Paper CraftsTutorials

From the Archives: Newspaper Flowers Tutorial

I originally posted this tutorial on June 18, 2009.  To this day it is one of my most popular posts.  Enjoy!

  Blackline-200

Want to learn how to make this awesomely cool flower?  Well, read on!

Finished

We get The New York Times delivered to our apartment every morning.  And every night, it goes into the recycling bin.  I wanted to find a way to use some of that newsprint!  Here's what you'll need:

  • Newspaper (Note: If you’re using these on something more permanent, like a scrapbook page, use pages from an old book because newspaper is NOT acid free.)
  • Scissors
  • Crop-o-Dile or Big Bite (i.e. hole punch)
  • Brad
  • Watercolor Paints
  • Paint Brush & Water
  • Heat Gun & Heat Resistant Surface (I use a teflon craft sheet.)
  • Ink (I use brown.)
  • Ink Blending Tool

STEP ONE

Cut a series of graduated circles from the newspaper.  Use scissors.  The idea is for them to be a bit wonky and uneven.

NewspaperCircles

Cut more than you think you need.

STEP TWO

Stack them together from smallest to largest (top to bottom).

StackUp

STEP THREE

Punch a hole through the center of the entire stack with a Crop-O-Dile.

PunchHole

STEP FOUR

Place a brad through the hole.

BradThroughCenter

STEP FIVE

Paint the flower with watercolor paints.

Painting1 

Work from light to dark as you paint.

Painting2 

You can see that I added some paint splatters to the center.

STEP SIX

Immediately dry with a heat gun.  This should make the petals curl up a bit.

DryWithHeatGun

You can see the slight curling here:

DriedWithHeatGun

STEP SEVEN

Using an ink blending tool, color the edges of the petals by pushing them towards the center of the flower.

BeforeInking

This will also help curl the petals.  You can the result here:

InkTheEdges

STEP EIGHT

This is the most important step.  Spin the layers (separating them from each other) in order to reveal some of the unpainted newsprint.  It makes an enormous difference in the "look" of the flower.  And here's your finished product:

Finished 

And a side view:

Finished-sideview 

Cutting the circles is the most time consuming part.  The rest of it takes less than two minutes.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Thanks for stopping by!

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Based outside of Boston, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is a painter, printmaker, and collage artist who constructs vibrant compositions. Her artwork investigates the interplay of identity and perception, inviting viewers to take a longer look. Julie works in layers, both physically and metaphorically, exploring what is visible and what is concealed. Passionate about connecting with and inspiring other artists, she shares her expertise through in-person workshops and her online classroom at MyArtPractice.com. Julie's achievements include high-profile clients, multiple publications - including her book, “Carve Stamp Play” - and exhibits in New York City and throughout Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Brown University.

60 thoughts on “From the Archives: Newspaper Flowers Tutorial

  • Can’t wait to try this! Sooo cool.

    Reply
  • Can’t wait to try this! Sooo cool.

    Reply
  • Can’t wait to try this! Sooo cool.

    Reply
  • Can’t wait to try this! Sooo cool.

    Reply
  • I can understand why it’s so popular… it’s sooooooo beautiful! I’ll try this for sure! Thanks!

    Reply
  • I can understand why it’s so popular… it’s sooooooo beautiful! I’ll try this for sure! Thanks!

    Reply
  • I can understand why it’s so popular… it’s sooooooo beautiful! I’ll try this for sure! Thanks!

    Reply
  • I can understand why it’s so popular… it’s sooooooo beautiful! I’ll try this for sure! Thanks!

    Reply
  • this is the tutroial that had me telling husband for two years Ï must have a cropodile big bite” thanks for the walk down memory lane! and a great tutorial, too)

    Reply
  • this is the tutroial that had me telling husband for two years Ï must have a cropodile big bite” thanks for the walk down memory lane! and a great tutorial, too)

    Reply
  • this is the tutroial that had me telling husband for two years Ï must have a cropodile big bite” thanks for the walk down memory lane! and a great tutorial, too)

    Reply
  • this is the tutroial that had me telling husband for two years Ï must have a cropodile big bite” thanks for the walk down memory lane! and a great tutorial, too)

    Reply
  • Awesome! I’ll try it, thinking of Christmas deco. Thanks for the tutorial.

    Reply
  • Awesome! I’ll try it, thinking of Christmas deco. Thanks for the tutorial.

    Reply
  • Awesome! I’ll try it, thinking of Christmas deco. Thanks for the tutorial.

    Reply
  • Awesome! I’ll try it, thinking of Christmas deco. Thanks for the tutorial.

    Reply
  • i didn’t see your original post…thank you much for re-posting, this is excellent for many many applications! 🙂

    Reply
  • i didn’t see your original post…thank you much for re-posting, this is excellent for many many applications! 🙂

    Reply
  • i didn’t see your original post…thank you much for re-posting, this is excellent for many many applications! 🙂

    Reply
  • i didn’t see your original post…thank you much for re-posting, this is excellent for many many applications! 🙂

    Reply
  • I think this is one of the easiest flower tutorials I’ve ever seen. But, it’s also one of the prettiest. Thanks for the blast from the past.

    Reply
  • I think this is one of the easiest flower tutorials I’ve ever seen. But, it’s also one of the prettiest. Thanks for the blast from the past.

    Reply
  • I think this is one of the easiest flower tutorials I’ve ever seen. But, it’s also one of the prettiest. Thanks for the blast from the past.

    Reply
  • I think this is one of the easiest flower tutorials I’ve ever seen. But, it’s also one of the prettiest. Thanks for the blast from the past.

    Reply
  • i love this idea. thanks for posting it again.

    Reply
  • i love this idea. thanks for posting it again.

    Reply
  • i love this idea. thanks for posting it again.

    Reply
  • i love this idea. thanks for posting it again.

    Reply
  • This is gorgeous! Love the colours, and that it’s newspaper AND that it’s flat enough for a journal page or for mailing a card.

    Reply
  • This is gorgeous! Love the colours, and that it’s newspaper AND that it’s flat enough for a journal page or for mailing a card.

    Reply
  • This is gorgeous! Love the colours, and that it’s newspaper AND that it’s flat enough for a journal page or for mailing a card.

    Reply
  • This is gorgeous! Love the colours, and that it’s newspaper AND that it’s flat enough for a journal page or for mailing a card.

    Reply
  • Love your work Julie – from your inspirational use of stencils to this totally cool newspaper flower. I so look forward to your daily musings, my daily shot of creative motivation!

    Reply
  • Love your work Julie – from your inspirational use of stencils to this totally cool newspaper flower. I so look forward to your daily musings, my daily shot of creative motivation!

    Reply
  • Love your work Julie – from your inspirational use of stencils to this totally cool newspaper flower. I so look forward to your daily musings, my daily shot of creative motivation!

    Reply
  • Love your work Julie – from your inspirational use of stencils to this totally cool newspaper flower. I so look forward to your daily musings, my daily shot of creative motivation!

    Reply
  • That’s pretty neat, I have to admit! Keep up the good work, missy.
    Do you sell them anywhere?

    Reply
  • That’s pretty neat, I have to admit! Keep up the good work, missy.
    Do you sell them anywhere?

    Reply
  • That’s pretty neat, I have to admit! Keep up the good work, missy.
    Do you sell them anywhere?

    Reply
  • That’s pretty neat, I have to admit! Keep up the good work, missy.
    Do you sell them anywhere?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *