Product Description

A Master Guide to the Art of Floral Design is a fresh new approach to an ancient art, one in which the flower itself is the ultimate teacher of color, form, composition, and every other aspect of design. Exquisite photography and illustrations combine with thoughtful, clear text to reveal the grace of flowers—first pictured alone in nature, and then beautifully arranged in designs reflecting both contemporary and more traditional styles. Great ideas abound, from arrangements to suit casual everyday home decor to stunning examples perfect for intimate entertaining or the most lavish wedding, and the authors offer useful information on the practical details of creating arrangements.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #906679 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 232 pages

From Booklist
An obvious love of the subject infuses de Jong-Stout's writing as she describes how shapes, forms, patterns, and textures found in the plant world reveal the key elements one calls upon when designing floral art. Opening chapters in this engaging manual of flower arranging expand upon the fundamental concepts and principles that guide all art making and design projects, and summarize the history of floral art. Compelling photographs and appealing drawings accompany instructive text that expands on an aesthetic approach to the finer points of composition. How-to guidance clarifies the mechanics of creating various bouquets, and a stunning array of contemporary arrangements from the simple elegance of a single stem perfectly paired with a vase to lavish centerpieces and Eastern-inspired associations of plant material. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Beautiful illustrations and excellent text. . . . One of the best books for designers with any degree of experience I have seen." -- Gay Estes, By Design, Magazine of the Garden Club of America, Fall 2002

"Beautiful photographs are both inspiring and objects in their own right. A book to drool over." -- Ann Milovsoroff, Pappus, Fall 2002

"Seldom have I come across such a fine guide explaining the important subjects for understanding the art of floral arranging." -- Els Hazenberg, Recipient, World Flower Council's "Floral Nobel Prize"

"The Year's Best Garden Books." Explains the basics of flower arranging without becoming too simplistic. -- Judy Lowe, Christian Science Monitor, December 4, 2002

"The book is most profound. . . . [The] photography, style and technique, and [the] correlation of proportion, form and shape are excellent." -- Dean White, Chairman of the World Flower Council

One of the most beautiful books to come along as well as one of the best 'how-to-do" books. -- Floral & Nursery Times, May 8, 2002

About the Author
Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alisa A. de Jong-Stout A.I.F.D. is internationally acclaimed as a floral designer and horticulturist. European-trained, she is widely recognized as an instructor and exhibitor of unique and exquisite floral design and has been the recipient of numerous international, national, and regional awards. She has taught for many years, including five at Merritt College, and is the owner of It Blommenhûs, a floral design and teaching studio.

With Hannah Sigur, M.A., The Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. An educator and writer with an expertise in Asian art, she has lectured for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and elsewhere. She lives in Berkeley, California.

Photography: Douglas Sandberg, with a twenty-year career as a professional photographer, was for eight years the director of photography at Butterfield’s Auctioneers. He is well known for his collaborations with graphic designers, artists, and book publishers. He teaches photography for The California College of Arts and Crafts from his studio in San Francisco, California.

Illustrations: Boris Jeanrenaud, with a degree in industrial design from the San Francisco College of Arts and Crafts and further studies in graphic design, is an award-winning lighting designer. He lives in Berkeley, California.

Customer Reviews

An Exceptional Guide
Nature provides us with all the elements and principles of design. Alisa deJong-Stout AIFD gives us the tool to learn the art of floral design from nature. A Master Guide to the Art of Floral Design equally emphasizes the creative and artisitc use of materials while using nature as the ultimate teacher. An exceptional guide for the novice and professional.

stunnin AND informative
What a gem! Beautiful concepts and clear 'how to's' make this indispensable. Worth every penny. A beautiful gift.

from a novice
This is a glorious book! I never will look at a flower in the same way again. The author gives us the tools to examine every aspect of a flower, such as form and shape, light and color, accompanied by exquisite, instructive photographs.

As a total novice, I came away virtually tutored, with a new appreciation of design and materials. I know professionals will gain much from the insights in this beautiful book.

The author's concise and instructive writing, along with the perfectly positioned pictures in the text, enlighted the reader as to the ultimate teacher--Nature--residing in each plant.

I highly recommend this book and plan to buy more for gifts.