This dried orchid is starting to look really great! There are already four different Jewelry Resin glaze applications curing in order to photograph it at this point.
You might not understand what a labour of love it is to make a permanent orchid like this unless you try this technique yourself.
I have very gently "painted" my Jewelry Resin to both the front and the back of the dried orchid.
Since I need to allow for at least 24 hours of cure time before I move the flower, you can see how this orchid is becoming a one week experiment.
One of the mysteries of resin work is when resin does not stay put.
As you can see from the areas I marked, resin "pulled away" from some areas of my petals. This is why each side of my flower has required two different applications of resin.
I'll show you what I am doing with this orchid tomorrow!
How do you dry the orchids first? I have orchids blooming right now and would love to try this technique with them after they are done blooming!
ReplyDeleteI have a standard flower press...wood boards and card stock inserts.
ReplyDeleteYou can even buy dried orchids already pressed.
So after it blooms you pluck it and just crunch it flat? I can try it with other stuff and see what happens!!
ReplyDeleteSome things do not work out...but leaves and simple flowers generally dry nicely. I usually dry sweet peas, but I have also grown and pressed my own edelweiss.
DeleteThis is the press I have: http://flowerpressing.com/flowerpress.htm
ReplyDeleteWow Carmi your work is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHugs Lynsey x
Have you ever tried something like this with a dried flower that wasn't pressed? Say a flower dried in silicone gel, so it retains it shape?
ReplyDeleteFlowers and all inclusions must be 100% dry or the resin will be corrupted. I have not tried a silicone gel dried flower.
DeleteHello
ReplyDeleteDid you polish the flower before the resin?
thank you
And I forgot, how long did you let it dry the flower?
ReplyDeleteMy flowers usually stay in the flower press for one month.
Deleteok thank you for your answer and your flower is dried when you put a coat of varnish before spreading the resin?
ReplyDeleteFlower is definitely already dried.
ReplyDelete