Rose tutorial

[Corporea]

Ok, this is how I do it, but there isn't a right way.  I tried a few different methods, so you can judge for yourself if you like any one of them better.

 

First, materials:

The top tool s a firm color shaper chisel.  I like it to hold against the putty while I'm thinning the petals with the metal shaper to get a nice sharp thin form.  I don't have a picture of this because I only have 2 hands.

 

Next, get something the putty won't stick to like plastic card or glass.  Use it to form your shape.

Here I've made some little balls about the right size out of putty and flattened them with the metal tool.

 

then just make flowers...

Kidding!  But I had to get in the groove, so these are vaguely what we're going for.  First, start making the start shape with the metal tool.  Use the vaseline or water to keep it from sticking to the tool.

 

Here's a progression of the star shape.  Don't cut all the way through the putty.  You're going for an overlapping pattern.  Five or six petals is probably enough to get the sense of a rose.

 

Now we're doing the petals.  It's a pushing-pulling motion using the metal tool and often the chisel to hold the petal in place.  the easiest way I could work it out was to pull the petal down and out, then push it back upright, making sure to maintain the overlapping petal pattern were the starting edge is inside the next petal.  smooth them out nicely to make them pretty.

 

Sort of doneish.

 

more coming...

[Corporea]

Here's an alternative method.  Flatten all the petals out leaving a little nub in the center.

 

Then curl the petals up.

 

They all look a little different.

 

Oh!  Leaves.  a quick plan.  flatten small leaf shapes.  Make a central vein with the knife.  Press into the putty rather than pulling to create the side veins.  Feather the edges to give the impression of a serrated edge- tiny little strokes with the knife just at the very edge- more of a pulling motion rather than a pressing.

 

Another possibility: using the curly strip in the center:

Here I've flattened the petals, stuck a loop of flattened putty on it and fiddled with the petals until I liked them.

 

Ok.  Here I'll try to make a slightly larger one to better illustrate the process.  See the size comparison here.

 

flattening the petals here I tried to include the poking in of the tool with the pulling stroke, helping those petals to really have a 3-D appearance. then I created a little well in the center on the last pic.

 

Then I flattened a little strip of putty and curled it around itself.

 

Stick the curl in the center and press it gently with the tool until you like the petals in the center.  Then I thinned the outer petals using the 2 tool method, curled up the petals, and pushed-pulled them until I liked the pattern.   On a real rose, some petals are tight, while others hang more freely or open.

 

So here's what I made!  Have fun.  If it doesn't make sense, let me know and I can try to use my words better...

[Loim]

I need you to stop being better than me at everything. Kkthx.

[Corporea]

I need you to stop being better than me at everything. Kkthx.

How many emoticons to use...

[ShadowRaven]

I need you to stop being better than me at everything. Kkthx.

Just accept that Corporea is awesome. It's easier, and leads to a happier life

[Kharsin]

Thank you! This is very timely for the Beauty Pageant! Yay! 

[SGHawkins09]

This is awesome! Thank you so much for putting it together. Now to Pin it to my how-to board.

[ub3r_n3rd]

THIS NEEDS TO BE PINNED!

 

*clears his throat*

 

Ahem, I mean, this is awesome, someone should do something cool about keeping it easy to reference on the Forum. 

[CashWiley]

Amazing, thanks so much Corporea! I like that you put in a few different things to try, I have a feeling I'll have a lot of roses before I get one I like :p

 

I think the toughest part will be getting one small enough to look good on a Stephanie Law DSM mini, they're so graceful and delicate-looking.

[Corporea]

try sculpting them separate, and then you can attach and touch up if needed!  You can always use the extras on the base mixed in with leaves or other elements.

[JeffWoodall]

Thanks for taking the time to put this up.

Great tutorial.

[CashWiley]

How would you go about putting it on a stem? :)

 

(I'm so lazy, sorry)

[Corporea]

I'd probably do it in 2 parts- sculpt the flower, attach to the miniature.  Then take thin wire for the stem and attach to the other side- depending on the miniature you can drill to fit the wire in.  You could then coat the wire with either paint or greenstuff.  If you want it to look like a rose stem you'd need thorns, so the greenstuff would accomplish that.  You might be able to roll a very thin strip of greenstuff out for the stem and pluck at it with something like a dental tool or hook to pull out thorns.  This is hard.

The vines I used in this miniature were much thicker, so I was able to pull the thorns, but I'd be afraid in a thin unanchored strip it might be hard to accomplish.  Probably easier to just use a bit of wire and fake the thorns with some clever paint! (much like a freehand on a shield to mimic an embossed pattern)

[CashWiley]

Thanks again. That bit at least was close to what I was considering. Why do I have to come up with difficult concepts? :p

[Corporea]

Oooh!  multiple choice quiz!

a) subconciously you want to continue to learn and improve, flowering into an even more awesome painter

b) it prevents brain stagnation

c) you are a masochist

d) it seemed like a good idea at the time...