Techniques for Spiral Spray Painting Real Flowers

Templates

• Plastic and paper templates featuring spiral designs bring the design alive on your fresh or dried flowers. If you use a template, cut the spiral down to the size to fit the flowers. Working with small flowers will be difficult, so reserve this for larger flowers. To get the spiral coverage over the full flower, place the bloom in a vase or pin it to craft foam with the flower upright. Hold the template over the flower head with one hand and paint with your other hand. Hold the can of floral spray paint at least 10 to 12 inches from the flower.

Flower Folding

• Flower petals can be gently twisted to form a flower "bud." Secure the petals with a pipe cleaner. Twist the pipe cleaner from the base of the flower to the tip of the flower. Lay the bud flat on a piece of white paper or craft foam and paint one side at a time. Allow two to three hours to dry before painting the back side of the bud. Hold the can between 8 to 10 inches from the flower when spraying. Allow five hours for the petals to dry completely and untwist the pipe cleaner from the flower working from top to bottom.

Combing

• Combing your flowers to create a spiral design is a technique for smaller flowers. Pin the flower upright using craft foam or place in a small vase one at a time. Cover the flower in completely, holding the can 10 to 12 inches from the petals. Use a small toothpick to "drag" over the flower. Start at the base of the flower and drag the toothpick up, combing the color away in a spiral pattern. If your flower requires more than one coat of paint, complete the colors before combing the petals. If you comb the flower and add another coat, it will muddy the colors and negate the spiral effect.

Color Combining

• Combining two colors will produce a spiral effect when done correctly. Set the flower upright using a vase or craft foam. Apply the lightest color first, covering the flower. Allow two to three hours for the paint to dry. Apply the second and darker color to the flower, using a circular motion while holding the can 6 to 8 inches from the bloom. This requires a steady hand and works better on larger flowers. If the darker color begins to bleed through the lighter color, use a toothpick to gently sweep the darker color back toward itself.

Tips

• Craft foam allows you to pin your flowers upright using the stem. If you use a vase to hold your flowers, use one you don't need as paint will likely get on it.

  Visit a craft store to find paint templates, floral and regular spray paint and craft foam for your painting project.

  Always work in a well-ventilated area.