When we were contacted by British Vogue to participate in the Spring feature for "Tiny Trendsetters", we knew a special shoot needed to happen featuring our Spotted Butterfly Wings, Robin Wings and Egg Wand. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to put together something whimsical; a child's fantasy brought to life in an adult world. As a child, everything seems larger than life. Upon revisiting many places as an adult, they can seem so small in comparison, and that is exactly the feeling we aimed to recreate. It is also a feeling that is omnipresent throughout our design process, as we aim to create pieces that foster and inspire that feeling of grandeur that one experiences so often in childhood. The world of a child is so much less structured and thus so much more creative. For the grown-ups, we hope these photos take you back!
Thus, we set out to create 5 GIANT paper maché flowers.
The basic design consisted of:
-flower pots
-concrete mixture
-1.5 in diameter PVC pipes
-chicken wire
-paper maché paper & mixture
-poster board for the petals
-paint
First, set the pvc pipes upright in the flower pots and fill with (ideally) quick setting concrete. Let it cure, then wrap the pipes in chicken wire to form a "mesh" on which leaves and petals will be attached. Form the leaves and any other accessories such as pistols for the flowers out of chicken wire and then attach them to the stems. Paper maché over the chicken wire to cover the stems and leaves and pistols, etc. We used a 1:1 mixture of glue to water for our paper maché recipe, but you can alter this or also use flower, however glue is stronger and less prone to rot. Use alternating layers in different directions for maximum strength. Let everything fully dry at least 24 hours, then cut out petals from the poster board and attach to the stems. Paint stems, leaves and flowers, or leave them unpainted for a different look!
Basque in the feeling of smallness!
