One of the lessons in the Sogetsu Textbook 5 is making a composition with unconventional materials. An Ikebana arrangement is typically made with living materials, but in this lesson, we can use everything except natural materials.
Sometimes, I must convince students to practice using humanmade or unconventional materials. I then explain to my students the advantages of using these materials. With living materials, you often feel restrained from pruning or bending; in other words, you are afraid to manipulate the material too much. This restriction is less with unnatural materials; It's easier to cut, bend, nail, screw, glue them into any idea you have.
Practice on lines, color, and mass
Applying the Ikebana principles of space, asymmetry, and harmony to unconventional materials helps you understand and see them differently. It also enables you to practice some techniques better to apply them to living materials without being afraid to hurt or destroy them.
Is ikebana without living material still ikebana? That question has been around since Sogetsu introduced humanmade materials into ikebana. The important thing is that we can improve our skills and proceed on our journey. If you look at these lessons as exercises to strengthen your intuition and design skills, why shouldn't you do them?
Many of the Sogetsu curriculum exercises are similar to the ones you do in art school. Learning the Sogetsu curriculum is like going to art school. You learn art with living material, and sometimes, there is an exercise with unconventional material.
Interested in knowing more? Check out our ikebana video channel for techniques and background on ikebana, click here.
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