Online creative resources by EMC

Design your Future

Design inspiration and live Q&A sessions with EMC Coaches

Since its inception in 2011, EMC has been dedicated to empowering floral designers and florists to discover their unique DNA as a creative. The program encourages participants to refine their skills, assess where they are on the conscious creative scale, and choose the path they wish to follow in our dynamic and inspiring creative world. As times change and trends evolve, the materials we use and the ways we think about design are constantly shifting. The EMC Educational Team consistently updates the syllabus, adapting teaching methods to meet the evolving demands of the floral industry.Over the past two years, the Education Team has been working tirelessly to make the theory and techniques of European floristry more accessible to a global audience, adapting them to meet the diverse needs and cultural contexts of learners worldwide. To achieve this, the syllabus is now available in two major languages: English and Spanish, with Chinese coming soon. Additionally, there are coaches and teachers within the team for whom these are their first language, enabling them to provide input and support for each cohort of learners.

This ongoing process of reviewing and refining teaching methods has resulted in the creation of the new "Design Your Future" online videos, along with interactive Q&A sessions, designed to relate directly to professionals working in retail and events floristry.

Techniques to Captivate Your Clients

Coaches Keith Stanley and Diana Toma provided clear, concise explanations while demonstrating the importance of understanding the techniques used in floral design and the actions involved in creating finished pieces. They emphasized how to make designs not only visually striking but also commercially viable.

Keith's step-by-step instruction was filmed with precision and care, focusing on the process of creating a charming collar edging for a hand-tied bouquet. Keith's second design followed a similar process, with a completely different outcome. Both the glued and woven 'collars' can be prepared in advance using a variety of materials and colours, making them a great option for preparing during slower periods and having them ready for busy times in the floral industry. Both finished bouquets were presented in the standard EMC format, accompanied by completed analysis sheets and colour wheels to identify the colour harmonies used.

From Simple Techniques to Creative Freedom

Diana Toma, another of EMC's talented coaches who is Romanian, gave the official introduction to the new format of the session, titled Design Your Future – Techniques to Captivate Your Clients. This session showcased various ways to approach design techniques, with an emphasis on the idea that there are countless possibilities. It would be up to the viewer to decide which techniques are most suitable for the design they are working on, which is one of the most important principles EMC teaches in its curriculum.

While Diana's design was not overly complex, it allowed viewers to focus on the actions she performed and the techniques she chose to use. She explained that combining simple techniques enables her to concentrate on other elements, such as colour and proportions, which influence the overall impact of the design. Diana had developed the concept before recording the video, beginning with a rough sketch of her wreath. She kept the sketch minimal, using just a few lines to define the shape before transferring the design to the computer to refine and bring the concept to life.

Throughout her demonstration, Diana encouraged viewers to appreciate the potential of botanical materials while explaining her techniques, encouraging a more efficient and deliberate approach to design. Understanding techniques as actions allows for creative flexibility when applying them in personal designs, whether drawn from workshops, demonstrations, or online tutorials.

By working with a limited range of techniques, designers can gain more flexibility in their work. Diana's final design was a striking example of how natural lines of branches can flow and interact with geometric elements beneath, creating a harmonious and dynamic composition while focusing on a single technique. This underlines what EMC is teaching: there are infinite possibilities to create, and the novelty, the uniqueness lies not in one technique, but in the combination of them.

The Art of Bridal Design: A Personal Journey

The final video, 'Crafting Unforgettable Bridal Bouquets', was presented by Francisca Perez, a floral designer, teacher, and inspiring coach from the EMC Education team. Based in Santiago, Chile, Francisca provided commentary in Spanish with Spanish subtitles, which could be changed to English as required, promoting the dual-language approach currently being implemented by EMC.

Francisca began by addressing the need to stand out in the wedding floristry industry through creating unforgettable bridal bouquets. She emphasized that a bridal bouquet, like the wedding dress itself, is not just an accessory but a means of expression. It should reflect the bride's personality and communicate the messages she wants to share. Through practical demonstrations of wiring techniques, Francisca showed how technical mastery enables the creation of truly unique and personal bridal designs.

The complete set of demonstration videos is now available on our Youtube Channel.

For those interested in joining future sessions, registration is available HERE.

Each live session includes an interactive Q&A portion conducted in both English and Spanish, creating a dynamic dialogue between participants and the EMC Team. These Q&A sessions are not recorded, providing a safe space for open discussion and ensuring that participants can freely share their thoughts and questions with the instructors.