Airbrushing Flowers

[meherr]

Last year, we had to make a large set piece -a likeness of the deceased's calico cat. At the time, we had a couple of employees who were artists and they sprayed the piece with paint to get the shading just right - pretty cool when it was done (wish I could find the photo...) It got me thinking about airbrushing. Does anyone have any experience using this technique with flowers? Cake decorators use the small models with food coloring and I just wondered if anyone had tried such a thing.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

well, spray painting back in the day was aka airbrushing... So if you mean that, then yes, but very rarely.

 

[Rhonda]

we used to "air brush" aspidistra, monstera, and similar large sized leaves for accents on some sympathy pieces. Was taught the technique by I believe, Phil R at a Maine Design Show.
(The trick was Super Silver as a base)

 

[Johan]

Do use oasis spray paints on flowers/foliage for certain designs. It is mainly used to be for funeral work on unusual designs and colours and also for back drops for window displays and changing silks colours but not airbrushing. Don't do this as much as I used too but still a fair bit,more changing foliage colours now, but never airbrushing. I would say that firstly an airbrush even the ones for cake decorating would be to powerful on the flowers and secondly you couldn't use and old paint so I would stick to oasis spray paints or similar.

 

[TGDragonfly]

You wanna know a cool trick with floral spray paint? Try it on a old urn or a monstera, or what ever.

First spray an item with Aqua, doesn't have to be thick, better thicker on areas you want to highlight. Next take a spray bottle with clean water and mist the item until bubbles of water appear. Next, spray with antique gold and pat dry with clean paper towel. Next spritz again and high light areas with copper paint. Pat dry. Experiment.

The look is verdigris copper, great way to spruce up old ugly things.