Making Flowers, Orchid Lady Slipper
I have been working on an idea to do a slipper orchid flower to add to some of my carvings. This one is the yellow slipper wild flower. Cypripedium parviflorum orchid. "The genus name Cypripedium is derived from the Greek words "Cypris" an early reference in Greek myth to Aphrodite, and “pedilon” for sandal. This is because the fused petals that form the orchid’s pouch or modified lip (labellum) resemble a slipper or shoe. The staminode (sterile stamen) is often showy and seems to welcome the insect into the pouch where it makes its way to a back-door exit and in so doing transfers pollen to the stigma." U.S. Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/cypripedium/ and you can find information.
Starting with a 2x2x12" piece of Tupelo I lay out the pods 5 up, band saw leaving little spots to hold it together. Then cut the strip in 1/2, hollow out the inside being careful not to go through the walls. Re-glue the strips together and start shaping the outsides. Next cut the pods apart and do the final outside shaping and smoothing out.
As you can see above and by the captions that it is easy to shape the flowers.
This is my paint sheet. You can see I use spray paint for base coats and acrylic washes to finalize color. the veins in the pods are Walnut Hollow oil pencils.