Printed Leaf Art Project

While the last bits of fall are slipping away to herald in snow and colder weather, before the Thanksgiving holiday arrives, try squeezing a bit more "autumn" out of the year with a last leaf printing project (let's face it - a whole year is a long time to wait for this beautiful season to make its way around again!). Jacquelien, art teacher and creator of the blog Kids Artists, offers just the project!

Supplies You'll Need

- Dried, pressed leaves - Black construction paper or card stock - Tempera paint - Paint sponges - Colored pencils

NOTE: This project will only work if fall leaves have been collected ahead of time, dried, and pressed (i.e. between heavy books, etc.).

Leaf Printing: Basic Process

1. Cover the back of a dried, pressed fall leaf (the side with the raised stem and veins) with white tempera paint.
2. Carefully place the painted leaf on the black construction paper or card stock.
3. Have a clean sheet of paper towel on hand to cover the leaf, carefully pressing down on the towel and leaf with a flat palm.
4. Repeat this process until you have the desired number of leaf prints.

Jacquelien suggests sponge painting the background with a cool color then coloring the leaf prints with colored pencils (in fall colors!) once the white paint has dried. You'll end up with a magnificent project!

Kids Artists: Printed leaves