Making fake flowers look like real flowers?

mark · Feb 29, 2012

Anyone have any luck making fake flowers look real. I have idea and it needs large Callas. No one here has them but they have fake. I took a pic of them in the store with a digital camera and they just look fake. Is there anything I can do to make them look real?

This is one of those ideas that will not work with any other type of flower.

Dan Grisez · Feb 29, 2012

Spritz them with a bit of dihydrogen monoxide (H2O). Should make the look somewhat more alive.

ME Super · Feb 29, 2012

If you can't find any dihydrogen monoxide, then hydrogen hydroxide (HOH) will also work.

ME Super

mgb74 · Feb 29, 2012

But in either case (dihydrogen monoxide, dihydrogen monoxide) it will work just as well if you mix it 1:1 with water.

Jerevan · Feb 29, 2012

A soft filter, lith printing or creative lighting might get you a bit closer, maybe?

cramej · Feb 29, 2012

But DHMO kills people! And in large quantities can be very dangerous. It's also very easy to get burns from it....

FYI, I wrote a high school paper and a college paper on it. I had my college writing professor convinced until the very end that we should ban DHMO. I also used it in my college speech class and had over half my class convinced that it should be banned!

On topic, make sure you trim all the little threads off the edges. That really gives it away.

stavrosk · Feb 29, 2012

The thing about spraying some water will help a lot indeed.
And maybe try some harsh lighting so the flowers are getting close to blown out if that is not a problem with the shoot or keep them in the shadows. Anyhow just avoid getting them the proper lighting.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Feb 29, 2012

May be you can vaseline it , I dont know how you will clean them later but dont pass them to your lover

CGW · Feb 29, 2012

Though not cheap, silk calla lilies are very lifelike and don't need any make-up. The real thing is very matte with no gloss or shine. Forget the water beads. If you need that overworked look, then get get real flowers and spritz away.

keithwms · Feb 29, 2012

mark said:
I took a pic of them in the store with a digital camera and they just look fake.

I am just waiting for someone to come along and say they look fake because you used digital :munch:

Sirius Glass · Feb 29, 2012

Hey, I could have taken a shot like that but passed on it!

No the problem that the photograph as fake looking is that they are fake. Check florists in your area.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Feb 29, 2012

best advise !

Dan Grisez · Feb 29, 2012

cramej said:
But DHMO kills people! And in large quantities can be very dangerous. It's also very easy to get burns from it....

FYI, I wrote a high school paper and a college paper on it. I had my college writing professor convinced until the very end that we should ban DHMO. I also used it in my college speech class and had over half my class convinced that it should be banned!

dehk · Feb 29, 2012

keithwms said:
I am just waiting for someone to come along and say they look fake because you used digital :munch:

Obviously it looks fake because you used digital!

winger · Feb 29, 2012

imo, your best bet is to go to a florist (a good one, not in a grocery store) and ask them if they can order amazon calla lilies (those are the big ones). If you have a picture of what you want for them to reference, that might be a good idea, too. Near Boston, they used to cost around $12-15 each, but were the freshest possible. At least at the florist I used, they'd get them on their next trip to the wholesale market and would call me as soon as they were back in the shop. They went about twice a week, so I usually didn't have to wait long if I wanted something specific. It was a lot better than just waiting until I found what I wanted. Admittedly, where I live now, I have no idea if they'd be able to get what I want.

mark · Mar 1, 2012

I went to what passes for a florist here was told they could not get the large ones because they ordered in bulk. Their bread and butter are weddings and funerals so cater to that group. And that group has to choose from what they have on hand. Sucks living in the sticks.

winger · Mar 1, 2012

mark said:
I went to what passes for a florist here was told they could not get the large ones because they ordered in bulk. Their bread and butter are weddings and funerals so cater to that group. And that group has to choose from what they have on hand. Sucks living in the sticks.

I haven't asked out here, but I'd probably get a similar answer. Yup, it sucks living in the sticks. I miss eastern MA. Never thought I'd say that when I first moved there.

Does your idea involve real sharpness or could you get away with a diffusion filter of some sort? That might soften the edges of the flowers enough so they wouldn't look as fake.

mark · Mar 1, 2012

Unfortunately it has to be tack sharp.

Making fake flowers look like real flowers?

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