I K A Contemporary Approach to the Traditional Japanese Art of Flower Arranging Keiko Kub o TUTTLE PUBLI SHIN G Tokyo • Rutland, Vermont • Singapore Published by Tuttle Publishing an imprint of Peri plus Editions (HK) Ltd., www.tuttlepublishing.com Copyright © 2006 Keiko Kubo All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or uti- lized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including pho- tocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Kubo, Keiko, 1962- Keiko's ikebana I Keiko Kubo.- 1st. ed. p.cm. ISBN-13: 978-0-8048-3792-7 (hardcover) ISBN-10: 0-8048-3792-9 (hardcover) 1. Flower arrangement, Japanese. I. Title. SB450.K75 2005 745.92'252-dc22 2004024687 DISTRIBUTED BY North America, Latin America & Europe Tuttle Publishing 364 Innovation Drive North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 U.S.A. Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930 Fax: 1 (802) 773-6993 [email protected] www.tuttlepublishing.com Shinagawa-ku Tokyo 141 0032 Tel: (81) 3 5437-0171 Fax: (81) 3 5437-0755 [email protected] Asia Pacific Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd. 61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12 Singapore 534167 Tel: (65) 6280-1330 Fax: (65) 6280-6290 [email protected] www.periplus.com First edition 12 11 10 10 9 8 7 6 54 Printed in Singapore TUTTLE PUBLISHING® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Perip lus Editions (HK) Ltd. Acknowledgments First, I would like to express my appreciation to Jennifer Brown at Tuttle Publishing for giving me this special opportunity. I would also like to extend my warmest thanks to the people who helped me complete this project, especially: photographer Erich Schrempp, of Schrempp Studio, who took the wonder- ful photos featured here; Anjeli Flowers, 7643 W. Belmont, Elmwood Park, IL, (708) 452-9004; and Edward Campbell, for his assistance with writing in English and revising my manuscript. -KEIKO Kuso A project like Keiko's Ikebana requires that the composition and lighting be approached as sim- ply and subtly as possible, allowing the arrangements to stand on the page without distraction. Light is a tool that is most powerful when it's wielded with the gentlest touch. You can't improve on a flower, but you can wrap it in light in such a way that it becomes almost lumi- nous. That's what I set out to do in Keiko's Ikebana. - ERICH SCHREMPP Contents Acknowledgments v Introduction 1 About Ikebana The History of Ikebana 2 Ikebana Today 5 Keiko's Approach 7 Chapter 1: Ikebana Basics 9 Containers 9 Container Ideas 11 Ikebana Tools and Materials 13 Ikebana Techniques 16 Cutting 18 Supporting Techniques 22 Helpful Hints 25 Chapter 2: Design Principles 29 Line 30 Volume (Mass and Depth) 34 Accent 35 Other Elements of Design 36 Considering Plant Materials 43 The Process of Making Ikebana 44 Moribana Style 45 Nageire Style 48 Chapter 3: Inspiration 53 Keiko's Ikebana Gallery 54 Chapter 4: 20 Step·by·Step Arrangements 67 Natural-Line Arrangement 68 Curved-Line Arrangement 70 Vertical-Line Arrangement 72 Horizontal-Line Arrangement 74 Geometric-Line Arrangement/Triangular Lines 76 Manipulated-Line Arrangement 78 Sequential Vases 80 Glass Container Arrangement 82 Using Floral Tubes for the Mechanics 84 The Basket Container 86 Pruning Design 88 Stacking Design 90 Twisting Design 92 Shredding Design 94 Tying Design 96 Cupped Design 98 Three Basic Ikebana Techniques 100 Rolled Design in a Basin 102 Using Artificial Materials 104 Floating Flowers in a Basin 106 Glossary 108 Resources 110 Index 116 About the Author 119