FLOWER ARRANGEMENT   353
ELEMENTS OF ART
Line and Form. The architecture of a flower arrangement
should be considered first by anyone who is creating or judging it.
The basic lines are the circle (or section thereof), the triangle, and
the rectangle. The basic forms are the sphere, the cone, and the
cube. These lines and forms are greatly modified in flower ar-
rangements, but in Modern compositions they are often geometric.
The form selected for an arrangement depends on the predominant
line of the plant materials to be used. A container is chosen which
carries out the same line movement, particularly that of the foliage.
The finished arrangement should appear one unit.
Regardless of the forms of flower arrangements the lines of all
of them may be compared to the lines of a leafless tree with its
branches radiating from the trunk. In a flower arrangement the
container takes the place of the trunk with lines radiating from it.
Just as the tree's branches become smaller at the ends, so the plant
materials should become smaller and farther apart at the extremi-
ties of the flower arrangement.
The silhouettes of flower arrangements should be well designed
and full of variety. Most compositions require at least one void
or opening in their outer boundary lines.
The forms of the plant materials are important too; three differ-
ent forms and sizes make a good composition. Large rounded
forms, like tulips, make excellent weight materials located near the
centers of arrangements. Long slender spikes, like larkspur, pro-
vide airiness and variation. Medium-she sprays of different shapes
give pleasing transition.
Texture. The surface and the structure of plant materials de-
termine their texture. Some flowers may be classified as delicate,
like sweet peas, coarse, like zinnias, or velvety, like roses; however,
plant materials have many other textures than these three.
Unity in texture is necessary between the flowers themselves and
also between the flowers and their containers. For example, roses
and columbines look well together, placed in a thin glass con-
tainer, because all the components have delicacy. A metal con-
tainer suits the texture of an arrangement of pussywillows, daffo-
dils, and blue spruce.