NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENT SOCIETIES

The element of

Colour

colour abounds in nature and it is a highlyexpressive element of design to which the viewerresponds immediately and spontaneously.the human eye experiences colour physically,mentally and emotionally and colour relationshipspresent a compelling and exciting element toengage the senses of the floral artist. flowers mayhave sublime shapes and scents but initially oursenses respond to the subtleties of colour. It isemotive and personal, can be muted, intense,complex or illusionary and can be used tocreate mood, add interest, lend atmosphere orexpress the creative sensitivities of the arranger.

Knowledge of the theory of colour and anawareness of the effective use of this powerfulelement of design are invaluable to the flowerarranger. White light, when broken by a prism,reveals a continuous spectrum of colour, as in arainbow. the spectrum is represented in sixdistinct bands of red, orange, yellow, green, blueand violet. By joining the two ends of the bands,a circle is formed, creating a colour wheel withthe three equidistant primary colours of red,yellow and blue. Secondary colours are orange,violet and green – a mixture of any two primarycolours. Yellow/orange, red/orange, red/violet,blue/violet, blue/green and yellow/green are tertiary colours.

‘Praise be to e palee for e delights it fers’.Monochromatic colour schemes are relatedtints, tones and shades of one colour.Analogous schemes include two or more colourslying adjacent on the colour wheel but not morethan one primary colour is included in thisscheme. Complementary colours are thosepositioned opposite each other on the colourwheel. In polychromatic colour schemes wheremany different hues are combined together,harmony is more difficult to achieve unless tintsand tones are used.

Hue is the full intensity of one colour as distinctfrom another colour.

Chroma is the degree of intensity used todifferentiate between a bright colour and aduller colour of the same hue.

Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour.

each colour is further defined by the qualities oftint, tone or shade of which there are many.

Tint is a hue with white added, Tone is a hue with grey added,Shade is a hue with black added.

yellow

orange

redblue

blue-green

yellow-green yellow-orange

red-orange

red-violetblue-violet

green

violet

WASSILY KANDINSKY

The colour wheel• the first outer ring is the pure colour• the second ring is a tint• the third ring is a tone• the fourth inner ring is a shade

the element of colour 2

colour does not exist in isolation and interactsvisually with other colours in a design. Proximityto another colour may alter the perception ofthat colour, yellow flowers placed beside purpleones appear lighter and more brilliant and thepurple appears darker and richer. Bright redvibrates when placed beside yellow green. equal amounts of two strong colours canconfuse the eye byvying for attention and successfulcombinations oftendepend on the correctproportions. Greenfoliage calms andsoothes and createsareas of rest for the eyefrom the vibrancy ofbright colours. Greyfoliage has the powerto make pastel tintsmore intense and toneutralise strongertones and help brightercolours to blendtogether. Warmadvancing colours arered to orange to yellow,cool receding coloursare green to blue toviolet. Warm coloursappear hotter whenplaced near coolcolours.

lighter tints appear larger in size and lighter inweight. Darker shades appear smaller in sizeand heavier in weight and dark tones givedepth to a design. colours appear most normalagainst a grey background. colour cancontribute to the development of rhythm withrepetition encouraging the eye to travel throughthe design.

Arranger: Valerie GuestPhotograph: Valerie Guest

the element of colour 3

effective use of colour can be an essentialfeature in expressing ideas and furthering thetheme in interpretative exhibits with a change invalue or intensity further refining a meaning.colour can stimulate and create a variety ofemotions in the viewer with dark coloursportraying an introspective or sombre mood,yellow a feeling of gaiety and light valuessuggesting an up-beat mood. loud coloursstimulate rather than soothe, and strong, boldcolours can convey excitement or drama. cool and subdued colours are more passive and generate an atmosphere of tranquillity orcontemplation, however, colour associationshave both positive and negative connotations.

Yellow may convey cowardice or sunshine,Blue peace or depression,Purple opulence or decadence,Green harmony or envy,orange vibrancy or loudness,Black sophistication or evil,White simplicity or isolation,Grey wisdom or sadness,red passion or aggression.

colour can be used to convey the spirit of theage in period arrangements – the polychromaticjewel colours of the 16th century tudor times,the pastel tints of the rococo period or the darktones of the Victorian age.

the strong colours of the Victorian age

convey the spirit of the era

Arranger: Katherine KearPhotograph: Katherine Kear

the element of colour 4

Strong contrastsprovide immediatevisual impact inmodern designs andunbroken areas ofcolour are a strongdesign feature incontemporarydesigns. Pure colour isoften used in abstractdesigns to createmovement or dramawith dyed or paintedplant materialenhancing a design ifused with discernment.

colour, with all the sensations and emotionsthat it arouses, is often the most excitingelement of a design and a carefully controlledcolour harmony with mellow or modified huescan be as equally arresting as a strong blendingof colours. Inspiration for the effective use of

colour can come from observing naturethroughout the seasons with endless pleasurebeing derived by the floral artist fromexperimenting with colour and the fascinatingarray of tints, tones and shades that are to befound in nature’s palette.

Arranger: eileen BarracloughPhotograph: chrissie harten

the element of colour 5

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENT SOCIETIES

National Association of Flower Arrangement Societiesosborne house12 Devonshire Square london ec2m 4te

tel: 020 7247 5567 email: info@nafas.org.ukwww.nafas.org.uk

registered charity no.1101348

AcknowledgementsnAfAS wishes to thank all involved with the productionof this educational resource sheet.

edited by Katherine Kear

front page: Arrangement by John Paul DeehanPhotograph by marie Allen reproduced with kind permission of The Flower Arranger magazine

mission Statementthe national Association of flower Arrangement Societies (nAfAS) is an educational charitydedicated to the promotion of the artistic use of all types of plant material through themedium of its flower clubs for both adults and children.

nAfAS is concerned about the environment and members uphold the principles of conservationand preservation of rare and endangered plants and flowers.

With over 961 clubs and in the region of 45,000 members throughout the united Kingdom,nAfAS is in a unique position to encourage the art of flower arranging through demonstrations,classes, exhibitions, festivals and show work.

nAfAS is affiliated to the royal horticultural Society and is a founder member of the WorldAssociation of flower Arrangers.

Published in 2020 by thenational Association of flower Arrangement Societies.

no part of this publicationmay be reproduced in any material form withoutthe written permission ofthe publisher.

original text © 2007 moira macfarlane