Tuesday 30 April 2013

Day 387- From Real To Fake


This was an experiment to create a miniature plant out of real leaves. 

Photo courtesy of Earth Floral- These Aralia branches are in fact faux branches

It was MarG's birthday and someone gave her a bunch of flowers with some Ming Aralia for foliage. The ones picked had really small leaves that I thought would  look great in miniature.


I really just did 2 things. Step 1: Paint the leaves in acrylic green. Step 2: Gloss varnish the leaves when dry.


After that, I plucked the leaves and stuffed them into a pot. Then I applied a 2nd coat of gloss varnish.

17 days later......


Magic!

I wish. 

As you can see from the picture above, the leaves have dried up a bit but the colour and gloss stayed. At this point, the leaves looked like they were made with paper. So I added some dried flowers to liven it up. 

I guess I have successfully made something real look like something fake. Let's hope it last like one. 

24 comments:

The Old Maid said...

Fingers crossed! It looks really good! For a moment I thought it bloomed after 17 days, lol! Great work, dear Sam!
Hugs and kisses

Sans! said...

Teeheehee, Ewalina !

By the way, please don't go crazy thinking what to give me. I am going so slow in my project that I really use all my gifts fast enough, including the wonderful ones that you gave me during my last trip!

I even still have quite a few sachets of Zurek soup left! I so love them :)

elizabeth s said...

Hi Sans! I have had the exact same experience when I tried to use fresh oregano from the garden. After sealing it and letting it dry, It also began curling up. I had planned to use it as foliage for a project. It became way too brittle over time and I fear that that will happen eventually to your lovely little one too. The only way is to preserve the greenery in silica . I don't know enough about it to expound, but any florist shop or blog about it would explain the process in detail. There is a way, so if you really want to, it CAN be done!

elizabeth

Unknown said...

Hello from Spain: nice photos. This plant is impressive. Great job. Keep in touch

Piikko said...

You little witch! :) You do have a lot of magic dust in your fingers. I am sure that this plant will crow and crow and... Soon we will have a many little baby plants. ♥ :)
Hugs!

Ilona said...

Hi Susan! This is quite an experiment :D! It worked out great, I do love the effect after drying.
Hugs, Ilona

Remco said...

Interesting experiment, looking good!
The pictures are a bit glossy, maybee matt vernis will do better.

Sandra said...

Hi Sans!
It is a good idea ... and it looks very well.
I will try to do these some day..


Hugs

Drora's minimundo said...

Over a year ago I did a little experiment with a branch of live leaves. I brushed them over with green acrylic paint. Dear Sans, I just left them to dry and upto date they look good. I think the paint preserved them. Your pot of plants looks wonderful.
Hugs, Drora

Unknown said...

Hello Sans, thank you for the great idea! they are looking awesome:)

Dark Squirrel Victoria said...

Your fail looks way better than mine did. It looked so pretty :)

CWPoppets said...

I love that intense green color. But don't you think it will get moldy?
Ok, ok ... I'm not the experimenting kind... lol.
Christine

Tessa Liduina said...

This real life plant turned out really well after varnishing...who would have expected that??? Great idea!

Eliana said...

This is a very good technique and it really works!
Beautiful photos, as always. ;)
Hugs.

Fabiola said...

I like your idea. This plant looks very real.
Bye, Faby

Kim said...

wow-they look fantastic! I also wonder if they will stay that way or get too brittle as Elizabeth suggests. I hope you give us updates :)

Creations by Marie Antoinette and Edie Marie said...

Hello Hon,
I think it was so cool what you did.I may have to try that on other things.
Great job. As always.You take care,
Marie Antionette

BiWuBär said...

What a great idea... I was thinking the same as Ewa - that the real brought to fake felt so well that it began to bloom... But I guess you're getting to this next time - you said it: Magic! A good amount of Sans! magic can do anything! ;O) And when it comes to the third try... what about a little rust? *teehee*

Hugs
Birgit

Daydreamer said...

Ah, My Dear Sans! You have attempted the Impossible... Reverse Alchemy!! But isn't that Why we Have Plastic Flowers??? To Keep Forever the illusion of Life in all it's fullest Blossoming Or Lushest Greenery? I am often tempted to take the sticks and twigs from my yard... sometimes I do... but they must be dried carefully or they rot and wither... And as someone already mentioned... flowers can be carefully preserved with silicon gel... but they fade and are delicate and brittle... Remember your Himalayan Poppies? Those beautiful Blue blooms? I think with our Mini Gardens we must resign ourselves to the artificial sort... or be forever watering tiny miniscule pots of mini herbs... Hmmm... I think I am going to try that next...! Oh, wait... I already did.... and I failed to water frequently enough and the tiny seedling died! I think I need to stick with the artificial... the "Real" artificial plants! LOL!

Lucille said...

Hi Sans! It's a cute little plant! You can always try what Elizabeth suggested. They might last for awhile at least. Even in it's faded state, it looks nice. It has character.

Kikka N said...

Dear Sans!
Your miniature plant is very impressive, wonderful idea! It looks beautiful also in the last photo!
Congrats..
Hugs
Kikka

Eva said...

Gracias por compartir la idea, seguro que la experimento. Un saludo, Eva

Ascension said...

Hola Susan
Una gran idea y un fantastico resultado.
Me encantan esas florecitas que has puesto al final.
Muy real.
besitos ascension

Virginia isabel said...

Una idea genial. Ya nos contaras lo que dura. Real 100%.
Besujis!!!

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