Allied Florists of Houston Focus on Design - Armatures The Framework for Great Floral Designs by Beth O'Reilly AIFD

Welcome to Focus on Design. I am delighted to provide this month's installment on a topic that is one of my personal favorites - the art of armatures.

A fantastic way to add interest to any design is through the use of armature. An armature is a framework that is created to support the arrangement or add visual interest. Armatures also add a sculptural quality, indicating craftsmanship and discipline. The great thing about armatures is that they can be simple or complex. They can be completely covered up or used as a skeleton, left bare and showing.

There are a plethora of materials that can be used for making armatures: vines, sticks and twigs, bamboo, wire, chicken wire, hardware cloth, polystyrene, stems, and even grasses. The possibilities are endless. It's all in the execution and practice is the key, so let's get started.

A simple way to utilize this technique is to create a skeleton. The mechanics of the framework are left bare and actually become part of the arrangement, revealing its importance to the overall design. The first two designs featured below utilize this technique. As long as the mechanics are kept clean, this can become one of the most interesting types of arrangements.

The first is a technique called “binding to vases”, where I used bamboo, split at the ends and tightly bound it to the lip of a vase with wire and pliers. After binding several sticks, I then began to see an organic, free-form structure take form. I built upon the structure, paying close attention to line movement until the skeleton was complete. Flowers and greens were then water tubed and wired into the design. Everything was left showing, even the wire and water tubes.

Photo & Design: Beth O'Reilly AIFD

The next skeletal design was done in competition. The canopy framework was made out of dried river cane and set inside of a vase. Clean stemmed asiatics were then inserted atop the canopy and other flowers and foliage filled the grid work below to complete the design.

Photo: Dov Kupfer AIFD Design: Beth O’Reilly AIFD

As we move onto covered armatures, it's important that your mechanics are hidden. You want people to look at that arrangements and wonder how it is put together. Tell tale signs of glue or wire will take away from the drama. After all, keeping the viewer guessing is part of the awe. Here are two examples of covered armature floral designs.

In both instances, a lot of time was spent on mechanics and covering the forms. I used floral foam, polystyrene, re-bar, fiberglass and pvc in the armatures. Both of these designs were done for an art opening. The first was suspended from the ceiling and the second used a sleek chair to showcase the design. You can't see any of the materials I mentioned above, but they are all in there somewhere. Button mums were the primary flower used for covering and create a textural quality as well. Sculptures like these are a major project and are well worth it for those with a passion for unprecedented designs.

Photo & Design: Beth O'Reilly AIFD

Designers: The Flower Studio
Photo: Lisa Shepard

I want to cover one more technique for making armatures in this issue and that is the use of metallic wires. They can not only be used for creating armatures, but they can also add a jewelry making quality. These wires are a great way to create a support for bouquets and can be translated into everyday arrangements by using them in the same fashion. Speaking of fashion, take a look at our final example.

Photo: Sterling Images Designer: Beth O'Reilly AIFD

This bouquet was made by first creating the wire structure. Florist Review magazine is a great resource for learning these bouquet techniques. I was inspired by a bouquet featured on the cover of their 2006 bridal bouquet issue. Basically, you start by making a wire weaving like the one shown below. Leave the spokes long and then begin to spiral them in. Beads and accents can then be added for extra embellishment.

After you construct the holder, attach an Oasis igloo to it with the same wire. Make sure you cover the back of the igloo with foliage or ribbon to hide the plastic. Then insert your flowers. It's a good idea to use cold oasis glue or stem lock when inserting your blooms so that they stay secure. Brides are always looking for fashionable flowers and this is one way that the florist can add the perfect piece of art for her to carry.

I would encourage every designer to polish up their skills in the art of armatures. It is a great thing to add to your repertoire and a useful skill to possess. I hope to spark some inspiration for those designers searching for new challenges. I believe in floral design as an art form and hope to bring it to the status of high art and not just craft.

I graduated with a BFA in Fine Art, Sculpture and I can't emphasize enough how useful techniques in armature making can be. I find myself time and again going back to some of the basics I learned in my sculpture classes. The bottom line is it's great to be able to carry the sculptural techniques I have learned into my floral design and vice versa.

Look for more articles on this subject to come. Armatures are one of my passions and I love pursuing the challenge of seeking out new and exciting ways to incorporate them into the floral design world. Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or comments please contact me at beth@cobyneal.com

See Beth's recent SAFD program at "The Art of Armatures"

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