A Silver Rose

May 17, 2007 8:30 PM

I would like to spray paint a whole rose with metallic silver paint. The intention is that it will encase the rose, fully retaining its pretty rose shape for at least a few days, if not permanently. In reality the rose will probably wilt, or otherwise warp, leaving an ugly silver mess. I don't know. Any suggestions on how to get the results as imagined?
posted by fucker to media & arts (11 comments total)

Don't spray it. Dip it.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:35 PM on May 17, 2007

Dried roses have essentially the same shape, and won't wilt. Fake ones too, though I'm guessing that's not the point.
posted by cali at 8:48 PM on May 17, 2007

Is it a particular, singular rose that is already in your possession that you'd like to treat? If not, would you be adverse to purchasing a silk rose, such as are available at most craft stores, and using it in lieu of a real one?

If not, you could:
• use a silica-based drying medium to draw the moisture out of the rose, thus preserving it (will take a few days, I believe).
• follow up by spray painting it.
posted by numinous at 8:48 PM on May 17, 2007

Roses are cheap. Can't you just experiment? Here's an idea, freeze a rose then spray paint it and see what happens...
posted by wfrgms at 9:32 PM on May 17, 2007

Gold/silver/platinum electroplated roses will last indefinitely.
posted by krix at 9:33 PM on May 17, 2007

krix that is just the effect I'd like to capture. But with paint instead of gold. numinous's suggestion is helpful, but dried roses are seemingly not as bloomed out as those gold roses. Perhaps they dip, like CPB suggested? Maybe they use some sort of chemical spray to keep the flower solid before applying the gold.
posted by fucker at 10:06 PM on May 17, 2007

Experiment. As another poster said, roses are cheap. Perhaps dip it first in melted wax, let it set, then paint it.
posted by Mikey-San at 10:21 PM on May 17, 2007

I have no idea if this would actually work, but you might try hardening it using some sort of cyanoacrylate glue. I've seen people do some crazy stuff with that.

Maybe if you got some really, really thin stuff, you could spray it through a pump bottle (would probably clog/destroy the pump bottle almost instantly, though) and do it that way? Or maybe there's some sort of thin epoxy that can be sprayed on...

Just doing a little Googling, something like this might work, but you'd have to spray it on very, very gently ... but maybe if you contacted them and told them what you wanted, they could point you in the right direction?

I'm no expert on epoxies or adhesives but I'd imagine the product to do this has to be out there. If you approach it like you're a moldmaker (how do I coat this in something so that I can make a mold out of it, even though it's very, very delicate), I think you'll find the right kind of stuff.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:53 PM on May 17, 2007

If you dry the rose, hang it upside down to dry. That way it won't look wilted.

/hums Der Rosenkavalier
posted by Pallas Athena at 11:36 PM on May 17, 2007

This and this suggests that poly resin is the way to go to preserve a real flower. Perhaps dip it in resin and then spray?
posted by hindmost at 12:35 AM on May 18, 2007

For your purpose, spraypaint has no structural property. To demonstrate, paint a sheet of newspaper and see if it stands up straight after the paint's dry.

Googling for flower preserve works. There are at least half a dozen methods, plus a table of recommended baking times if you want to use a microwave oven. But the most popular technique appears to be silica gel in a jar.
posted by ardgedee at 3:45 AM on May 18, 2007