Allied Florists of Houston Focus on Design - Dov E. Kupfer AIFD Competition Designs

With the 2007 Texas Cup Preliminaries just a few weeks away, I thought it might be helpful to give a brief judge's perspective on what he or she looks for when evaluating a design in competition. As a past winner of the Texas Cup, the WesTexas New Mexico Silver Cup and most recently the Jerry Dorsey Memorial Design Competition and the instructor for the professional floral design classes at El Paso Community College, I feel my personal insight into competition designing and evaluating might benefit in some small way, any designer entering competition.

I have been a judge for several design competitions including the Texas Cup and the Student Competition at AIFD Symposium in the last few years. I always found it helpful for me to ask the judge what he or she looked for when evaluating and scoring my design work. With this in mind, here is my view on judging designs and what I look for in a competition piece.

First and foremost is the overall appearance of the design. Is the design proportionately correct? Size and balance are two of the elements I look for in a design. Does the size fit the category and is the arrangement balanced, so visually it is pleasing to the eye. Is the design unique and exciting or is it same old and normal, without much thought and creativity? Unique and creative designs will score higher than everyday, common looking ones. The more creative the piece is and the use of exciting and new techniques, will garner a higher evaluation.

Next is focal point and rhythm. Does the design have a strong focal emphasis that leads the eye directly to it and does the rest of the design flow smoothly from one point to the next? Designs that are correctly done have strong focals with rhythmic flow.

Line is also an important element I look for when evaluating a design. Are the lines definite or do they cross or intersect? Definite line gives a design strong character. If flowers are placed in a vertical line, then they must be absolutely vertical and not deviate from that line. Same with horizontal, diagonal and curved lines. Any slight deviation from the intended line creates an imperfect line and the design loses its integrity. Crossing or intersecting lines tend to make an arrangement look messy and uncontrolled. There are times when such lines are used in design for emphasis, but competition designs should be clean and controlled.

Color is another element I look for when judging. Does the designer have a strong sense of color and do the chosen colors go with each other? Knowledge of the five basic color combinations allows a designer to create a competition piece that is pleasing to the eye and that is well color coordinated.

Lastly, but most important is mechanics. I cannot tell you how many design pieces I have judged that looked really good but had bad mechanics. No judge wants to see foam showing, raw untaped wires, plastic handles, or plastic cage backs. All of these should be completely covered in some fashion, be it with mosses, foliage, ribbon, or similar materials. Being careful with your mechanics can make the difference between a design that looks good but is mechanically lacking or a design that looks great and is mechanically sound. The beauty of the design can be diminished by bad mechanics, and the score of the piece lowered. Extreme care with mechanics will make the design a true competition piece.

I hope this little bit of insight into judging, from my perspective, helps those designers who enter a competition, have a better sense of what is looked at in a design piece. I wish each competitor good luck and may all your future competitions be successful ones.

When you look for a florist, look for the Allied Florist logo - your assurance of Professional Quality and Service.

Allied Florists of Houston

The Association of Professional Florists

Focus on Design
A Judge's View - Competition Designs
by Dov E. Kupfer AIFD

Allied Florists of Houston

The Association of Professional Florists

Focus on Design A Judge's View - Competition Designs by Dov E. Kupfer AIFD

Focus on Design
A Judge's View - Competition Designs
by Dov E. Kupfer AIFD