BAUHINIA FLOWER TUTORIAL

Skill level: BEGINNERS

FROM ZLATINA

Note: There are many different varieties of Bauhinia and the plant can vary in shape, size, colour and form.

I’ve made the flower as near to nature as possible, although it is not 100% botanically accurate.

You will need:

Saracino Pasta Bouquet (coloured in pale green & pink colour)
Florist wires white (20,24,26,28 gauge)
Florist tape – mid-green
Edible colour gel (green & pink)
Edible colour dusts (yellow, pink, plum, violet, white, burgundy, Light green, deep green, dark green)
Edible glue
Edible glaze
Alcohol or lemon extract for mixing with dust colour
Mimosa or yellow coloured semolina
Cornflour for dusting
Balling tool
Dresden tool
Veining tool
Cutting wheel
Scalpel
Non-stick rolling pin
Grooved Board
Foam Pad
Bauhinia cutter (Tinkertech Two)
Amaryllis or Lily veiner
Bauhinia leaf veiner (Aldaval)
Paint brushes (Flat for dusting, thin brush for making the markings )
Wire cutter
Scissors
Drying shapers or sponge

Step 1

Making the Pistil – you will need 1/3 length of 26 gauge wire and a small pea size of pale green Pasta Bouquet.

Step 2

Hold the paste between your fingers and work it down the wire to cover half of its length (between 5-6cm).

Step 3

Flatten the sides gently and bend to form an ‘S’ shape curve.

Step 4

Slightly flatten the tip of the pistil and leave it to dry.

Step 5

Dust the pistil with light green powder colour.

Step 6

To make the stamens, you will need 1/3 length of 28 gauge wire and a small ball of white Pasta Bouquet.

Step 7

Wrap the paste around the wire leaving the very end exposed. For the ‘T’ anther bend the end of the wire and attach a tiny sausage shape piece of white paste.

Step 8

Moisten the end with edible glue and dip into mimosa or yellow coloured semolina to look like the pollen.

Step 9

Make 5 stamens. Bend the stamens gently into an S shape to create a curve.

Step 10

Dust the stamens with a pale mix of violet and white colour.

Step 11

Tape the pistil and stamens together with ¼ width of Nile green florist tape. Position the pistil slightly above the stamens to resemble the form of open palm.

Step 12

To make the petals – Colour a small amount of Pasta Bouquet with pink gel colour to achieve a pale pink. Roll out some of the paste using a thin none stick rolling pin and a grooved board.

Step 13

For the Bauhinia you need five petals – Cut out one petal using the main middle cutter (the widest of the set). Cut out two petals of each of the other cutter shapes (left and right for each petal shape).

Step 14

Insert a ¼ length of 26 gauge florist wire into the grove of the petal inserting at least half way.

Step 15

Pinch the narrow end and roll gently between your fingers to make sure that the paste is securely connected to the florist wire.

Step 16

Vein the petals using the Lily/Amaryllis veiner.

Step 17

Place the petals on the foam pad and thin the edges using a ball tool.

Step 18

Frill the edges of the Bauhinia petals with the veining tool.

Step 19

Gently pinch the back of the petals to create a central vein, shape them and leave them to dry 20-30 minutes.

Step 20

Using your flat headed brush dust each petal, working from the edges towards the base of the petal with a mix of pink, violet and white dust colours.

Step 21

At the base of the petals dust with plum colour to accentuate it and give it depth.

Step 22

Mix a few drops of clear alcohol or lemon extract with violet/plum dust colour. Using a thin brush paint lines resembling a fan formation on the central petal and leave a few minutes to dry.

Step 23

Assemble the petals around the pistil and stamens using ½ width Nile green florist tape.

Step 24

Start with the middle (central) petal, attach the left and right petals of the top (frilly) set slightly behind the middle petal.

Step 25

To the base of the flower attach the left and right petals of the bottom set cutter.

Step 26

Gently form your petals to the position you want them to take whilst they are workable and not dry.

Step 27

To make a bud – You need a small ball of pale pink paste and ½ length 20 gauge wire. Make a small hook at the end of the wire.

Step 28

Roll the paste into a cone shape and insert the wires turning the paste gently. When we twist the paste the hook will attach itself well.

Step 29

Pinch the end of the cone shape to attach it well to the wire.

Step 30

Make three grooves along the length of the bud to line with the outer petals. Dust the bud gently with a mix of pink and violet dust colours.

Step 31

To make the bract – Roll out pale green coloured Pasta Bouquet and cut out a leaf shape using a cutting wheel, scalpel or with the central Bauhinia cutter.