into Analogous Color Harmony. 

VIOLET SAMPLER DESIGN (Monochromatic or Analogous?)

BOTANICAL LIST:  Anemone coronaria; Mini calla (Zantedeschia elliottiana); Statice (Limonium sinuatum); Stocks (Matthiola incana); Hydrangea macrophylla; Rose ‘Tiara’; Spray Rose ‘Silver Mikado’; Trachelium caeruleum

SUPPLY LIST: White ceramic cluster pot; Midollino & wire vine (Yarn, Midollino, Aluminum wire, Metallic wire, Bullion wire); Cardboard; Florist Wire 20gauge; Colored yarn: Waterproof tape; Floral Tape

Combination of Midollino extenders and yarn covered wires are bindwired to form a loose structure in and out of the small cluster ceramic vase. 

The yarn covered cardboard and wire mini sculpture on taped wire stem was created to augment and to unify the colors of the flowers that were available to combine in this small sampler design in the violets.

The short stems of roses, both ‘Tiara’ and ‘Silver Mikado are tucked low to provide physical and visual anchor to design the other less heavy headed stems.

Thicker longer stems of Stocks, followed by long statice.

Anemone and Hydrangea head, followed by Trachelium.

Add the unifying yarn sculpture – it possesses the blue violet as well as red violet.

Find the room for mini calla stem to wedge tight to make them stay in position so that it floats and visually flows over the design.

NEUTRAL BROWN SCALE-BASED BOUQUET STRUCTURE (Monochromatic Harmony?)

BOTANICAL LIST:  Rose ‘Tiara’, Rose ‘Fifth Ave. Mauve’, Spray Rose ‘Silver Mikado’, Tulip, Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), Limonium var., Dried Millet grass, Dried Stipa grass

SUPPLY LIST: 6” Holly Chapple Pillow; Foamcore ring; Balsa strips; Hot glue; Florist wire 18 gauge; Floral tape; Bindwire; Colored Yarn; Paper towel; UGlu dashes

Building the Bouquet Structure:

1. Cut a piece of foamcore into a ring shape which has the same size opening as the 6” pillow.  

2. Attach the Foamcore to the pillow by piercing the 18”gauge florist wire through the foam layer in and through pillow and through the foam layer on the opposite side. Do this perpendicularly again.

3. Cut the Balsa strips into squares.

4. Hot glue these squares randomly to tile both sides of the foamcore ring completely.

5. Bend the 18 gauge wire in half and run it vertically down through the middle of the pillow, and the floratape the double wire extension on the bottom side of the pillow.  This becomes the handle.

6. Add the yarn covered wire (neutral) as part of the structural point of attachment to the pillow. 

Order of Flowering:

1. Adding dried flowers, dried Millet and dried Stipa grass, can be placed ahead of fresh flowering as the underlay.  The bundles of Stipa grass provide soft and light wisps that add beautiful movement like soft brush strokes to the design.  

2. Add the beige carnations into the structure.  This completes the base structure in the brown scale-based bouquet template.

3. Add the soft peach tulips as extending linear elements.

4. Roses in 3 shades of soft violet are placed into the structure.

5. I placed the 3 tints of soft violet/pink yarn ball on wire into the focal area to help unify the colors of the fresh flowers. 

6. Add the Limonium to lighten and to add loose and airy texture to the design.

7. The lightness of the soft pastel colors of the flowers suit the physical lightness of the structure and the dried materials.

In this bouquet, the violet shows up as the color combined with neutrals.. Is it an expanded Monochromatic? or is it Analogous color harmony of light value tints?

WINTER MOMENT HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE REMAKE (Green as Neutral, or…)

BOTANICAL LIST:

Version A: Gerbera var.; Ranunculus asiaticus; Flax (Phormium tenax) 

Version B: Add Viburnum opulus

SUPPLY LIST: Ceramic rectangular planter; Black river rock; Yarn-covered Bamboo skewers; Silkworm cocoon; Hot glue; Silver bullion wire; Uglu dashes

Order of Flowering:

Version A

1. Split the flax down the middle to reduce the width to a better proportion to the design to be able to bend cleanly to insert into the structure with the whiplash effect.

2. Place the vibrant Ranunculus with its side buds on the linear stems to build linear flow through the structure and the flow of flax.

3. Place the Gerberas to physically balance the large flowers rhythmically side to side and front to back in between the Ranunculus blooms.

4. In every design without being calculated, we naturally use the Fibonacci numerical progression to create visually proportional balance and rhythmic placements.

5. The sequence 1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – etc.

6. These numbers are the most well used numbers for quantity of stems, quantity in the group, distance between stems or groups, to create sense of great rhythm and/or beautiful proportion. 

7. Even though I wanted to create a transparent design to showcase the details of the sculpture in this monochromatic version, the 2 flower types + foliage left something to be desired… The flax did not pose enough of a color to add green to this palette so it looked to be closer to a monochromatic harmony.

Version B

1. The addition of Viburnum green was more intentional… and the green became a color in this design in combination with the red violet, to become a complimentary color harmony.

2. Also the addition of Viburnum completes this transparent horizontal with the introduction of a softer, fluffy texture as contrast.

BAMBOO BOWL WITH SKEWERS – REMAKE (Complimentary Color Harmony+)

BOTANICAL LIST: Rose ‘Tiara’; Rose ‘Fifth Ave Mauve’; Gerbera var.; Viburnaum opulus; Hellebores niger ‘Winter Bells’; Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus); Limonium; Mini Calla (Zantedeschia elliottiona); Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

Red violet and Yellow green combination makes a Complimentary Color Harmony. How do you then account for the soft beige carnation in this harmony?  Is it part of the Neutral tied in with the bowl and skewer colors? and/or have connection to the pink Gerbera?  Do you see a little peach beige in it?  Is there enough for it to count as part of a color harmony system?  This covers half of a standard color wheel, beyond Analogous…

But yet the inclusion of that beige (brown scale) makes this color harmony more intriguing.  It adds an extra dimension.  A brown is a bridge, it’s a connector…. It adds warm neutral that flatters every color harmony. The magic muddy tone!!

To analyze the color harmony represented in a colorful floral composition to fit the scientific color terminology  leaves some of the nuances and magic beyond the less dimensional scientific approach to color.  There is an additional creative layer in the art of combining colors…  We can go beyond the typical textbook color harmony to explore the adventure to creatively extend the Color Harmony.