We have prepared for you a list of the most frequently asked questions related to lichens/mosses and their corresponding answers.
If you can’t find the answers here or if you need advice, please contact us at this number: 0040727592696 or office@joliearts.eu
We will be pleased to answer any queries and guide you towards finding the best suited solution.
In this section you will learn:
1. What are lichens?
2. What are mosses?
3. Are the materials shown in the photos natural?
4. How are they maintained?
5. What conditions are necessary for lichens, mosses, and stabilized plants?
6. How do I know if the air in the room is too dry?
7. How can lichens help me keep an optimum level of humidity in a room?
8. What are the benefits of decorating my room/office with lichens?
9. Can lichen panels be used outdoors?
10. Where can I use them?
11. Where do lichens grow?
12. Do you do personalized projects?
13. Are panels delivered safely? Can I order them in any size?
14. How is the size of a panel determined?
15. What kind of frames can be used?
16. Do the materials used have a characteristic smell?
17. What if the panel arrives broken/cracked…?
18. What kind of fastening system do the boards have?
1. What are lichens?
Stabilized lichens are symbiotic organisms composed of fungi and an alga or cyanobacterium, preserved through the stabilization process. This process involves removing water and volatile substances from lichens and replacing them with a mixture of stabilizing substances such as glycerin, salts, and food dyes. Stabilized lichens maintain their natural appearance, color, and texture without the need for special care or exposure to light or water. It is important to note that lichens have a wide range of natural colors that can be intensified or altered by adding food dyes during the stabilization process.
The solutions used in the stabilization process are non-toxic and do not affect the health or surrounding environment.
2. What are mosses?
Stabilized moss balls are non-living plants that have been treated through a stabilization process to maintain their natural appearance and texture. This process involves removing water and volatile substances from the moss and replacing them with a mixture of stabilizing substances such as glycerin, salts, and food colorings. Stabilized moss balls do not require water or light and do not need special maintenance, making them ideal for interior decoration.
It is important to note that their size, color, and texture may vary and that they are not always perfectly round, as they are still natural plants. The solutions used in the stabilization process are non-toxic and do not affect health or the environment.
3. Are the materials shown in the photos natural?
YES! Jolie Arts uses only natural plants preserved though a special process. Preservation allows lichens to keep their aspect and texture for up to 10 years.
Although 100% natural, preserved lichens do not grow.
You will see multiple variants of the same product for most of our products, in order to provide more details about the manufacturing process and the fact that our paintings are made by hand and may have slight design differences. This makes each product unique and has its own distinct personality.
4. How are they maintained?
Stabilized lichens and mosses do not require additional care. They do not need watering, trimming or natural light.
The lichens are 100% natural. They require 0% maintenance!
5. What conditions are necessary for lichens, mosses, and stabilized plants?
To enjoy your lichen-and-moss panel for a long time, the space in which it is kept must conform to a few rules:
· Do not keep lichens/ mosses/ plants in direct sunlight or artificial light. Do not keep them within range of halogen lighting fixtures (warm light). This results in the dehydration of the lichens.
· Do not hang your lichen/moss-and-plant panel near a heating source (heaters, fireplaces, air conditioning)
· Do not keep your lichen-and-moss panel outdoors.
· Do not water, wash or trim the lichens!
· The recommended level of humidity should be between 45 and 65%. Lichens require temperatures ranging between 12 and 30 degrees Celsius. They are also a good indicator of insufficient humidity in a room.
In less than 40% humidity, lichens change their texture and stiffen. In case the lichens in your panel have become too stiff, here’s a little trick – move them to the bathroom overnight! The high level of humidity in the bathroom will help them recover.
If you follow these recommendations, the plants will last a long time. The average lifespan of stabilized lichens is up to 10 years.
6. How do I know if the air in the room is too dry?
Excessively dry air can be harmful not only to lichens and mosses, but also to your health. If you notice dry lips, dehydrated skin, or nasal irritation, then the air in the room is likely too dry. Other signs of dry air include tingling in the nose or dry, irritated eyes.
To check the humidity level in the room, you can purchase a hygrometer, a device that measures the level of humidity in the air. Generally, the optimal humidity level should be between 40% and 60%. If the level is below 40%, then the air is too dry and measures should be taken to increase the humidity level, such as using a humidifier. Lichens generally prefer a humid environment and are sensitive to sudden changes in the humidity level of the air. If the air in the room is too dry, lichens will easily change their color, volume, and texture, becoming stiff to the touch.
7. How can lichens help me keep an optimum level of humidity in a room?
Lichens absorb moisture and dust, so they may be said to have a purifying effect. When humidity levels in a room are very high, lichens increase their volume and their color becomes brighter, but they do not grow any bigger.
8. What are the benefits of decorating my room/office with lichens?
· Lichens act as humidity regulators;
· Lichens do not provoke allergies!
· Lichens are antistatic. They do not contain allergens, gather dust or favor the growth of other microorganisms.
9. Can lichen panels be used outdoors?
No, they can’t. The products made and sold by Jolie Arts are for indoor use only! Under no circumstance are they to be installed outdoors.
10. Where can I use them?
Jolie Arts creations can decorate both your home and a corporate space.
At home, lichens can be used to personalise your space in a healthy and unique way.
- Your bathroom. As lichens absorb moisture and don’t need a lot of light, you can give your bathroom a unique design by using lichen panels. Stabilized lichens thrive in humid, dark bathrooms.
- Your dining room, bedroom, living room, even your hallway.
We make personalized panels in any size you want.
· Lichen panels offer a healthy, learning-friendly environment in schools, kindergartens, and indoor playgrounds.
In a corporate space, lichens can be used in cafés, restaurants, event rooms, offices, conference halls, in hotel receptions, in beauty salons, in medical surgeries, etc.
· Lichens are natural sound-absorbers, making them ideal for soundproofing conference halls.
11. Where do lichens grow?
Lichens grow on hard surfaces such as rocks, tree bark, and bricks, in diverse habitats including forests, deserts, wetlands, tundras, and alpine zones. However, to avoid negative impact on natural habitats, the lichens used in decorations or art pieces are grown in a controlled environment by specialized lichen growers, to ensure a sustainable and responsible source of superior quality lichens.
12. Do you do personalized projects?
· YES, we do. We can do personalized, customized projects.
To place a personalized order, you need to contact us at this number 0040727592696 or at this email address jolieartsdesign@gmail.com / office@joliearts.eu
· You can choose the size and the preferred colors;
· We offer free consultancy!
13. Are panels delivered safely? Can I order them in any size?
Panels are carefully wrapped up in the best quality materials which make transport perfectly safe. The panels delivered by carrier companies may be up to 1m wide and 2m long. See packaging method here.
14. How is the size of a panel determined?
The size of a panel is determined by the exterior measurements of the frame. The width of the frame may vary function of the chosen model.
15. What kind of frames can be used?
A multitude of frame models/ colors may be used in making a panel. Here you can find the available models. If the product you choose does not give you a color option for the frame, please do not hesitate to write to us or call and we will personalize the panel with your preferred frame. As the frames are made in a partner workshop, we can’t always guarantee the availability of the entire range.
16. Do the materials used have a characteristic smell?
Yes, they do. Most of the products we use have a characteristic smell which a majority of people would describe as natural, similar to the smell in the plants’ natural habitat (the forest). As the plants acclimatize, their smell gradually loses intensity.
17. What if the panel arrives broken/cracked…?
If the panel arrives broken/ cracked or in any way damaged by transport, we assume full responsibility and replace the product. All YOU need to do is to get in touch with us immediately and wrap the panel up again, and we will send you another one. Given the rarity of such cases, you need not worry.
To avoid any displeasure, all we ask is that you have a little patience when you unwrap the panel. It may seem like a waste of wrapping material, but we really want our products to reach you safely.
18. What kind of fastening system do the boards have?
All paintings are provided with a hanging system, both for horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) positioning.
Depending on the size and weight of the painting these will be supplemented, as long as the painting remains secure.
If there are any uncertainties or questions on your part that we were not able to answer in our previous responses, we would be more than happy to address them here.