WORKSHOP: THE MUTABILIS ROSE

Part 2: Creating the rose

In this workshop you will learn to create each component of the Mutabilis rose flower, which can be found growing in the Morwell Centenary Rose Garden.

This workshop has three parts so you will want to allow at least 2 hours to complete all components:
1. Colouring your paper: Allow 15 minutes + drying time
2. Building the rose: Allow 40 minutes + drying time
3. Building the centre of the rose: Allow 30 minutes + drying time

LET’S MAKE IT!

PART 1: Colouring your paper

1. Getting Prepared
   • Place newsprint over the table, add a few drops of water into each bowl.
   • Place five drops of yellow food colouring into the first bowl.
   • Place five drops of pink food colouring into the second bowl.
   • Place five drops of yellow and two drops of pink into the third bowl. This will make a strong orange.
2. Folding the paper
   • Fold the A4 paper into thirds, and cut along the fold lines so you have three paper strips.
3. Colouring the centre of the rose
   • Place your first sheet on the cardboard or newspaper.
   • With your brush and water gently wet the paper (don’t use too much water)
   • Using your yellow food colouring start painting the page, moving the colour around on the wet page.
   • Add small drops of the orange mix from your third bowl, mixing in with the yellow.
   • Put to the side to dry completely, then turn it over and paint the other side to match. (Make sure you cover the page completely, try and keep it nice and bright yellow.)
4. Colouring the rose petals
   • Place the remaining sheets next to each other adding a small amount of water.
   • Paint one of the sheets with the orange colour from bowl three and the other sheet pink from bowl two.
   • Add small drops of yellow onto both sheets of paper and gently mix in.
   • Leave to dry completely then paint the other sides.
5. Speed up drying (optional)
   •  Use paper towel to carefully blot excess colour and water from the page.

PART 2: Building the rose

1. Folding the paper
   • Cut out the rose petal template (you can find the template on the final page of the pdf)
   • Choose your orange coloured pieces of paper (making sure it is completely dry).
   • Fold in half long ways
   • Fold the long strip into three, making sure your rose petal template fits on the folded paper.
2. Trace and cut the rose petals
   • Using the rose petal template, place on the top of the folded strip, and trace around to get your petal shape.
   • Carefully cut our the rose petals with your scissors.
   • You should end up with 6 petals.
3. Adding shape to your petals
   • Unfold and lay out all 6 of the petals.
   • You will only need to use 5 petals for the rose, so choose the best looking ones.
   • The left-over petal will now become your test petal.
   • Using scissors, but keeping them closed, roll the edge of the test petal across the metal of the scissors (be careful not to use too much force because you will rip the paper, which is why we have a spare one just in case).
   • You can just use a pencil or fingers if you find the scissors to be too hard.
   • Curl the edges of all of the petals, curling the petals in different directions.
   • At the base of the petal curve all the petals in the same way. The base of the petal is the narrowest section.
4. Gluing the petals
   • Place the first petal down on the newspaper, apply a small amount of PVA to the bottom edge of the petal.
   • Select the second petal, overlapping the bottom edge of the first petal.
   • Press and hold.
5. Repeat step 4 to glue each petal 
   • Continue to add a small amount of glue to the edge of the base of the petals, pressing and holding firmly each time.
   • If you are finding it hard to keep the petals attached when you go to add more, let it rest and dry for 10 minutes then continue.
   • Make sure you leave a small hole in the base where the centre of the flower will be.
   • Once all 5 petals have been glued together let your rose sit and dry out, it will be much easier to join the rose centre once the glue is almost completely dry.
   • Repeat all steps with your pink sheet of paper.
   • You will end up with two flowers, one orange and one pink.

PART 3: Building the centre of the rose

1.  Measure and cut small strips
   • Using your yellow sheet of paper measure and cut, two strips of paper 2cm x 6 cm.
   • You will need two strips for each flower.
2. Drawing the shape
   • Using your first strip. Draw a wavy line along the paper. Leave a gap between the edge of your line and the edge of the paper.
3. Cutting along the line
   • Cut along the wavy line, and take your time because this is quite fiddly.
   • Be careful not to cut too close to the edge.
4. Drawing the stamen
   • Using your black pen, draw in the stamen of the flower along each ridge.
   • Draw the stamen on both sides of the paper.
5. Folding and cutting the second strip
   • Using your second strip fold in half, length ways.
   • With the folded edge facing away from you, slowly begin to make small cuts.
   • You want to create a feathered edge.
   • Be careful not to cut too close to the fold.
6. Rolling the strips together
   • Place feathered strip on top of your strip with the stamen.
   • Tightly roll the two strips together.
   • This can be quite hard (you can use a small amount of glue or tape to hold the two strips together) we want to try to stop them moving around as you roll.
7. Attach rolled strips together
   • Once you have rolled the two strips to the end, trim to make even (the strip that was on top will most likely be over hanging by a 5mm or so).
   • Glue both edges together, press and hold firmly until they stop trying to separate.
8. Glue in place
   • Apply a generous amount of glue to the curled bottom, we want the glue to get into all the ridges (try not to get it on the top section).
   • Place upright and let dry.
9. Attach stamen to flower
   • Collect your flower that has now hopefully dried.
   • Apply a small amount of glue to the centre of your flower.
   • Using a twisting pinching motion, slowly push into the centre of the petal flower.
10. Fanning out the stamen
    • Once you have joined the two parts of your flower together. Wipe away any excess glue at the back.
    • Carefully fan out the feathered edge and stamen on the inside of your rose.
    • Once you are happy with how it is looking, let it rest and dry completely.

Latrobe Regional Gallery's Education and Public Programs are generously supported by Opal.