Hello!

Some kind of odd question:

We would like to paint some trees (that is, putting real paint onto
real living trees) for an arts project. We don't want to harm any
trees though.
Therefore, is there special paint for this? Does it harm trees?
Environment?

Any links, suggestions, etc. welcome!

Thanks,
Steve

"Steven" wrote in message
om...
Hello!

Some kind of odd question:

We would like to paint some trees (that is, putting real paint onto
real living trees) for an arts project. We don't want to harm any
trees though.
Therefore, is there special paint for this? Does it harm trees?
Environment?

Any links, suggestions, etc. welcome!

Thanks,
Steve



You think you can improve on nature can you?

And your experience is how long?

Mike

--
H.M.S.Collingwood Ass. Llandudno 20 - 23 May Trip to Portmeirion
National Service (RAF) Ass. Cosford 24 - 27 June Spitfire Fly Past
H.M.S.Impregnable Ass. Sussex 1 - 4 July Visit to Int. Fest of the Sea
RAF Regiment Assoc. Scarborough 2 - 5 Sept. Visit to Eden Camp

In article ,
"Mike" writes:
|
| We would like to paint some trees (that is, putting real paint onto
| real living trees) for an arts project. We don't want to harm any
| trees though.
| Therefore, is there special paint for this? Does it harm trees?
| Environment?
|
| You think you can improve on nature can you?
|
| And your experience is how long?

In that respect, exactly how does it differ from gardening?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 11/4/05 10:46, in article
, "Steven"
wrote:

Hello!

Some kind of odd question:

We would like to paint some trees (that is, putting real paint onto
real living trees) for an arts project. We don't want to harm any
trees though.
Therefore, is there special paint for this? Does it harm trees?
Environment?

How long are you going to leave the paint on for? And are you going t paint
the whole tree/s or just part? I think the answer will be affected by that
information. I would *imagine* that a water based emulsion wouldn't harm
part of a tree if it was washed off immediately. And of course, there are
special preparations painted onto e.g. Tree trunks to deter some insects.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds for email)

Hi!

Well, we haven't decided yet for how long the paint should stay as we
are still playing with the idea. Actually, information aout all the
types mentioned would be interesting:

1. What if the paint should stay on the trees as long as possible? And
if this is not a good idea, how long would other paint stay on before
being washed away? (Rain washing of paint from tree - nature cleaning
human traces?)

2. We actually only thought about painting the trunk, but if someboday
knows about a paint that can be applied to the leafs too, why not? In
this context the paint should probably stay on as long as the tree has
leaves... around 6 months?

3. What are these "special preparation paints" you talked about?

Thanks,
Steven

On 11 Apr 2005 06:25:16 -0700, wrote:

Hi!

Well, we haven't decided yet for how long the paint should stay as we
are still playing with the idea. Actually, information aout all the
types mentioned would be interesting:

1. What if the paint should stay on the trees as long as possible? And
if this is not a good idea, how long would other paint stay on before
being washed away? (Rain washing of paint from tree - nature cleaning
human traces?)

2. We actually only thought about painting the trunk, but if someboday
knows about a paint that can be applied to the leafs too, why not? In
this context the paint should probably stay on as long as the tree has
leaves... around 6 months?

3. What are these "special preparation paints" you talked about?


You can get a white lime-based paint to paint the trunks with. (This is to
stop the trunks splitting in the winter sun). This stays on for around 6
months but cracks and flakes off before that.

You could colour some of that with a food colour or water based paint?
--
Tim C.

wrote in news:1113225916.890801.223470
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

2. We actually only thought about painting the trunk, but if someboday
knows about a paint that can be applied to the leafs too, why not? In
this context the paint should probably stay on as long as the tree has
leaves... around 6 months?


I am pretty sure that if you paint all the leaves with anything that is
still visible after a month or so, it will have the effect of stopping the
plant photosynthesizing properly, and weaken it.

Most plants make new leaves quite often, so you might also find that if you
painted them in spring, there would only be a proportion of coloured leaves
visible by the autumn.

I would stick to painting the trunks, myself. What sort of trees are you
planning to paint?

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

On 11 Apr 2005 06:25:16 -0700, wrote:

Hi!

Well, we haven't decided yet for how long the paint should stay as we
are still playing with the idea. Actually, information aout all the
types mentioned would be interesting:

1. What if the paint should stay on the trees as long as possible? And
if this is not a good idea, how long would other paint stay on before
being washed away? (Rain washing of paint from tree - nature cleaning
human traces?)

2. We actually only thought about painting the trunk, but if someboday
knows about a paint that can be applied to the leafs too, why not? In
this context the paint should probably stay on as long as the tree has
leaves... around 6 months?

3. What are these "special preparation paints" you talked about?

To be honest, I really think you should get in touch with someone who
can give you a professional opinion - I don't think you can get away
with a 'might be OK' on this issue, and you're obviously concerned
enough to have asked in the first place.

I can be pretty sure that you won't be able to do much with the leaves
- they're the 'lungs' of a tree after all.
I know that in some parts of the world they paint the trunks of
certain trees white, to prevent sun damage after a cold snap...so
there's at least a precedent.

Give the people at Kew Gardens a ring - they'll at least be able to
tell you who'd be the best person to answer your question, assuming
they don't have the answers.


Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article , Sacha
writes

How long are you going to leave the paint on for? And are you going t paint
the whole tree/s or just part? I think the answer will be affected by that
information. I would *imagine* that a water based emulsion wouldn't harm
part of a tree if it was washed off immediately.

Modern vinyl emulsions aren't exactly inert though, I suspect - whether
they would actually cause damage, I'm not sure.

Depending on the colour and texture of the bark, could coloured chalks
be used? Or wrap them in coloured papers

I suspect the later comment about painting leaves should not be done -
anything that reduces their access to the sun must be a negative I'd
have thought?

--
regards andyw

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 15:02:22 +0100, Stephen Howard wrote:

I can be pretty sure that you won't be able to do much with the leaves
- they're the 'lungs' of a tree after all.
I know that in some parts of the world they paint the trunks of
certain trees white, to prevent sun damage after a cold snap...so
there's at least a precedent.

They do that here (Austria). You can buy the ready made paint from any
garden centre, it's a bit thick but it can be thinned with water.
There are hundreds of recipes to make it yourself. Eg: this German
recipe...

In a 12litre bucket mix together roughly:

5kg kaolin or other fine clay, 3kg cow dung(! yes really, it's in every
mixture I've seen), 0,5kg rock powder and 0,5km 50% lime. And enough
luke-warm water to make a thick paint consistency. You can then add
0.5litre of sodium silicate (helps adhesion and stops fungus and moss
growth).

This produces enough for around 40-50 trunks of around 60-80cm height.

--
Tim C.

wrote:
Hi!

Well, we haven't decided yet for how long the paint should stay as we
are still playing with the idea. Actually, information aout all the
types mentioned would be interesting:

1. What if the paint should stay on the trees as long as possible?
And
if this is not a good idea, how long would other paint stay on before
being washed away? (Rain washing of paint from tree - nature cleaning
human traces?)

Bark being the way it is, you'd probably find that, even if you used
children's poster paint, a lot of it would stay there for maybe years.
Looking absolutely revolting. And that kind of paint doesn't cover
well: it's designed for paper, not non-absorbent surfaces, and it would
be very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve an intense effect.
Old-fashioned whitewash would do it, and can be coloured. But you'd
still have your guilt mocking you from the crevices years later.

Don't use emulsion, though: once it dries, it isn't water-soluble.

2. We actually only thought about painting the trunk, but if
someboday
knows about a paint that can be applied to the leafs too, why not? In
this context the paint should probably stay on as long as the tree
has
leaves... around 6 months?

You risk killing the tree if you paint its leaves: they are its
life-support, and excluding light and blocking the pores would stop
them working. It wouldn't be feasible, anyhow, except with a powerful
spray and a hell of a lot of paint.
[=2E..]

You could get hold of some logs and try it out first. If you want your
paint to be washed off by rain, you'd have to set the logs up somewhere
outside; and even then it wouldn't be a scientific test, as a log
doesn't have the shelter a living trunk gets from the branches and
leaves.

What about _wrapping_ the tree with coloured paper or plastic?

Of course, the students would learn quite a bit from having to _make_
trees with chicken-wire and papier mach=E9: a tree is a subtle piece of
natural engineering, and it could be good to discover how it holds up.

-- =20
Mike.

In message , Steven
writes
We would like to paint some trees (that is, putting real paint onto
real living trees) for an arts project. We don't want to harm any trees
though. Therefore, is there special paint for this? Does it harm trees?
Environment?

Is your professional name "Christo"?

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

"Steven" wrote in message
om...
Hello!

Some kind of odd question:

We would like to paint some trees (that is, putting real paint onto
real living trees) for an arts project. We don't want to harm any
trees though.
Therefore, is there special paint for this? Does it harm trees?
Environment?

Any links, suggestions, etc. welcome!

Thanks,
Steve

How about wrapping them tightly in coloured plastic instead of using paint.
Or how about finding a dead tree and painting it with whatever you wanted?

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm