Draping course - Unity and Harmony

UNITY in Draping and decor

Our blog focuses on providing up to date info and ideas on the latest news and trends in the events industry. We want to inspire our students and our clients across the country and even around the world to create and inspire the most exquisite events and weddings dreams are made of. For information on our latest courses and specials visit our website www.ectaint.com or follow the links to Draping, Wedding Planning and Decor courses. We offer in-class, correspondence and for our internet addicted students, online. Enrol today! For our video tutorials, please click here!

Today we are going to look into the design principle of Unity and how we can use it in Decor and Draping. It is important to now that you do not have to be a person with an degree to be able to figure out how to use design principles in event decor.

According to Dawn from Revel and Glitter blog: "By no means am I an expert with years of design under my belt.  But as you work on more events, you start getting ‘the eye’…something doesn’t look right, something’s missing…and you’ll keep playing around until you get what feels right to you." This is so true... Most of the time something just looks right ...and the further you go in decor the more easier you will see something is right or wrong.

Two examples from Revel and Glitter blog: 

"This pretty cheese table from The Pretty Blog shows that just using the same color of serveware can pull a table together quickly…white serveware makes your food look amazing…cough, cough.  Keeping it simple with clear glass that continues to showcase its contents is the perfect look."

"Real Simple’s repetitive party table keeps the stripes theme going throughout all the party items; everything is kept grounded by the tablecloth."

Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts…a cohesion between all the elements.   Basically, you are using the other principles of design together and just about every party set up is unified…either through color, shape, pattern, theme (like dragons or a tea party), scale…well you get my point.

Lets look at a few photo's and discuss why it is in Unity or why we would say it is not in Unity.

This photo is a brilliant example of unity. The fact that the wedding designer used the earthy wood and soft apricot color together and  the fact that those two elements where repeated cause the harmony of this candy table. They also used symetry and balance in this table. If you draw a line in the middel from top to bottom each side is exactly the same as the other side. Immediately you will get a feeling that "this table looks rigth" as Dawn would have said.

In this photograph the backdrop of the wedding table and the table decor itself is forming a unity because of the fact that the gold in the chairs picks up the gold in the frame and the gold of the decor on the table. So we can say that they created unity by repetion.

In a setting like this - all natural it will be easy to wonder how on earth can I create unity in a barn. It is easy... Keep to the rustic natural look and feel of the barn. I they decided to use a fabric backdrop in this venue it would have stand out as an element on its own. It would not have formed unity. The fact that they used green leaves for the backdrop have immediately formed a unity for the bride. So we can say again: they have created unity by repetition.

The photo above and below is one of the most easiest ways to create unity. Unity by the repetitive use of the right color. It is also unity by simmetry and balance.

The most difficult style there is to create unity in is the Bohemian style. Most people that will try to create a bohemian atmosfere will create a disordered, muddled, chaotic space. Yes, to create a Bohemian space you will used items that will not look the same and will not be the same texture etc.

The biggest thing to remember when you want to get unity in a bohemian space is to keep the colors the same. So..if you want to bring in musterd yellow..make sure that all yellow you use will be the exact shade of mustard yellow. In such a way you will be able to get a Bohemian unity and harmony.

Please go and read the series of articles from Revel and Glitters - it is very informative. http://revelandglitter.com/2013/04/tuesday-tip-elements-of-design-in-party-decor-unity/#.UxZDYnlN0YU

Photo credits

Pinterest

Draping course - Movement in Draping

Our blog focuses on providing up to date info and ideas on the latest news and trends in the events industry. We want to inspire our students and our clients across the country and even around the world to create and inspire the most exquisite events and weddings dreams are made of. For information on our latest courses and specials visit our website www.ectaint.com or follow the links to Draping, Wedding Planning and Decor courses. We offer in-class, correspondence and for our internet addicted students, online. Enrol today! For our video tutorials, please click here!

Movement in Draping

No, we aren’t talking about physical movement of your party table (although if you can wing that, please invite me, because that would be awesome!), but the natural way your eye is pulled to move along certain elements.  Every time a banner is hung, either across a table or hung above, there is the literal line of the banner to follow.

According to the blog Revel and Glitter - "The paper chains in this darling table from The Caketress tell you in no uncertain terms, check out this pinwheel.  This is the easiest way to show movement, but there are a few more subtle ways to demonstrate it."

"Another way of linear movement, using materials that literally show direction. Anything with stripes, be it chevron, zebra, or regular stripes like this fun showroom featured on Felt & Wire guides your eyes all around the room"

Now the question is how can we use Movement in draping and venue decor? 

The draping up the stair is a good example of movement with draping. When you look at not only the stairs but to the draping as well - your eyes move to the top where the bride will make her appearance.

These 4 photo's above show us clearly how either a carpet, flowers or draping can move the eye to the main focus area. In this case the gazebo or arch where the bride and groom will get married.

These swags on the backdrop is also a example of movement in draping. The swags in the draping lead your eyes all over the backdrop and you can then create a centre where the bridal couple is going to sit in front of the draping.

This is an interesting example of movement and how to create it in wedding decor. In this above picture the bride used the benches and the flowers to create movement toward the front where the ceremony is going to take place.

Photo's from:

Pinterest

http://revelandglitter.com/2012/02/elements-of-design-in-party-decor-movement/

Draping course - Design principles in draping - Emphasis

Design principles in draping - Emphasis

Our blog focuses on providing up to date info and ideas on the latest news and trends in the events industry. We want to inspire our students and our clients across the country and even around the world to create and inspire the most exquisite events and weddings dreams are made of. For information on our latest courses and specials visit our website www.ectaint.com or follow the links to Draping, Wedding Planning and Decor courses. We offer in-class, correspondence and for our internet addicted students, online. Enrol today! For our video tutorials, please click here!

A few interesting facts on focus and emphasis.

According to Anabel Damstrom emphasis is:

"SOMETHING T‍HAT IS SINGLED OUT OR MADE MORE PROMINENT HAS EMPHASIS. AN ELEMENT OF A DESIGN THAT DOMINATES OR BECOMES THE CENTER OF INTEREST HAS EMPHASIS." (BEAR FOCUS ON THIS • EMPHASIS AND THE PRINCIPLES AND ELEMENTS OF DESIGN) THE GOAL OF EMPHASIS IS TO DRAW MORE ATTENTION TO AN ELEMENT THAN IT WOULD HAVE ON ITS OWN. THE RANGE OF EMPHASIS IS BASED IN CONTRAST. THE GREATER THE CONTRAST ONE ELEMENT HAS TO THE SURROUNDING ELEMENTS, THE GREATER THE EMPHASIS (PORTER).

According to Flyeschool the difference between Emphasis and Focal point: "Emphasis is created by visually reinforcing something we want the viewer to pay attention to. Focal points are areas of interest the viewer's eyes skip to." SOMETIME THE EMPHASIS CAN ALSO BE THE FOCUS!

According to the blog of Dawn Smith - Elements of design in Party Decor: 

"Emphasis is the stressing element of your party design. One way of achieving emphasis is by creating a focal point. Your party table should ideally only have one, but it can't just be there all alone, everything else should support it. It can be the largest, brightest, or most complex part of the whole. It gets special attention because it stands out. The clemetines on this photo is an excellent sample."

The challenge is - how do we bring in emphasis on draping. By doing the unexpected! A few examples of Mandap draping with a emphasis on something special.

Normally you will put the emphasis on a specific theme, color or something of value to you like a photograph or art piece. In Indian weddings the emphasis is a lot on the seats for the bride and groom and ultimately the emphasis will be on the bride and groom.

Want to learn more? Attend one of our draping courses! Our practical courses are now approved by the SAACI Academy! If you want a discount on your draping course we would encourage you to become a member of SAACI. All of their members do get a discount from ECTA.For detail on membership go to http://www.saaci.org/?page=membershipcategories.

Contact info@ectaint.com or phone or wattsapp 0824416394 for more information.

Photo and Info credits:

http://dawnypoo.blogspot.co.za/2012/01/tuesday-tip-elements-of-design-in-party.html#.V9fT_vl97IU

http://www.indianweddingbuzz.com/indian-wedding-decorations-10-trendy-themes-know/

http://weddingz.in/real-weddings/

https://605.wikispaces.com/Emphasis+or+Focal+Point

http://flyeschool.com/content/emphasis-dominance-and-focal-point

Draping course - Design principles in draping. - Balance

Draping course - Design principles in draping!

Draping course - Balance in wall draping


Our blog focuses on providing up to date info and ideas on the latest news and trends in the events industry. We want to inspire our students and our clients across the country and even around the world to create and inspire the most exquisite events and weddings dreams are made of. For information on our latest courses and specials visit our website www.ectaint.com or follow the links to Draping, Wedding Planning and Decor courses. We offer in-class, correspondence and for our internet addicted students, online. Enrol today! For our video tutorials, please click here!

Good morning to everyone that loves #draping. I decided to write a series of blogs about design principles and element for decor and how it will tie in with draping a backdrop or gazebo. Let's first look at the difference between Principles and Elements.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Elements of design are the raw ingredients while the principles of design provide the guidelines for the effective combination of these elements. 

Design principles                      Design Elements

•Colour                                       •Space

•Proportion                                 •Focus

•Scale                                        •Form

•Balance                                    •Line

•Rhythm                                     •Value   

•Emphasis

•Contrast

•Placement

•Budget

What is Balance?

The distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, textures and space

Under the horizontal balance we get a Symmetrical balance and a Asymmetrical

balance

Symmetrical Balance

Assymetrical Balance

According to Dawn Smith balance is: "Imagine you are looking at a see-saw.  Two objects that are the same weight will balance the see saw.  One large object will balance with smaller objects. And in the middle is every combo you can think of; one larger object balances with a middle and a small object, two large objects on each side, etc. 

Balance is about the illusion of balance and there are three types; horizontal, vertical and radial." 

For this blog we are only going to look at Symmetrical and Assymetrical Balance. Here is a few examples of symmetrical balance:

The moment you can draw a line in the middle of the draping and each side is identical to the other we work with symmetrical balance.

It is much more difficult to get assymetrical draping and decor to look good. You need to keep in mind not only the draping but also the rest of the decor. As an example:

When we look at the above picture we can immediately see they have made use of asymmetrical balance. The balance here has been achieved well by making use of placement and the draping. The draping opens to one end, this adds weight to the look. By "'opening" the draping to opposite sides they balanced out the overall look. Additional balance was achieved by balancing the right hand flowers out with the left-hand flower plus cake. It's important to note that should you have taken away the cake the flowers on the left would not have the correct weight, or should one move the cake to the right, you would have all your weight on the right hand, meaning there is no balance.

In our second photo the weight would be better balanced if either the backdrop or table flowers were moved to the opposite side so they are able to balance each other out.

Photo Credits:

Pinterest

http://dawnypoo.blogspot.co.za/2012/01/elements-of-design-in-party-decor.html#.V9e4lPl97IU