AIFD CFD cheat sheet

The elements of design are line, form, space, texture, color, size, and fragrance; the principles of design organize these elements into a unified composition.

Line types carry meaning: vertical lines imply height and formality, horizontal lines suggest rest and width, diagonal lines create motion, and curved lines convey grace.

Balance is visual-weight equilibrium; symmetrical balance mirrors weight, while asymmetrical balance offsets unequal masses, and dark color, large size, and coarse texture increase visual weight.

Proportion compares parts to one another and to the whole; common floral proportions use arrangement-to-container ratios near 1:1.5 or 1:2, and the golden ratio is approximately 1:1.618.

Scale is size relative to container, setting, and viewer; flowers that are too large for a small container or too small for a large space disrupt scale.

Dominance establishes a focal area that first attracts attention; subordinate forms support it, and the focal area usually sits near the visual center just above the container rim.

Rhythm moves the eye through repetition, transition, graduation, radiation, or continuous line; repeated color or form creates a visual path through the design.

Contrast uses difference in value, texture, form, or color; harmony uses agreement among those qualities, and unity results from consistent theme, repetition, and proximity.

Negative space is the unoccupied area around, between, and within forms; adequate negative space defines silhouette, prevents crowding, and gives the eye rest.

Wire gauge numbers run inversely to thickness: 18-gauge is heavy and strong, 24- to 26-gauge suits corsage work, and 28-gauge is fine for delicate petals.

Common wiring methods are hook, hairpin, piercing, stitch, and wrap; each supports a stem or petal while keeping the wire hidden from view.

Floral foam must be fully saturated before use; dry foam repels water, and foam is cut with a knife rather than scooped or crumbled.

A tape grid stretches waterproof tape across a vase opening; the openings between tape lines support stems and control spacing without interior mechanics.

In a spiral hand-tied bouquet, stems cross in one direction around a binding point, are bound at that point, and are cut evenly so the bouquet stands.

Water picks and tubes supply isolated hydration to individual stems; stems are recut before filling, and air pockets are avoided to maintain water flow.

Floral clay or putty anchors mechanics on nonporous surfaces; cold glue suits delicate materials, hot glue suits dry hard goods, and waterproof tape secures wet mechanics.

Corsage construction uses 24- to 26-gauge wire for support, floral tape to cover wire, and ribbon or elastic for attachment; balanced weight keeps the corsage wearable.

Hue is the color family name; value is lightness or darkness; chroma or saturation is intensity; a tint adds white, a shade adds black, and a tone adds gray.

The 12-hue color wheel contains primaries red, yellow, and blue; secondaries orange, green, and violet; and tertiaries made by mixing adjacent primary and secondary hues.

Monochromatic schemes use one hue with tints, shades, and tones; analogous schemes use adjacent hues; complementary schemes use opposite hues; split-complementary schemes use one hue plus the two hues adjacent to its complement.

Triadic schemes use three hues equidistant on the wheel; tetradic schemes use two complementary pairs; accented-neutral schemes pair a neutral palette with a small accent hue.

Warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow appear to advance; cool colors such as blue, green, and violet appear to recede; value contrast affects visibility more than hue alone.

Simultaneous contrast changes perceived hue or value according to surrounding colors; a gray appears warmer beside blue and cooler beside orange, and an afterimage is complementary.

Light source alters color appearance: incandescent light is warm and yellow, fluorescent light is cooler and often green, and daylight varies by time and weather.

A common color proportion is 60 percent dominant hue, 30 percent secondary hue, and 10 percent accent; green foliage often acts as a neutral harmonizer.

Neutrals include black, white, gray, and brown; black adds visual weight, white adds lightness, and green foliage can bridge strong or conflicting hues.

Monocots have one cotyledon, parallel leaf veins, and floral parts usually in threes; dicots have two cotyledons, netted veins, and floral parts usually in fours or fives.

Inflorescence types include spike, raceme, panicle, corymb, umbel, capitulum or head, spadix, and catkin; each term describes how flowers are arranged on a stem.

Conditioning begins with clean sharp tools, a 45-degree stem cut, removal of lower foliage, and prompt placement in clean water, ideally after cool-morning harvest.

Ethylene sources include ripening fruit, smoke, and exhaust; sensitive flowers include carnations, gypsophila, orchids, and some roses, so these are stored away from producers.

Floral preservative supplies sugar, lowers water pH, and inhibits bacteria; recutting stems and changing water restore flow when vascular blockage occurs.

Special stem treatments include cutting or smashing woody stems, searing milky-sap stems, filling hollow stems with water, and isolating daffodils because their sap damages other flowers.

Most temperate cut flowers store at 34-38 degrees Fahrenheit; tropical flowers store at 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit; freezing, drafts, and heat sources damage cut flowers.

Flower function categories are line, mass, filler, and focal; line flowers establish framework, mass flowers add volume, filler flowers soften, and focal flowers draw attention.

Plant parts include the sepal that protects the bud, the petal that attracts pollinators, the stamen as male organ, the pistil as female organ, the receptacle that holds flower parts, and the node where leaves or branches arise.

Retail price equals cost of goods plus labor plus overhead plus profit; the markup multiplier equals retail price divided by cost.

Gross margin equals retail price minus cost of goods, divided by retail price; keystone pricing is a 100 percent markup, which equals a 50 percent gross margin.

Cost of goods sold in floral work includes flowers, hard goods, packaging, and delivery supplies directly used to produce the sale; labor and overhead are tracked separately.

Break-even units equal fixed costs divided by unit price minus variable cost per unit; fixed costs stay constant while variable costs change with each sale.

Event contracts specify date, time, venue, deposit, cancellation terms, substitution policy, payment schedule, and force majeure provisions.

A common wedding or event deposit is 50 percent with the balance due before the event; terms vary by business and are stated in writing.

Sales tax applies only to taxable goods and services under local jurisdiction; delivery, labor, and some services may be taxable or exempt, so local rules are verified.

AIFD ethics require accurate credential claims, confidentiality, fair dealing, respect for peers, credit for sources, and refusal of unsafe or deceptive work.

Event workflow runs from site visit and proposal through contract, ordering, preparation, load-in, setup, strike, and follow-up; the timeline coordinates vendors and prevents conflicts.