The Art of Pressed Flowers

Rating:
Summary: More Style than Substance - Two Thumbs Down
Review: The adage "you can't judge a book by its cover" applies here: the book jacket promises "A practical and comprehensive guide to equipment, techniques and design... guidance at every stage, from gathering flowers to the finished design... clear comprehensive instructions for beginning and experienced hobbyists...". This book fails to live up to its cover and my vote is TWO THUMBS DOWN.

Ms. Lawrence's book, as shown above, comes as part of a portfolio that includes a flower press. The book provides many lovely designs and ideas for using flowers you have already pressed and that's where the good news ends. The bad news is that the "press" that is included in the portfolio kit (as shown above) consists of two small pieces of wood with holes drilled into each corner but is without hardware or assembly and use instructions that would enable you to acquire the appropriate hardware on your own.

The book has two sections ostensibly devoted to detailing the mechanics of pressing flowers, "Making a Press" and "How to Press Flowers". Neither section contains even rudimentary basics of the craft. The "Making a Press" section is devoted to a discussion of the textiles that are used for a design base for pressed flower projects. Other than to say in one sentence that you can make a press or buy one, she never mentions the concept again anywhere else in the book.

In "How to Press Flowers," some helpful hints are given, interspersed with references to using tissue, blotting paper and a press. Unfortunately, she skipped over those topics completely (how to press flowers using tissue, blotting paper and a press). As an experienced hobbyist but a novice in this craft and eager to try my hand at it, I was left frustrated and disappointed.

Elsewhere, some of the photographs are wonderfully done but others are decidedly lackluster. The instructions for assembling and completing the projects seem better developed but lack the step by step approach I've seen in other craft books. Reading through her instructions gives one the impression that this is not an easy craft to master.

If you are considering purchasing this book as your introduction to the craft of flower pressing, my advice would be to explore the other related books offered on Amazon and visit the reviewers' comments.