How to Pound Flowers for Framed Artwork

"In my front garden are thousands of Johnny Jump-Ups. Every spring they are the first flowers to bloom and the last flowers to die."

This Johnny Jump-Up Portrait is made by pounding flowers.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Smart Sheets Stabilizer
• Fabric
• Hammer
• Flowers
• Fine Acrylic Marker
• Packing Tape

1. Find interesting flowers and green leaves that you like.

2. Place the flowers bloom side down against the fabric stabilizer. Add some leaves and arrange it randomly or in whatever pattern you like.

3. Tape the flowers down using packing tape.

4. Turn the stabilizer over and begin to hammer it. The flowers colors will start to come to the surface of the fabric as you hammer.

5. Once hammering is complete outline flowers with a fine tip acrylic marker. Use additional acrylic markers for shadowing if necessary.

6. Frame artwork.

Tips & Warnings

• I used the fabric stabilizer as my canvas because it thin like paper but far more durable. The fabric stabilizer also allows the petal colors to come through without bleeding and running all over the fabric.
• You can experiment with other fabrics such as white cotton or white muslin. For me the however, the fabric stabilizer works best for purposes of a canvas.

Resources

• SC Johnson Clean Home Journal
• Sewing and Crafting with Sarah

[AbbyNormal]

on 9/1/2008 This is so cool and so pretty!