The Royal Guide to Wax Flower Modelling Part 2

The dark velvet-purple-looking spot seen in geraniums is obtained from mixing the cake smalt with a little bright crimson powder.

A similar tint may be obtained by mixing crimson lake, in cake, with the middle blue.

Various shades of green are procured by combining the first or second yellow with the darkest blue.

In noticing the

USE OF CURLING PINS AND SCISSORS,

I beg to remind my readers that these are the only instruments I deem requisite for modelling wax flowers. Both these require to be moistened before they are applied to the wax. Warmth as well as moisture is essential for these. A gla.s.s of lukewarm water will answer the purpose; but great care must be taken to shake off the surplus water; for if the globules were to fall upon the petal, it would occasion the colour to run.

THE METHOD OF APPLYING BRUSHES

requires to be stated; for they must not be held as a pen or pencil, but perfectly perpendicular. Commence a short distance from the lower end of the petals--for where the paint is applied the wax will not adhere. When the petal is all one colour, pa.s.s the brush from you quickly and lightly off the same on to the paper. If it is a variegated petal, bring the brush towards you. This will enable you to soften off the edges of the spots which are to be left free from colour. When moisture is required in the brush, the latter must not be plunged into water, but a small drop taken up by the handle on to the paper.

TO CLEANSE THE SCISSORS, PINS, AND MARBLES.

Dip either into boiling water, and wipe them immediately. The marbles require to be used warm.

EXPLANATION OF BOTANICAL WORDS.

Although I do not pretend to put this forth as a "Botanical work," I deem it necessary that I should make use of certain words in application to forming the different parts of a flower; I shall give an explanation of such botanical words as I must occasionally make use of in the course of my instructions.

COROLLA signifies a flower deprived of its centre. For example: the corolla of a rhododendron falls from its position, leaving the interior of the flower pendent to the stem. The convolvulus has a funnel-shaped corolla.

PETAL. This is part of the corolla, and what is termed, by the uninformed--leaf; for instance, we hear of drying rose leaves, when in fact it is the petals that are alluded to. The term leaf should only be applied to the foliage.

PISTIL, or PISTILLUM, is that part of a flower which projects directly from the centre, and is longer than the rest; we observe it in the white lily, fuchsia, honeysuckle, etc. The enlargement at the end of the pistil is termed stigma.

STAMENS, or STAMINA, signify the filaments that surround the pistil; and the enlarged part at the end of each filament is called anther.

FARINA is the fine dust which is contained in the anther, and which shows itself also outside.

CALYX is applied to the green attached to the flower. For example: the part that is covered with moss about the rose is the calyx. Sometimes the calyx is covered with down, as in geranium, primrose, etc.

STIGMA. The enlargement at the end of the pistillum.

HOW TO COPY FROM NATURE.

To take the pattern of a natural flower, you must remove the petals carefully, sorting out how many there are of an equal size. Take the shape of one out of each set, in the following manner: Place the petal upon a sheet of writing paper, holding it firmly to the paper with the point of the fore finger of the left hand. Take a large brush containing a very little colour and pa.s.s it round the edge. The exact form will be left upon the paper without tearing the edges of the petal, even though it were unusually fragile. When the requisite flower cannot be procured, a proper pattern can be obtained at Soho Bazaar, or at my residence, 35, Rathbone Place, where I am happy to receive visitors, daily, from ten in the morning till six o'clock in the evening. Place the pattern upon the dull side of the wax, and as the grain runs the length of the same, cut each petal accordingly, for the wax takes the paint much better in that direction.

VARIOUS FLOWERS TO BE DESCRIBED.

FLORAL LIFE.

"Lord, what is life? 'Tis like a flower That blossoms, and is gone!

We see it flourish for an hour, With all its beauty on; But death comes, like a wintry day, And cuts the pretty flower away."

THE FLOWERING SEASONS.

"Say, what impels, amid surrounding snow Congealed, the CROCUS' flowery bud to glow?

Say, what r.e.t.a.r.ds, amid the summer blaze, The autumnal bud, till pale declining days?

"The G.o.d of seasons, whose pervading power Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy shower; He bids each flower His quickening word obey, Or to each lingering bloom enjoins delay."

H. KIRKE WHITE.

As it will be impossible in a small volume to give instructions in all Flowers, I shall endeavour to select such as will produce a pleasing contrast of form and colour; at the same time, including flowers of every season, commencing with Spring--and who does not hail the early Flowers with delight? After a long and severe winter, the appearance of the golden crocus and the modest snowdrop, peeping from the earth, convey to the mind a glow of unspeakable pleasure.

"Then wherefore had they birth?

To minister delight to man-- To beautify the earth."

INSTRUCTION HOW TO FORM THE CROCUS.

(CROCUS LUTEUS.) _Youthfulness._

Prepare the petals (from pattern) in double wax, choosing a bright orange, but not too dark. Place the two s.h.i.+ning sides of the wax together. The inner petals are not striped, but the three outer ones have eight or ten pencil strokes of a middle shade of green, broad towards the lower end, and carried off to fine points; these strokes do not extend beyond two thirds of the flower, and laid on with the sable brush. Cup the petals very much with a large head pin (this is why they require to be cut from double wax) so firmly that each petal produces an egg-shaped form when united. Double a hem in a piece of wax the same as that from which you have previously cut the petals. Prepare the stamina from this piece of wax by snipping the proper number. The hem at the edge of the wax is to represent the anthers; affix the stamina when so prepared to the end of a piece of strong wire, and cover them with farina (my second yellow powder). Place the petals round the stamina--first, the three not painted--and the remaining three in the intervening s.p.a.ces.

The calyx is prepared in lemon wax, tinged with a little brown, and is pa.s.sed round the end of the flower. The stem covered with pale lemon wax. The leaves narrow strips of double wax (dark green), strongly indented with the point of the pin, and a white stripe laid smoothly on with the small sable brush.

The above directions will answer for the crocus susia.n.u.s, the cloth of gold, striped orange, and very dark purple; besides the Scotch crocus, striped, white, and purple.

THE SNOWDROP.

(GALANTHUS NIVALIS.) _Consolation._

"The snowdrop, and then the violet, Arose from the ground with warm rain wet; And their breath was mixed with fresh odour sent From the turf, like the voice and the instrument."

This charming, pensive little flower should be prepared from double white wax. It consists of six petals, like its companion the crocus. The longest are left perfectly white, the others striped upon the inside with very light green paint; and upon the opposite or exterior side of the petal is placed a triangular green spot, near the off end. Cut a fine green wire, three inches long, cover it with a strip of light green wax, affix to the end the stamina, cut from yellow wax. Place round these the striped petals, and those that are quite white immediately between; finish off the same by placing a little double green wax at the end of the flower, which forms the calyx; the flower-stalk is then to be attached to a stronger stem. Where they are united place a small sheath, cut from lemon wax, tinge round the edge with light green. The leaves are rather narrow, not so dark as the crocus; made from double wax. The head of the pin is merely rolled down the centre: they are attached a short way down the stem.

THE PRIMROSE.

(PRIMULA.) _Forsaken._