Essential flower pressing equipment

Essential Equipment

You only need a few basic tools to begin flower pressing, and they are all easy to source - you may have most of the equipment already around your home.

What You Will Need

• A flower press

This can be sourced from most art shops, as well as large and small ones from our shop JamJar Edit. You can also make your own if you require a custom size.

• Watercolour or blotting paper

Absorbs moisture from the flowers.

• Card

Acts as a barrier layer.

• Sharp pair of scissors

To cut your stems.

• Absorbent cloth

Can blot any excess moisture from your stems.

• Masking tape and pen

Use to label your flower press with the name and date once you have finished. Masking tape will also be used to secure your flowers when storing.

• Acid-free, off-white mount board

Readily available at local art shops as well as various online retailers such as London Graphics Centre or Jackson's Art.

• Scalpel or scoring tool

To score a subtle border into the mount board.

• Pins

These will mark where you have placed your flowers.

• Glue

We use Mod Podge craft glue in the matt finish.

• A variety of paintbrushes

Paint the glue onto the back of the flower.

• Tweezers

Very handy when arranging delicate flowers.

• Scrap paper

To protect your surface from any glue.

• Plastic archive wallet

If you want to store and archive pressings.

How a Flower Press Works

A flower press is a very simple piece of equipment - it is just two wooden boards cut to the same size, then secured together and tightened with screws and wingnuts.

Preparing Your Work Surface

You should be working from a surface that is as clean as possible, so as not to contaminate your artwork. Give yourself plenty of space to experiment and get creative. Laying a large roll of brown paper can be a good idea to protect the work surface.