Secrets Of A Paper Garden Revealed
It’s workshop season here at Golden Age, and to prepare I thought I’d share my top 5 favourite tools for bringing paper to life!
Botanical replicas can be made with materials like paper, wire, glue and paint, but to transform those simple materials into something extraordinary you need some tools. And in this post, I’ll outline the ones I’m always reaching for when creating all of Golden Age’s finely crafted paper botanical keepsakes.
This list is the result of almost 10 years spent developing my craft, so some of these tools have definitely put in their 10 000 hours!
What made the cut:
These tools are favourites because they’re precise (a must for creating meticulous details) but also because just one of these tools can be used for multiple purposes, which is super helpful if you’re just getting started with creating paper flowers.
So whether you are brand new to paper flower making, or have already made many garden’s worth of flowers, read on to find out what these 5 essential instruments are as well as a few handy links if you’re looking to make some additions to your own toolbox!
You will be using all of these tools in my online courses, and you’ll see them in my workshops too, so consider this a sneak peek at the materials list if you take a course with me. If you’re curious when online courses will be available or want to sign up for my next in person workshop, make sure you’re getting my newsletter so you don’t miss out.
Now, onto the list!
5: Liner paint brush
Coming in at number 5 on my list is a liner paint brush. A liner paintbrush is a specialized brush that has long thin bristles that taper to a fine point, making it perfect for painting extra fine lines. Painters will use a liner brush for lots of purposes, everything from calligraphy lettering, outlining forms, or painting intricate details like thin tree branches, blades of grass, textured fur or animal whiskers.
For us paper flower artists, a liner brush is an absolute must for painting the fine veining details on flower petals and on the tops of leaves. If you look closely at a flower petal, you can see a fine network of vein structures within the petal. A flower’s veins work just like our veins do, but in a plant’s case the veins circulate water to help keep the plant hydrated.
A diagram of leaves with different vein structures. Painting these details is a great way to enhance the realism of your paper leaves.
Reach for a liner brush when you want to paint the vein details on the top of a paper peony leaf or on the inside of a hellebore petal.
I find a liner brush especially helpful when painting the facial markings on pansies and violets, which are some of my favourite flowers to make! And don’t worry, if paintbrush names and types are new to you, I’ll be writing more about how to shop for paintbrushes as a paper flower artist in an upcoming blog post —make sure you’re subscribed to The Iris so you don’t miss out on it!
A liner brush is perfect for painting fine lines like this reference: https://www.pennywoodward.com.au/heartwarming-heartsease/
And here’s the result, I used a liner brush to paint the facial markings on this paper heartsease.
Bonus info: If you’ve taken my online forget-me-not course you’ll see that we use a liner brush to paint the extra small details on those extra small flowers. In that course I show you the importance of using the right size and type of paint brush and how it can do wonders in both achieving the realism and fineness of detail that you want, while also minimizing frustration and eye strain.
Paper forget-me-not flowers made by artists Klay Arsenault (left) and Devi Mays (right). Their hard work created such beautiful results, and you can see how they made good use of their liner brushes!
4: Pointed, precision tip scissors
Number 4 on the list is a pair of pointed precision tip scissors. These types of scissors feature slender, sharp blades that taper to a precise point, making them excellent for intricate cutting work. From fine details in paper crafting to precision trimming in sewing and embroidery, these scissors provide dexterity to create intricate projects.
For creating paper flowers I recommend having at least one pair of pointed tip scissors.
I have two pairs that I like to use: one for cutting paper and one for cutting wire. Having two sets of scissors for different materials is a practice I picked up from learning how to make clothing. For sewing you always have two pairs of scissors: one for cutting fabric and one for cutting out your paper patterns.
So for making paper flowers I also keep two pairs of precision scissors. One is for cutting fine details in paper (like making stamens or cutting serrated edges on leaves, like these strawberries) and the other pair is just for cutting floral wire!
Why two pairs of scissors?
Cutting wire with scissors can dull the blades over time. Unlike cutting soft materials like paper or fabric, the hard metal edges of the wire will create small nicks in the blades. With repeated cutting the scissors will lose their sharpness and effectiveness, meaning you’ll struggle with cutting out fine details in paper if you’re using the same scissors to cut your floral wires. So having two pairs of scissors means you can cut everything you need without diminishing the effectiveness of your tools!
Wire trimming scissors in action from a segment during the Paper Forget-me-nots course
Bonus info: I show you the handiness of precision tip scissors for cutting wires in both my online forget-me-not course and my online rosy maple moth course! You’ll see how it helps to create slender stems and detailed wings, making this tool essential for creating realistic and fine details at a smaller scale. Newsletter subscribers will be the first to know when courses are launched!
3: Magnifying lamp
In the last year I’ve noticed that it’s getting harder for me to see extra small details (really putting the elder in elder millennial here), but getting a magnifying lamp has really upped my game! That’s why I’ve included it in my Top 5 list, because though it’s a new tool for me I find it indispensable now.
A magnifying lamp is an invaluable tool for paper flower artists looking to enhance their attention to detail. This tool features a built-in magnifying lens surrounded by a bright LED light, providing clear, illuminated magnification. The magnifying lens can help you clearly see intricate details in reference flowers, and assists you in recreating those details accurately.
So for paper flower artists, where so much of our craft is in creating intricate and tiny embellishments, the magnifying lamp becomes an essential aid in creating the refined details that are a mark of exquisite craftsmanship.
And like any good tool, it also helps to open up many more possibilities of what can be re-created in paper! My magnifying lamp is what has allowed me to create a few flowers that have always been on my Never List, especially Queen Anne’s Lace and a dandelion gone to seed.
Queen Anne’s Lace and a dandelion gone to seed: two flowers from my Never List (a list of flowers I think I’ll never make because they’re too hard) that got crossed off thanks to my magnifying lamp!
Bonus info: A magnifying lamp isn’t on any of the materials lists for my online courses, but it would definitely be helpful! Plus when you don’t need the magnifier it can just be used as a lamp to light your work surface. The one I have has 3 different light temperatures and 8 brightness settings, and the cool setting mimics natural sunlight pretty well. Here’s a link to the one I have (that’s a non-affiliate link btw)
2: An awl
In second place on the list is an awl: a versatile hand tool that I am always reaching for!
An awl is a simple tool that has been used for centuries and across craft disciplines, which I think is just really cool! Awls have been used for everything from leather and wood working to sewing and bookbinding, which is where I first came across it; taking bookbinding courses at OCAD.
An awl has a handle and a long metal tip that is sharp and pointed. It’s typically used for making small holes or indentations in various materials like leather, fabric or paper.
For making paper flowers, I started using an awl after seeing how Tiffanie Turner uses a hat pin for shaping petals, which she describes in her book The Fine Art of Paper Flowers (basically the bible for paper flowers). I couldn’t find a hat pin but remembered my awl from my bookbinding days, and have since found it to be an excellent tool for making paper flowers!
An awl is the perfect tool for creating the tendrils on this paper sweet pea. To create their curlicue shapes I simply wrapped paper covered wire around the awl. The awl’s metal tip meant I could easily slide the wire off once it was shaped.
The best part about an awl is that it has a wood handle, making it both ergonomic and easier to use. And it’s a great multi-purpose tool: use it to poke holes in an armature, to create small indentations and texture in flower centres, or for scoring paper to make clean folds or to create veining details. It’s especially useful for shaping petals (a la Tiffanie Turner’s hat pin) — you can roll, pinch and crinkle your petals all using an awl. It’s awlright!
Just one function of this great multi-purpose tool: adding wrinkles to rose petals!
1: Precision tip tweezers
And the tool that’s at the very top of my list are precision tip tweezers.
This tool is my absolute favourite, and indispensable for creating fine details and assembling all the tiny components that enhance the realism and appreciation of fine paper flower making.
Precision tip tweezers are specialized tools that are designed with ultra-fine, pointed tips, allowing for accurate gripping and handling of small objects with precision. Tweezers like this are commonly used in various fields such as electronics, jewellery making, crafting, and even medical procedures.
Their fine tips make them ideal for tasks requiring delicate handling, such as removing splinters, placing tiny components, or intricate detail work. To protect the tips, these tweezers will typically come with a protective plastic sheath for storage, sort of like the cap on a pen.
I find precision tip tweezers are crucial for tasks requiring meticulous control and accuracy, which is why they’re at the top of my list.
When it comes to paper flowers, precision tipped tweezers can be used for many parts of the creation process. Use them to hold tiny pieces that need to be painted, for gluing tiny elements together like stamens onto pistils or petals onto small centres, you can even use the tips for poking holes if needed (but I’d avoid doing that as it might bend the tips and use your awl instead).
I have a few sets of precision tweezers in multiple styles, but the two I use the most are this needle-nosed type and this curved type. They can be used interchangeably, depending on what you’re trying to assemble, but I find I reach for mine as often as I reach for scissors or glue!
This tiny clover had so many intricate details that would have been impossible to create without my handy tweezers, seen in the background.
That wraps up our review of the Top 5 tools I swear by for crafting paper flowers! Hopefully this has inspired you to try out some new-to-you equipment. You can see how in combination with time and practice, the right tools can truly elevate your artistry and bring your paper creations to life.
So whether you’re an experienced crafter or just starting to explore your creativity, using quality tools and determining how they can really work for you is essential.
However, paper flower crafting is a journey! It’s not just about the tools you use, but also about the guidance you receive along the way.
With Golden Age Botanicals’ upcoming online courses, you'll not only see these essential tools at work, you’ll also learn plenty of techniques and tricks of the trade from an experienced instructor.
With a passion for teaching and a commitment to helping you to discover your own unique creative expression, I am dedicated to providing comprehensive and engaging courses that will encourage you to create stunning paper botanicals with confidence!
So, whether you're looking to elevate your skills, explore a new hobby, or enter into a mentorship with nature, bookmark The Golden Page and let's embark on this creative journey together, petal by petal.
Looking to learn the art of paper flowers in person?
Check out my upcoming in-person workshops below!
You can also make sure you’ve signed up to receive my newsletter The Iris and get notified of all upcoming workshops and online courses.
Do you have any special tools for making paper flowers? Share your favourites in the comments below, and tag me on Instagram @goldenagebotanicals if you try any of the tools mentioned in this post! I’d love to see how you work with these tools too.
Until next time!
