Ironlak spray paint can add a whole new level to your usual flax flowers...
I've made the most of trimming back the flax bushes growing behind the house - They really needed a bit of seeing to, to stop them taking over the steps and tripping up everyone who goes past.
And I decided to try something different this time... It's a bit of an experiment, as I'm not quite sure what will happen to the surface as the flax fully dries at this stage. After weaving the fresh cut flax into these rose-type Putiputi flowers, I left them to sit for a couple of days for the stems to curl and shrink. Then I sprayed them with Ironlak acrylic spray paint. It's given them a good, solid coat of glossy, even colour - A fully different result to the traditional method of colouring, which involves leaving the flowers to dry out before hand dyeing.
I love the resulting pop of colour Ironlak paint gives, with its candy colours of Linz Iceberg (Turquoise), Potion (Pink) and Granny (Fusty purple-ish pink)
I'm actually surprised it's taken so long into my visit back to Nz to make some of these, Because it's been absolutely frustrating me back in Melbz that I can't just walk outside and find some flax whenever I please. ...Don't get me wrong, it's not like we don't have flax growing; But its always in the City botanical or private gardens, as opposed to growing on street verges and banks where cutting a few outside stems actually helps keep it controlled.
I actually found some at the Prahran fresh markets a wee while ago... Most of the florists in our area don't stock it - So was mega excited by this, until I found out they were charging $20 for five stems. Not exactly enough to make a decent bunch of flowers!
Don't suppose anyone in Melbourne has a supply of this in their garden that they're willing to trade for some funky bright, or more traditional everlast flowers?
More of my work like this can be seen over on my newer blog : http://vincenteknight.wordpress.com/
I've made the most of trimming back the flax bushes growing behind the house - They really needed a bit of seeing to, to stop them taking over the steps and tripping up everyone who goes past.
And I decided to try something different this time... It's a bit of an experiment, as I'm not quite sure what will happen to the surface as the flax fully dries at this stage. After weaving the fresh cut flax into these rose-type Putiputi flowers, I left them to sit for a couple of days for the stems to curl and shrink. Then I sprayed them with Ironlak acrylic spray paint. It's given them a good, solid coat of glossy, even colour - A fully different result to the traditional method of colouring, which involves leaving the flowers to dry out before hand dyeing.
I love the resulting pop of colour Ironlak paint gives, with its candy colours of Linz Iceberg (Turquoise), Potion (Pink) and Granny (Fusty purple-ish pink)
I'm actually surprised it's taken so long into my visit back to Nz to make some of these, Because it's been absolutely frustrating me back in Melbz that I can't just walk outside and find some flax whenever I please. ...Don't get me wrong, it's not like we don't have flax growing; But its always in the City botanical or private gardens, as opposed to growing on street verges and banks where cutting a few outside stems actually helps keep it controlled.
I actually found some at the Prahran fresh markets a wee while ago... Most of the florists in our area don't stock it - So was mega excited by this, until I found out they were charging $20 for five stems. Not exactly enough to make a decent bunch of flowers!
Don't suppose anyone in Melbourne has a supply of this in their garden that they're willing to trade for some funky bright, or more traditional everlast flowers?
More of my work like this can be seen over on my newer blog : http://vincenteknight.wordpress.com/
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