Ikebana Fun #3

Elementary Ikebana, Style D (horizontal)


I had a request to write more about what I am doing. I will try my best considering that 90% of it is intuition. The spirea branch is the "object", which should be 1.5X the total of the diameter + height of the vase (approximately - no rulers are used!). The lily is the "subject", which should be around 1/3 of the object in height, or in the case of horizontal, length. One consideration with a flowering subject is the "face" of the flower and choosing an angle that best accentuates it. There also are rules about the placement and angle of the subject in relation to the object. The hosta leaves are filler. Everything is lined up or otherwise placed in the kenzan (flower frog) so as to make it look "natural". The funny part about ikebana is that it is totally contrived with an aim to look natural.

Why does it sometimes work and sometimes not? I honestly have no idea except that you know it when you see it. When I was taking the workshop, the teacher would come and ever so slightly move one element and the whole thing would change in a significant way. Since I have no one checking my work, as it were, I have no idea if my arrangements are acceptable or not. But I am having a great time and thoroughly enjoying looking at them as they change each day and, ultimately, fade away.

ETA - I added some white carnations below the lily because it looked too bare. This was an improvement...but why? I don't know.