Flower Pressing with Claire Pitt
Join Claire Pitt for a fun and creative flower pressing workshop.Activity Overview
How to Press Flowers: This demonstration should help you start your own floral pressing journey, preserving floral memories from your own gardens and adventures.
Claire will also be showing how she uses her pressed flowers in her own work focusing on mono printing techniques.
There is a PDF version to accompany a slideshow on the Halton Libraries Youtube channel, which has some short timelapses to guide you on your way.
Equipment You Will Need
- Flower press: I use handmade wooden ones, but you can buy premade mdf ones.Β You can also use books as long as you donβt press anything too thick, I would give it a whirl.Β
- Cardboard: Essential for creating protection in between the layers of flowers, especially from mould, if one layer doesnβt press well. It also helps create an even press. I cut my cardboard to size from old boxes and packaging.Β
- Paper: You can either get blotting paper (if you buy a flower pressing kit, it will usually come with paper and cardboard). I vary between using blotting paper myself and heavy cartridge paper, as I buy large sheets and cut them down to size. Try to avoid using kitchen towel paper, it is very absorbent, but flowers are more likely to stick to it and be ruined.Β
- Tweezers: Essential for moving flowers around and for coaxing off the paper when the flowers are pressed.Β
- Scissors (or secateurs): For collecting your florals and for prepping them for the press.Β
- Flowers: Grow your own, Forage for them or buy them.
Who Can Take Part?
Older Children/Adults
Younger Children with some help.
About the Maker
Claire PittΒ
Claire is an artist based at Hazlehurst Studios, which is on Runcorn High Street. She primarily works with pressed flowers that she has grown, collected from her community garden project or from bespoke wedding commissions. She uses the pressed florals to create art in different ways, from prints to gilded letter work.
About the Organisation
Hazlehurst Studios
Hazlehurst Studios is a creative hub situated in the heart of Runcorn. They offer an affordable and like-minded environment for artists and makers in Halton. Hazlehurst currently houses 10 artists within our studios with expertise in a range of disciplines including Photography, Textiles and Printmaking.
