Have FUN with leaf printing

Hey guys, I am back with another fun tutorial.  You can even involve your kids in this enjoyable activity, and keep them active and entertained on a perfect Sunday afternoon!

  

Getting started, things you will need:

1. Leaves  
2. Fabric paint   
3. Palette   
4. Container   
5. Newspaper   
6. Roller brush   
7. Sponge/ brush   
8. Fabric   

First of all, go out take a stroll in the garden or down the road and collect a nice assortment of leaves. Leaves with interesting shapes and prominent veins make the best prints!  If you want to press them flat, here is how you do it otherwise proceed to the next step.

Spread newspaper on your work space and mix a color to your liking. I went with shades of green (add white to leaf green with a touch of grape green for a lighter shade  and a touch of  yellow to leaf green for a brighter shade) and orange (equal parts orange and yellow with a touch of chilly red and to that mixture add a bit of dull gold and wood brown and you'll get that ochreish shade on bottom left)

Next, place the leaf vein side up on a scrap piece of paper and apply an even coat of paint, but not too thick, with your sponge (or a brush, it will work just fine). Make sure you cover the leaf completely.

Now turn your leaf over and place it on your fabric (paint side down)

To avoid getting paint on your roller, cover the leaf with a piece of  paper and then roller over the top of it like so..

Remove the paper and pull the leaf away carefully to reveal your print.

 Repeat as desired

Let your paint dry according to your manufacturer’s instruction before you heat-set it. 

And I personalized my nephew's onesie and his 'ah-hah' was worth all the effort!

Get creative and try this technique on something other than fabric for you can take this idea in soooooooo many different directions!

TIPS

You can print them on greeting cards

Or on paper and hang as a banner
Or make customized leaf printed gift wraps

 

If you do some leaf printing of your own, do send me pictures. I’d love to see what you guys do with this technique. 

Cheers