Plants and nature
Print with leaves
Paint the back of a leaf, press it onto paper and lift it to reveal the printed veins.
Who might enjoy it: People who enjoy being outdoors, spotting trees and plants, or noticing small patterns in nature. Good for someone who likes a simple, surprising result they can hold in their hands.
- Setup
- About 10 minutes
- Activity
- 15–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Mess
- Some mess
- Where
- At a table, seated-friendly, outdoors
- Help
- Someone nearby
Materials: 5 everyday things, listed below
What you need
- Fallen leaves with clear veins, such as maple, fern or hosta
- Non-toxic, water-based paint or washable ink in one or two colors
- A small brush or a sponge
- Thick paper or card
- Newspaper or a plastic cloth, and paper towels
No need to buy anything special
- No leaves to hand? Use a leaf from a houseplant or from a bunch of greenery bought from a florist.
- No brush? Use a sponge or a cotton ball.
What to do
- Cover the table with newspaper or a plastic cloth, and set out the paper, paint and brush.
- Choose a leaf together and look at its veins. Any leaf is a good leaf.
- Lay the leaf vein-side up on the newspaper.
- Paint a thin, even layer over the veins with the brush.
- Turn the leaf over and press it paint-side down onto the paper, then press gently all over with a paper towel.
- Lift the leaf slowly from one edge and set it aside.
- Let the print dry flat, then choose another leaf and try a different color.
It is okay to stop or change it
It is fine to stop after one leaf. Leave the print flat to dry and carry on later, or go for a short look at the trees nearby.
Make it easier or different
- Make it easier
- Paint the leaf ahead of time, so the person only needs to press it onto the paper and lift it.
- Seated
- Work on a tray on the lap or at a low table, with the leaf held flat on a board.
- Less to see, hear or touch
- Use one leaf and one color in a quiet spot, and skip handling the leaves if that feels uncomfortable.
- For a group
- Each person prints a leaf on one shared sheet, arranged as a wreath or a line.
- With children
- A child paints the leaf and the grandparent presses it down and lifts it, then swap. Choose the colors together.
Safety
- Check every leaf before handling. Avoid poison ivy, poison oak and sumac, and check for allergies.
- Use non-toxic, water-based paint, and wash hands afterward.
- Keep leaves and paint away from the mouth, and do not let anyone chew or taste the plants.
- Pick up only fallen leaves, and never strip a living plant.
These are practical suggestions, not medical advice. You know the person best.
Leaf printing shows the structure of a plant in a way that is easy to see and easy to enjoy. Each print is different, and the leaf does most of the work, so the person only needs to paint, press and lift.