The Royal Guide to Wax Flower Modelling Part 3

"Look on these flowers! as o'er an altar, shedding On Milton's page soft light from coloured urns-- They are the links man's heart to nature wedding, When to her breast the prodigal returns.

"They are from lone, wild places--forests, dingles, Fresh banks of many a low-voiced hidden stream; Where the sweet star of eve looks down and mingles Faint l.u.s.tre with the water-lily's gleam."

MRS. HEMANS.

This una.s.suming pretty flower has a salver-shaped corolla; but in modelling it, I advise its being formed of five petals. Prepare the latter in double white wax, colour them upon both sides with my lemon powder (this is a most beautiful preparation), taking the precaution not to carry the same to the end, or it would prevent adhesion of the wax.

With a small sable brush, form a triangular spot of deep yellow at the lower end of the broad part of the petal. Attach to the end of a second-size wire a piece of lemon wax, extending the same half an inch down the stem; this is to form a foundation: the point is to be neatly moulded, and to be seen peeping, as it were, from the centre of the flower. The petals are curled in the following manner;--rest the petal in the palm of the left hand, placing the side that has the triangular spot downwards, press the third finger of the right hand in the centre, and then upon the opposite side strongly indent with the point of the pin. Place the five petals thus prepared round the stem previously formed, press the petals neatly together, flattening them down a little to give the appearance of being formed in one piece. The calyx is cut in very light green wax, it is in one piece, vand.y.k.ed at the top into five points; in each point press the pin, and attach it afterwards round the neck or tube of the flower. Wash the calyx with a weak solution of gum water, using for the purpose a sable brush. Sprinkle it over, while moist, with a little of my prepared down. The stem should look transparent, consequently the wire must be covered with very light green or lemon wax. For the leaf, see my general instructions upon foliage.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

VIOLET.

(VIOLA ODORATA.) _Modesty._

"As the dew that moistens the rose at dawn, Gives the VIOLET many a tear, So bright in the morning of life she shone, That her fragrance still lives while her spirit is gone, Embalming her memory here."

M'COMB.

"Sweet flower! spring's earliest, loveliest gem; While other flowers are idly sleeping, Thou rear'st thy purple diadem, Meekly from thy seclusion peeping.

"Thou, from the little secret mound, Where diamond dew-drops s.h.i.+ne above thee, Scatterest thy modest fragrance round; And well may nature's poet love thee!

"Thine is a short, swift reign, I know, But love, thy spirit still pervading, New violet tufts again shall blow, Then fade away as thou art fading;

"And be renewed;--the hope how blest, (Oh, may that hope desert me never!) Like thee, to sleep on nature's breast, And wake again, to bloom for ever!"

BOWRING.

"A violet, by a mossy stone-- Half hidden from the eye; Fair as a star, when only one Is s.h.i.+ning in the sky."

WORDSWORTH.

Prepare the petals in white wax: there are five in number. Pa.s.s the head of a large pin firmly down the centre, so as to cup each. Cover a fine green wire with a strip of light green wax; at the end of this affix a small piece of orange wax, and mould it to a point, not allowing it to be larger than a carraway seed. Dip the point of this foundation in water, and then into the second yellow powder, which gives it the appearance of farina. Place three petals under the foundation, and the remaining two on the top, turning them back; bend the stalk up, and under the three petals place a small piece of white wax, which is to be coloured purple after it is attached. The calyx consists of five points, and are placed round the neck of the flower.

PURPLE VIOLETS.

"Violets, sweet tenants of the shade, In purple's richest pride arrayed, Your errand here fulfil; Go, bid the artist's simple stain Your l.u.s.tre imitate in vain, And match your Maker's skill."

Purple violets are constructed precisely the same as the former; the only difference that exists being that the petals require to be cut from blue wax, and painted upon both sides with purple (bright crimson and middle blue.)

"Like the sweet south That breathes upon a bank of violets, (So darkly, deeply, beautifully blue,) Smelling and giving odours."

"Thou smiling promise of more sunny days, How do I love thine un.o.btrusive glance!"

ANEMONE.

(ANEMONE HORTENSIS.) _Sickness._

The petals are cut from thick or double white wax. Place a piece of fine white wire half way up each, and secure it to its position by placing a narrow strip of white wax upon the same, rolling it down each edge with the head of the smallest pin. Colour them from the centre to the point with bright purple (second blue and bright crimson), the large brush to be used, (see my directions, p. 13.) The small petals are cupped by laying each in the palm of the left hand, and pressing it firmly with the thumb of the right hand. The large or outside petals are curled in the same manner, but the points turned back. The centre or foundation is formed by pa.s.sing two strips of double pink wax round the end of a strong wire, (care must be taken at all times to double the wire down to prevent its slipping;) mould the same to a point, leaving it broad at the lower end; indent it strongly round with the curling pin; colour this half way down with dark or black-looking purple, (dark blue and crimson.)

The stamina are also formed from pink wax: first roll a whip (as in muslin) which produces the anthers, and cut a fringe the third of an inch deep. Wind the same around the previously formed centre, and then brush them out with the dark purple brush that has been applied to the foundation. When thoroughly dry, touch the ends occasionally with green; this must be done with the sable brush. At the back of the pulp first formed, close to the wire, affix the small petals at equal distance, and the large ones, which turn back, in the intervening s.p.a.ces. When the anemone is in bud, it is surrounded by a calyx, but as it expands it rises and leaves the said calyx at least one inch down the stem; it has a fringed appearance, and is prepared from double green wax. The stem is covered neatly with light green wax.

The anemones grow in great variety of colour, but this instruction, as to form and centre, is applicable to all. The brilliant scarlet and purple, contrasted with the pink, lemon, and white, form a pretty group by themselves.

TULIP VAN THOL.

(TULIPA PRaec.o.x.) _Declaration of Love._

"Flowers are the brightest things which earth On her broad bosom loves to cherish; Gay they appear as children's mirth, Like fading dreams of hope they perish."

PATTERSON.

Prepare the petals from double yellow wax, placing the s.h.i.+ning sides together, a fine white wire half way up between. Form two distinct creases up the centre with the point of the pin; with the head of the latter cup the broad part of the petal. Turn the edges inward towards the point, and colour each petal upon both sides with the crimson powder, softening off the same, and leaving a margin of the yellow free from colour. The stamina are prepared (according to pattern), from double yellow wax, and painted with rich brown (cake sepia and crimson), from the broad part to the point. To a large wire affix a piece of double green wax, cover the same with lemon wax, and press it into a triangular form: place a strip of double green wax three quarters of an inch from this point, to form a foundation to attach the petals to.

Place round the foundation the brown stamina previously prepared, and then attach the petals, in rows of three or five; they vary very much in number, some flowers being much more double than others.

The remarks in the foregoing instructions on the "Van Thol Tulip," are also applicable to the Summer Tulip; the centre is formed the same, but rather larger; nature must do the rest. The great beauty of the flower in the florist's eye, consists in its being cup-shaped and round at the base. The ground colour of the flower ought also to be very clear and bright in the centre.

NARCISSUS.

_Permission._

"By all those token-flowers that tell What words can ne'er express so well."

BYRON.

Cut six petals in double white wax; indent up the centre of each with the point of a curling pin; press against this crease upon the opposite side, so as to produce a ribbed appearance. Pa.s.s the head of the curling pin down on each side of the previously named crease, and press the petals back. Cut a strip of yellow wax half an inch deep and one inch and a half in length; plait it up at one edge, and join it round to form a cup. To the end of a piece of middle size wire attach the stamina, draw the same through the cup, and fasten it underneath. Take a slip of pale green wax, and wind round the wire under the cup, to form the tube or neck of the flower. Attach three petals in a triangular form immediately under the cup, and the remaining three immediately between those preceding.

THE JONQUIL

is constructed precisely the same; but use for the petals double yellow wax instead of white, and orange wax for the cup instead of yellow.

THE DAISY.

(BELLIS PERENNIS.) _Innocence._

Whilst culling the sweet and early flowers, I cannot permit myself to pa.s.s the daisy, that pretty and simple production of nature, so emblematical of innocence, and which has been immortalized by poets, ancient and modern.

THE DAISY.

"A nymph demure, of lowly port, Or sprightly maiden, of Love's court, In thy simplicity the sport Of all temptations; A queen in crown of rubies dressed, A starveling in a scanty vest, Are all, as seems to suit thee best, Thy appellations.

"I see thee glittering from afar, And then thou art a pretty star; Not quite so fair as many are In heaven above thee; Yet like a star, with glittering crest, Self-poised, in air thou seem'st to rest-- May peace come never to his nest, Who shall reprove thee.

"Sweet flower--for by that name at last, When all my reveries are past, I call thee, and to that cleave fast, Sweet silent creature, That breath'st with me in sun and air; Do thou, as thou art wont, repair My heart with gladness, and a share Of thy meek nature."

WORDSWORTH.

The daisy may be made entirely white, crimson tipped, or crimson all over the petals: the latter are cut in single white wax, a strip at once the width of a sheet of wax. After the petals are coloured, the pin is deeply indented into each, some in fact are made quite round. The flower grows single and double, so that there is no decided number required; this must be left to the taste of the copyists; but if they prefer the double flower, the eye or centre is scarcely visible. On the contrary, if it is a single flower that is to be imitated, the eye must be increased. To form the latter, take a sheet of yellow wax, fold it at the end the eighth of an inch deep, hold it between the thumb and finger of the left hand, and with the point of the curling pin indent the edge closely the whole length, and pa.s.s round the end of the middle wire, letting it rise a little in the centre. The petals are then attached very closely, and as many as form the double or single flower, whichever may be preferred. The calyx is green, and placed on similarly to the petals.