Part 5 (1/2)
(ROSA DAMASCENA.) _Freshness of Complexion._
”The rose, like ruddy youth, in beauty stands, And would be cropped by none but fairest hands.”
Cut the petals from white wax, and paint them upon both sides (with my crimson), two-thirds down. Cup the petals as in the preceding rose. Cut two strips of stamina in lemon wax, tip them with my orange powder. Make a foundation of lemon wax, and pa.s.s round the strips already mentioned.
Place in a triangular form the six small petals in cl.u.s.ters of two; the next two sets are attached in like manner at the intermediate s.p.a.ces, the rest of the petals are placed on singly, five in each row, the largest to turn back: finish off with seed cup and calyx as before named. It is particularly necessary that the smallest or internal petals should not be coloured too low down, as the white in the centre gives great relief to the flower.
SWEET-SCENTED TEA ROSE.
(ROSA SAFRANO.) _Charming._
The petals of this rose require to be cut in thick white wax, coloured three parts down with my lemon powder; shade lightly over this, but not quite to the edge, with a little of my second yellow, and finish off by a light tint of crimson (crimson lake in cake.) The petals are deep and few, and require a great deal of cupping; to a.s.sist in producing this rotundity of petal use the head of the ivory pin, commencing to roll from the bottom to about half-way up the petal. Make a foundation of white wax, rather large and cone-shaped; colour it the same as petals; place the latter on singly, and press them forward to meet at the point and conceal the foundation. They are placed on five in a row, and the last two turned back: the seed cup is rather small; the calyx, and the back petals are all deeply coloured with crimson. The stem is also very red.
YELLOW ROSE.
(ROSA. CLOTH OF GOLD.) _Infidelity._
”The rose is fragrant, but it fades in time.”--DRYDEN.
Cut the petals from light lemon wax, colour them with deep yellow towards the lower end, gradually shading off the same towards the upper end of each petal. The first three sets of petals are placed on in cl.u.s.ters of five, the others singly in rows of five. The foundation is made similar to the damask rose, and the stamina show from the front of the flower. Calyx and seed cup formed as usual.
[Ill.u.s.tration: J. Gardner & C{o}. Lith. 86 Hatton Garden.]
AUSTRIAN BRIAR ROSE.
(ROSA LUTEA.) _Mingled Pleasure and Pain._
This is a showy single flower, and very easily and quickly accomplished.
There are but five petals, cut from bright yellow wax; colour them half-way down each with crimson: cup them a little in the palm of the hand, not using a pin at all. The foundation is rather small, and formed of green wax--one strip of stamina placed round, cut in lemon wax, tipped with orange powder. Calyx and seed cup formed according to previous instruction.
Having given as many roses as my s.p.a.ce will admit of, and as will be required for the purpose of initiating learners in this kind of flower, I will turn the attention of my readers to another cla.s.s, held in much esteem, and which will afford a wide field of variety to copyists. I allude to
THE CARNATION.
(DIANTHUS.) _Pure Love._
”Yon bright carnation--once thy cheek Bent o'er it in the bud; And back it gives thy blushes meek In one rejoicing flood!”
This may be made in three varieties. The flakes are striped with broad bands of colour, the bizarres are striped with three colours, and the picotees have a narrow margin of streaks and spots; they are all painted with a sable brush. To enable the wax to take the fine pencil marks, moisture from the lips must be conveyed with the finger to the petal. Make the strokes or bands broad near the edge of the petal, and gradually diminish them to a fine point towards the lower end. The petals are curled as follows:--press each in the palm of the left hand, and roll the head of the pin twice or three times down the painted side of the petal, taking care to do so between, and not upon the stripes.
Roll the pin once up the back of the petal, commencing from the bottom, and not extending the same above half-way up. Cover the stem with green wax, and place the petals on in rows of five. The calyx is cut from double wax (light green); it is in one piece, with five points. It is shaded rather dark green in the centre, and the points tipped with red (very faint.) It is pa.s.sed round the tube of the flower; at the base of the same affix six small pieces of wax, as scales.
The leaf is long and narrow, cut from double wax, and a fine wire covered and placed between to support it. To give it the natural bloom, pa.s.s it through the prepared arrowroot. The leaves are placed on the stem two and two, to face each other, and a small piece of lemon wax pa.s.sed round, to represent the joint that is always visible in this flower.
MYRTLE.
(MYRTUS COMMUNIS.) _Love._