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Red symbolizes love and passion. Yellow conjures happy and bubbly vibes. White and blue evoke feelings of calm and serenity. In most visual art forms, the proper use of colors is fundamental in creating pieces. Floral design is no exception! Using color theory is the very first step in designing amazing floral arrangements. Before this, we discussed the origins and styles of different flower arrangements. Now, we'll tackle the basics of color and design in the art of floristry. We'll go much deeper into easy concepts like ROYGBIV. From there, we'll go over more complex principles of color combination.
Here's the quick rundown of the color theory that every florist in the industry needs!
Depending on how you want to use them, colors can be soft and gentle, bright and radiant, or quiet and somber. But whatever combination you use, it's vital to refer to the color wheel! This will help your floral pieces look more pleasing and gorgeous. There are three basic terms in color theory: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary colors are the three key parts of the color wheel - red, yellow, and blue. These are the only colors that aren't made from the mixture of other colors. Secondary colors are combinations of any two primary colors. Orange is the mix of red and yellow. Green is the mix of yellow and blue. Purple is the mix of blue and red. Tertiary colors are combinations of any primary color with any secondary color. Red orange, yellow orange, red violet, blue violet (indigo), and blue green (teal), are good examples of this.
It's important to use the color wheel in appropriate and unique ways. It can help speed up the process of selecting flowers, foliage and accessories. With this, you can create charming, harmonious arrangements and decor with ease. There are a million and one ways to mix your colors and styles to fit the theme and occasion! To launch your inspired flow of ideas, you can observe these four basic color harmonies. (Tip: Keep that color wheel in view for an easy reference point with these combinations.).
These are pairs of colors right across from each other on the color wheel. Examples include red and green, yellow and violet, and blue and orange. They create an interesting palette given their stark contrast to each other. This is excellent for forming intense or dynamic floral arrangements!
These schemes consist of three colors beside one another on the wheel. It creates the two most popular divisions of colors: warm (red, orange, and yellow) and cool (blue, green, purple). Florists match these color harmonies to various themes! Whether for somber moods or exciting motifs, they blend well to develop a flowing look.
On a strict budget? These arrangements are light on the pocket but enchanting to the eye! Simple yet luxurious, they suit any theme or occasion with ease. Known as "greenery", they add the beauty of nature's touch to any arrangement.
This scheme uses three colors in equal distance from each other on the color wheel. In floral arrangements, this appears in bundles of the primaries and secondaries. Florists often select subtler or lighter shades of the triad. They also go with a mix of rich and soft shades for a pleasing, balanced aesthetic. Want a more thorough guide on making floral designs for specific containers or occasions? Check out our two-part series on how to craft floral arrangements!
Read all about Flowers For All Occasions 101 in our next article.