Working with light and fading colour

Working with Light & Fading Colour

There is no escaping the fact that the colour of pressed flowers will eventually fade if they are displayed, however, there are ways to help delay the process and prolong the period of more vibrant colours.

Past Project Case Study

Here we have a decorative panel, inspired by the idea of stained glass windows, that we made in 2016 for Sketch restaurant in Mayfair, London.

It has been exposed to full light with no UV protection for seven years, and the colours of the pressed flowers have faded almost completely.

The fading creates its own beauty and enables you to see even more detail within the flowers.

Recent Project Case Study

This nasturtium was picked and pressed a few months ago in the Autumn, stored within the archive drawers and then we used it to create this piece of artwork last week.

It has been framed using UV-protected glass and will be hung outside of direct sunlight to protect the colours for as long as possible.

There is No Escaping Fading

There are steps you can take to decelerate fading - such as using UV-protected glass and hanging your piece away from sunlight - but as hard as you try, the colours of a pressed flower will eventually fade.

We suggest embracing the ephemeral transience of pressed flowers and enjoying the fact that they will change over time.

Using a Black Mount

This can be a great way to accentuate the colours of a pressed flower, especially as it fades to more muted tones. However, black mount is extremely unforgiving and glue will show up much more than it would on white mount.

Colourful Pressings from Our Archive

• Chocolate Cosmos
• Bird's-foot-trefoil
• Clover
• Common Wormwood
• Cosmos
• Buttercup
• Clematis

Pressing Autumn Leaves

Last year, we began to experiment with press autumn leaves as they begin to change colour, and have got some fantastic results.

• Virginia Creeper
• Maple
• Ginkgo

Important tip: Don't pick flowers after watering or a shower of rain, as this can cause your pressings to go mouldy.

Further Reading

The work of Mary Delany

McBean's Orchid Farm