Flower Color Theory

Total joy! I like to paint watercolor florals. These 2 Phaidon books are my favorite references for flower shapes and colors. The floral arrangements are stunning and would challenge any florist. The pictures are mounted on stark white gloss paper backgrounds. The books open flat on my printer screen, and I can enlarge them for bigger paintings. My favorite feature is the sidebar color swatch for each bouquet. It is helpful in choosing the color mixes for each arrangement. The Flower Color Guide isolates each flower for more detailed view of the floral structure. Flower Color Theory combines the flower in amazing arrangements. Both these books are recommended for painters and gardeners. The small size of both books is a boon for keeping my desktop free of clutter. They are both 5x7. Both books are inspiration for gardeners too.

As a seasoned florist, I recently delved into the world of "Flower Color Theory," and I must say, it has been a game-changer for my floral arrangements. This guide is an absolute gem for anyone in the floral industry, whether you're a novice or a seasoned professional. First and foremost, the comprehensive nature of Flower Color Theory is commendable. It goes beyond the basics, offering in-depth insights into the psychology of colors and how they evoke emotions. This knowledge has been invaluable in creating arrangements that not only look stunning but also resonate with the intended sentiments. The guide beautifully breaks down color combinations, providing a harmonious palette for every occasion. Whether it's a vibrant burst of hues for a celebratory event or a serene blend for a more subdued setting, Flower Color Theory equips florists with the tools to create arrangements that speak volumes without saying a word. I appreciate how the guide incorporates the latest trends in floral design, ensuring that florists stay ahead of the curve. The practical tips on balancing colors, textures, and shapes have elevated my designs to new heights, earning accolades from clients and customers alike. One standout feature is the visual examples and case studies that accompany the theory. Seeing successful applications of the principles discussed in real-world arrangements provides inspiration and a tangible understanding of how to apply the theory in diverse settings. Additionally, Flower Color Theory offers guidance on seasonal considerations, helping florists navigate the ever-changing availability of blooms throughout the year. This has been particularly useful in offering clients unique and seasonally appropriate arrangements. In terms of usability, the guide is well-organized and easy to navigate. Whether you're looking to brush up on a specific concept or explore new ideas, Flower Color Theory provides a user-friendly experience that respects the time constraints often faced in the fast-paced world of floral design. In conclusion, Flower Color Theory is a must-have resource for florists seeking to elevate their craft. It's a comprehensive, inspiring, and practical guide that not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of floral arrangements but also adds a meaningful layer to the emotions they convey. I wholeheartedly recommend it to fellow florists looking to take their artistry to the next level.

I do agree that the Flower Color series would be magnificent if they were large format (or even 7 x 9 or so) but as I own the previous book in this beautiful series, I knew that this one was going to be compact, as well. But it packs a colorful punch. I'm an artist and these books have become an invaluable reference for not only color and texture, but also as an inspiration for abstract compositions- nothing is better than florals to suggest organic shapes in space (and even landscapes). This book focuses on carefully arranged floral pieces, and on the left side of each two-page spread is a gridded color palette. So not only do you get the arrangement across two pages, you get a clear distillation of the primary colors in the arrangement. In the back of the book are perforated color charts- you can punch out the grids for each arrangement in the book to use as reference when not using the book. I debated removing them and punching a hole in the top of each (each one is the height of the page, so they are generous) and creating a card deck on a binder ring, but ultimately I decided to leave the book intact- the small size of it (smaller than a paperback, but much thicker) makes it portable and easy to keep on my desk. The color suggestions and combinations in this book are absolutely perfect for me. I love being able to flip through this book and finding a color set that speaks to me, and then looking at the accompanying arrangement and then bringing that to my easel with me and seeing what it inspires. Because these are florals, there aren't many earthy blues and deep cooler tinted greens(as you would expect) but there is enough of a range of blue-indigo-violet-purples to use that as a place to step off and introduce some other blues. The possibilities are endless- you pick up this book and flip to any page and your creative mind goes into overdrive. So yes, these books are small, but they pack a ton of inspiration. I hope there are many, many more in this series.

Just as some of our bulbs are blooming in our still wintry garden, comes this wonderful second book from Michael and Darroch Putnam. I adore its size, it's like a seed packet that keeps on giving, showing us how to think about flower selection, seasonality and arranging and also how to see flowers as the artful gifts that they are to enhancing life and gracious living, more affordable than champagne and caviar and no hangovers, just beauty. This is also a great gift. I'm giving it for Mother's Day.

Really love how this book includes color schemes next each floral arrangement. Including what the color scheme is called and what flowers are used for each arrangement. The book was smaller than I expected so other than that, great reference book for painting flowers.

I use this as a reference for drawing and painting. It's small enough so it doesn't take up too much room on my desk. Added very useful bonus is the color combinations used in each arrangements are on the side of the page. Highly recommended.

I began following Mikey Putnam recently and can say he's a true artist who "paints" in 3D using flowers. His design approach often finds inspiration in Dutch still life paintings of the 1600's, but his execution always finds a modern twist. His choices for color, texture, and composition are impeccable. This book showcases examples of his work and also identifies selected florals and greenery used in the designs. Don't expect detailed instruction on creating mechanicals or finding floral materials, but any experienced floral designer would do well to study his work and find new inspiration.

I am doing flowers for my 5th wedding and purchased to allow the bride to look through and bookmark any pages she loved so we could narrow down the aesthetic. Aside from that, I have used it several times to flip through and get inspiration for myself as I always love to try new floral arrangements and push my designs further. It also is a great book to sit on your coffee table.

Excellent reference for loose arrangements styles. Unique stunning centerpieces

Love this gorgeous little book for practicing painting flowers with. It's small size suits me as I can leave this on my art desk without being in the way.

Like their earlier book, this book has a jacket and is printed on good thick semi-glossy paper. It measures approximately 12.8 by 18 by 3.2 cm. The photographs are clear, with bright vivid colours. The pages are a pure white. The flower arrangements are unique in that there is a gradual progression of colours in each arrangement, from one end to the other, instead of the usual “polka-dot” style. The colour palette is given on the left side of each page, with most arrangements spread over 2 pages. There are 175 arrangements, with those of similar palettes grouped near one another. There are just a few pages to explain colour theory basics, colour schemes, useful tips, etc. The last few pages consist of removable strips containing photographs of each arrangement, together with the corresponding swatches and other information. Personally, I am slightly put off when the flower arrangement goes over the central divider of each double spread but overall, it is still a very worthwhile book to have.

Très beau livre acheté pour cadeau qui a parfaitement trouvé sa place dans notre bibliothèque !

Libro Hermoso. Llegó bien. Pero no deben enviar los libros en bolsa.