How many green floral tapes are in your collection?

I invest considerable time perfecting my leaves and petals, but when it's time to assemble everything, I often rush to complete the project. In that haste, I tend to grab whatever roll of tape is at hand. Sound familiar?

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with using any tape to finish your botanical creations, I believe the tape’s color should harmonize with the calyx and leaves. A mis-match can divert attention away from the meticulously crafted bloom you've spent so much time to create. For instance, if you made your leaves a vivid bright green, your delicately colored flowers would be overshadowed by that striking hue.

When I’m working on commissions or pausing to create something for myself in my studio, I take care to select tapes that complement the green of the botanical. I choose the closest matching tape and then use a corresponding PanPastel to seamlessly blend the transition between the clay and tape. It’s important to note that the intent isn’t to dust the entire stem, but rather just the area where there is a noticeable color difference. The transition.

Sometimes I find myself without a matching color, either for a tape or a PanPastel shade. In such cases, I wrap my stems with white tape and use dirty green brushes to color over the white. A heavy hand isn’t advisable here—lightly dusting is key. No worries if you apply too much; you can either dab it off gently with a paper towel or use a matte fixative to set the color. Generally the sticky tape needs nothing else to hold on to the color.

Which colors and tapes have you paired in this picture, Pooja?

I buy supplies from all over the world when I can which means I have a lot more shades of tapes than the overage Amazon shopper. That's why my color names aren't important. Your collection of floral tapes and PanPastels will differ from mine. Just do your best to match what you have available. If it helps, jot down the name of your matching color on the inside of the tape roll - maybe even the source of that tape. With a bit of pre-planning, you could mix the clay to match the tape you plan to use. Problem solved.

I get my PanPastel at Blick.

Remember the ultra useful floral tape cutter - Effortlessly cut the tapes to half width without needing scissors.

NEW: A short list of recommended color are now available as a class list with Blick!

Both online and in-store. Ask for The Art School at Old Church - Polymer Clay Flower class list.

Or click this link.

These are recommended colors, ones I use myself. You are under no obligation to buy.