Design Talk with Mark

You can fInd and watch all the past recordings of Mark's monthly Design Talk from our (free) Flower Thinkers Facebook group here.

2025

  • Floral Art vs Floral Design

    December 2025

    • A discussion on the differences and relationship between the various fields of Floral Art & Floral Design, Flower Arranging & Floristry
    Watch 

  • New Trends & Techniques

    December 2025

    • What do you consider to be the current trend or techniques in Floral Art?
    • New approaches to developing design styles
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    December 2025

    • A review of a radial, formal-linear design with upwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Sketching

    November 2025

    • Sketching as a valuable tool in the creative process
    • Getting started
    Watch 

  • What is an "Arrangement"?

    November 2025

    • A discussion of the distinctions between floral designs and floral arrangements
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    November 2025

    • A review of a radial, formal-linear design with upwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Diagonal Lines

    October 2025

    • A review of a radial, formal-linear design with upwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Tension in Design

    October 2025

    • Tension in design - can you overdo it?
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    October 2025

    • A review of another(!) leaning design - a design with an inclined/diagonal dominant axis
    Watch 

  • Material Distribution

    September 2025

    • Mark shares some of his rules and guidelines for distributing materials in a design
    Watch 

  • World Cup '25 Review

    September 2025

    • Some of my favourite moments and most inspirational designs from World Cup Floral Art 2025
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    September 2025

    • A review of a leaning design - a design with an inclined/diagonal dominant axis
    Watch 

  • Is it a "Hand-Tied"

    August 2025

    • Some definitions
    • Hand-tied bouquets, designs, structures and compositions
    Watch 

  • Working with White Containers

    August 2025

    • The challenges of working with white - Dominance, Contrast and Harmony
    • Considerations, suggestions and tips
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    August 2025

    • Mark reviews a long design - a design with downwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Organic Designs

    July 2025

    • A discussion of designs inspired by natural lines, curves and forms
    Watch 

  • Line Direction

    July 2025

    • What is "Line Direction" in floral design?
    • Visual and implied lines
    • Systems of line organisation
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    July 2025

    • Review of a contemporary arrangement for a foyer entrance table to the theme "Grass and Glass"
    Watch 

  • Displacement

    June 2025

    • Displacement - an opportunity to proactively explore visual balance through asymmetry
    Watch 

  • Using a Given Plinth

    June 2025

    • Given a plinth that you must use in a design, what percentage of the plinth needs to be used?
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    June 2025

    • Review of a wreath created using only two varieties of materials - Dianthus and Equisetum
    Watch 

  • Technical Aspects of a Leaning Design

    May 2025

    • An explanation of some of the technical aspects of the construction of a leaning design
    Watch 

  • Symmetry in Contemporary Design

    May 2025

    • How to apply symmetry in contemporary design
    • Silhouettes & Forms
    Watch 

  • Directing Proportions in Formal-Linear Designs

    May 2025

    • Some examples of Formal-Linear designs with proportions directed horizontally, diagonally or downward
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    May 2025

    • Some examples of Formal-Linear designs with proportions directed horizontally, diagonally or downward
    Watch 

  • Positioning of Radial Points

    April 2025

    • Mark discusses principles to consider when determining radial points in a floral design.
    Watch 

  • New Sustainable Mechanic

    April 2025

    • Mark reviews a new sustainable mechanic, Florafold
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    April 2025

    • A review of a design responding to the form of a given container
    Watch 

  • Winding Line Order

    March 2025

    • What is Winding Line Order - an explanation
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    March 2025

    • A review of a sculptural design created for a virtual competition
    Watch 

  • An Overlapping Formal-Linear Design

    February 2025

    • An explanation of the thinking behind a some "controversial" placements in a formal-linear design
    Watch 

  • Oasis Renewal Foral Foam

    February 2025

    • A review of Oasis Renewal, a new sustainable floristry medium
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    February 2025

    • A review of a design on a plinth created to the theme "Waterfall" for the Lincolnshire Show
    Watch 

2024

  • Oval Tatami Shapes

    December 2024

    • Making oval forms using the tatami technique
    Watch 

  • Formal-Linear Designs

    December 2024

    • Using strong forms in the base of a formal-linear design
    Watch 

  • Design Review

    December 2024

    • A review of a contemporary floral art design
    Watch 

  • Handmade Chicken Wire

    November 2024

    • Sketching as a valuable tool in the creative process
    • Getting started
    Watch 

  • The Tatami Technique

    November 2024

    • A discussion of the distinctions between floral designs and floral arrangements
    Watch 

  • Even Numbers

    November 2024

    • A review of a radial, formal-linear design with upwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Hanging vs Suspended Designs

    October 2025

    • A review of a radial, formal-linear design with upwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Adhesive Mechanics

    October 2024

    • Tension in design - can you overdo it?
    Watch 

  • Focal Areas with Limited Material Variety

    October 2024

    • A review of another(!) leaning design - a design with an inclined/diagonal dominant axis
    Watch 

  • Degree of Difficulty Criteria

    September 2024

    • Mark shares some of his rules and guidelines for distributing materials in a design
    Watch 

  • Green Berries

    September 2024

    • Some of my favourite moments and most inspirational designs from World Cup Floral Art 2025
    Watch 

  • Handmade Spider Web without Wire

    September 2024

    • Some of my favourite moments and most inspirational designs from World Cup Floral Art 2025
    Watch 

  • Clarifying Parallelism

    September 2024

    • A review of a leaning design - a design with an inclined/diagonal dominant axis
    Watch 

  • Cross Hatching

    August 2024

    • Some definitions
    • Hand-tied bouquets, designs, structures and compositions
    Watch 

  • Agra Wool

    August 2024

    • The challenges of working with white - Dominance, Contrast and Harmony
    • Considerations, suggestions and tips
    Watch 

  • Wire Arms and Stems

    August 2024

    • Mark reviews a long design - a design with downwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Floral Design vs Crafting

    August 2024

    • Mark reviews a long design - a design with downwardly directed proportions
    Watch 

  • Composite Flowers

    July 2024

    • Notes on making and using composite flowers, such as "Rosemellias"
    Watch 

  • Elevating Designs

    July 2024

    • A discussion of designs inspired by natural lines, curves and forms
    Watch 

  • Singapore Basket Design

    July 2024

    • Mark explains how he made the large basket in his booth display at the Singapore Flower and Garden Show
    Watch 

  • Dynamic Balance

    June 2024

    • An explanation of dynamic balance encompassing theory and practical examples
    Watch 

  • Parallelism

    June 2024

    • Given a plinth that you must use in a design, what percentage of the plinth needs to be used?
    Watch 

  • Why I Mirror My Posts

    May 2024

    • Review of a wreath created using only two varieties of materials - Dianthus and Equisetum
    Watch 

  • Upside-Down Hydration

    May 2024

    • An explanation of some of the technical aspects of the construction of a leaning design
    Watch 

  • Wire Feet

    May 2024

    • Tips on the making of wire feet, particularly useful in displacement designs

  • Displacement

    April 2024

    • Some examples of Formal-Linear designs with proportions directed horizontally, diagonally or downward
    Watch 

  • Compostible Floral Foam

    April 2024

    • Mark discusses principles to consider when determining radial points in a floral design.
    Watch 

  • Philadelphia Flower Show

    March 2024

    • What is Winding Line Order - an explanation
    Watch 

  • Harmony through Rhythm

    March 2024

    • A review of a sculptural design created for a virtual competition
    Watch 

  • Directing Proportions

    February 2024

    • An explanation of the thinking behind a some "controversial" placements in a formal-linear design
    Watch 

  • Oasis Renewal Foral Foam

    February 2024

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    Watch 

  • Design Review

    February 2024

    • Notes on the making of a featured design
    Watch 

  • Tatami

    January 2024

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    Watch 

  • Analysing Your Container

    January 2024

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    Watch 

  • Competition Theme Interpretation

    January 2024

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    Watch 

Our Flower Thinkers Facebook group is a place to share floral art, arrangement, floristry and design. There are no membership costs and you can join in the Monthly Floral Design Q&A with Mark, as well as view all the past recordings.