Flower Gardens

» anntaylor03 - Help-dying dried flowers, roses

I am a decorative artist using UV protective glue on dried flowers on glass. 2 mo. later the flowers are browning, their not in the sun. I can't sell my crafts knowing the flowers will eventually brown. Someone suggested I spray them with floral dye, or possibly use some type of dye to brush on. Is their a type of color to brush on or perhaps blend and shade the petal to look real? Please email me at anntaylor03@yahoo.com. Thank you,

-- posted by anntaylor03

» Cottage_Garden - Preserving Color in Dried Flowers

In response to Help-dying dried flowers, roses posted by anntaylor03:

Hi Ann! This is an interesting question. There are many possibile causes. Keep in mind though that dried flowers do not really last forever, that is part of their wonder and charm -- even if some are called everlastings!

Based on your description, I think you may be actually pressing the flowers flat? And the glue is applied to the glass, then you press the flattened pressed flowers onto the glass? This sounds very cool. Are you also gluing the flowers to the backdrop?

Part of the cause may be the drying method you are using. Certain methods seem to work better than others for certain plants. Certain flowers dry and press better than others, too. They must be thoroughly dried before use, or residual moisture can cause them to mold or deteriorate.

They will keep their color best if stored in paper or cardboard in a dry and dark place, but once they are in the light they do begin to fade even if it is not direct sunlight.

Next, certain flowers hold their color better than others. Some roses simply brown no matter what you do. Foliage will turn pale and/or brown no matter what, also.

And, flowers dried at just the right time will hold their color better than those that are beginning to fade when picked and/or dried. Wilting before being dried will also lower their quality.

If you are pretty sure you are using appropriate flowers and they are quite dry, then the problem may be in the framing you are using.

The method of framing can have an effect on the quality longer term. Humidity is the biggest enemy and can cause browning just as you described. There are some special methods of framing to minimize the intrusion of humidity, and some sources recommend reframing annually to combat humidity's effects.

Some artists and crafters actually laminate their pressed flower pieces to keep air out.

There are some options for coloring and dyeing the flowers. Some are absorbed prior to drying, some are sprayed on after drying, some are dips used after drying. Most crafters find they need to experiment and see what works best for them.

But, I don't think you would have fine enough control over the application of any of the above to try to make natural looking shading.

I will supply some links for additional detail on these points in subsequent messages. Doing it that way will make it easier to find what you need by looking at the titles. In the meantime, I hope this helps you begin troubleshooting.

I admit that I am not an expert on drying and pressing flowers although I have certainly tried it a few times. (I was astounded recently to discover a loooooong forgotten rose pressed inside a book I won as an award in high school!) So, if anyone has any suggestions or experience with this please chime right in!

-- posted by Cottage_Garden