One of the most popular orchids, the Phalaenopsis comes in a wide variety of colors including pinks and purples, and my favorite, white petals with a pop of color in the center. Even with each flower having seven pieces, they are a lot easier than they look! Take each piece one at a time, and they will all come together beautifully in the end. Phalaenopsis orchids are perfect trailing down the side of a cake, or add one layered over hydrangea and filler flowers for a clean, modern touch.
1. Press a small ball of white paste into the orchid column mold. Under fill the mold a little bit to allow for some manipulation of the paste in the next step.
2. Using a small ball tool, press on the paste to hollow out the front two thirds of the column.
3. Insert a 30g hooked white wire into the back third of the column and secure it neatly at the base (see Getting Started). Allow it to dry completely.
4. Roll white paste moderately thinly, about 1⁄16in (2mm) on a groove board.
5. Turn the paste over so you can see the groove, and cut the orchid center shape, using the small amount of groove shown.
6. Insert a 30g white wire into the groove and secure neatly at the base. Continue to step 7.
7. Gently press the orchid center in the petal veiner to add a bit of light texture, avoiding the pointed tip.
8. Lay the center on a foam pad with the groove down. Using a ball tool, cup the outer left and right pieces of the orchid center.
9. Cut into the pointed tip with scissors, down the middle and just short of the widest part.
10. Curl both tips towards the center with a wooden skewer (or toothpick or needle tool).
11. Place the orchid center in foam to dry in a cupped shape. Let it dry completely.
12. Roll two tiny balls of yellow paste for the callus. Glue them together and then attach them to the orchid center. Let them dry completely before dusting.
13. Roll white paste moderately thinly on a groove board and cut the petal shape with minimal groove as shown. This will prevent a shadow of the wire showing through the petals.
14. Insert a 30g white wire into the groove and secure neatly at the base. Thin the edge of the petal with a ball tool on a foam pad.
15. Press the wired petal in the petal veiner.
16. The petals can be dried flat, gently cupped, or with some bits of tissue or foam under them to give the impression of movement. Make two petals per orchid.
17. Roll white paste moderately thinly on a groove board, and cut a sepal shape with minimal groove as shown.
18. Insert a 30g white wire and secure neatly at the base. Thin the edge of the sepal with a ball tool on a foam pad. Continue to step 19.
19. Press the wired sepal in the orchid sepal veiner.
20. It is important to dry the sepals consistently with the shape of the petals, otherwise they will not fit together when you go to tape them. If you dried your two petals flat or with some movement, dry the sepals flat as well, or lay them front-side down in a lightly cupped flower former so they will curve gently away from the petals. If you dried your petals so they are cupped towards you, then dry the sepals exactly the same way. Make three sepals per flower.
21. Dust the middle of the orchid center with yellow dust, covering over the callus and dusting on both sides of it.
22. Dust all of the edges and tips with dark pink or magenta dust.
23. Using a tiny brush or end of a toothpick, add little dots with red gel color to the callus and across the center of the orchid.
24. Dust the front of the column with pink. Dust the back and a bit of the underside of the column with yellow dust. Add small dots with red gel color in the cupped underside of the column. Let the dots dry.
25. Using half-width white floral tape, attach the column and center together tightly. Gently steam for a few seconds to set the color (see Getting Started). Allow to dry before adding the petals and sepals.
26. Tape on the two petals to the left and right of the center.
27. Tape on the three sepals, one at a time, so they are flush behind the two petals and creating a triangle shape. Attach one sepal at the top so it can be seen between the two petals, and then the other two sepals so they just peek out below the other petals, one to the left and one to the right. Tape all the way down the wires to create a single stem.
28. Roll a small ball of pale green paste until smooth, and secure it neatly to a hooked 22g green wire.
29. Using the knife tool, make three indentations evenly spaced around the ball, running from the top to the bottom of the bud. Let it dry completely.
30. Dust the indentations of the bud with kiwi green dust, and add a bit of pink (or another matching color from the flowers) to the tip of the bud. Steam for a few seconds to set the color and allow to dry before using.
