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Nature printing with leaves

Press leaves and flowers dipped in paint on paper to make pretty prints, and see the veins of every leaf.

Get the whole book: Drawing and craft for classes 1 and 2 (4 lessons, free to print)

Let us begin

The big idea

Leaves are not only green and pretty. Each leaf has its own pattern of lines. When we dip a leaf in paint and press it on paper, that pattern appears like a stamp!

A leaf has lines called veins. The veins carry water to all parts of the leaf. When a leaf is pressed on paper with paint, the veins make thin lines in the print.

Different leaves make different prints. A banyan leaf is big and round, a neem leaf is small and thin, and a curry leaf is small and pointed.

To print, put paint on the back of the leaf, because the veins stand out more there. Place it paint side down on paper, press gently and lift slowly.

You can print many leaves on one page to make a garden, a tree or a pattern. Let the paint dry before you touch it.

Parts of a leaf printA big leaf with a stalk, a middle vein and side veins, each part labelled. Side veins Stalk Middle vein
The veins show up as thin lines in the print.

Worked examples

See how it works

  1. A leaf print

    Paint the back of a leaf green. Press it on the paper and lift it. You will see the outline and the veins of the leaf.

  2. A leaf tree

    Draw a brown trunk with a crayon. Then print many small leaves at the top. The leaves become the branches of a tree.

  3. A leaf pattern

    Print the same leaf in a row across the page, one after another. Then print another row below in a different colour. You get a pattern.

Try it at home

My leaf garden

You will need

  • 3 or 4 different fallen leaves
  • Washable paint or an ink pad
  • A flat plate
  • Paper
  • Old newspaper to cover the table

What to do

  1. Collect fallen leaves from the garden or road. Wash your hands afterwards.
  2. Put a little paint on the plate and press the back of one leaf into it.
  3. Place the leaf paint side down on the paper. Press with your fingers from the middle to the edges.
  4. Lift the leaf slowly. Print more leaves in different colours.
  5. Let the page dry. Write the names of the leaves you know.

Ask a grown-up: An adult can help pick safe leaves and cover the table. Do not pick leaves from plants that irritate the skin.

Practice sheet

Check what you learned

Write your answers in a notebook, or print this sheet and write on it. When you finish, mark your work with the answer key.

Practice sheet: Nature printing with leaves (Classes 1-2, Drawing and craft)

  1. What are the lines on a leaf called?
  2. Which side of the leaf should you paint to print?
  3. Do all leaves make the same print?
  4. What should you do before you touch the print?
  5. How should you lift the leaf from the paper?
  6. Name two things you can make with leaf prints.
  7. What do veins carry in a leaf?
  8. Where can you find leaves for printing?
  9. Why should you wash your hands after collecting leaves?
  10. You print 3 leaves in a row and 3 in another row. How many leaf prints is that?

Answer key

Answers: Nature printing with leaves

Do the practice sheet first, then check here. If an answer is different from yours, read the lesson again and try once more.

  1. Veins.
  2. The back of the leaf, where the veins stand out.
  3. No. Each kind of leaf makes a different print.
  4. Let the paint dry.
  5. Slowly.
  6. Sample answers: a tree, a garden, a pattern, a card.
  7. Water.
  8. Sample answer: fallen leaves in a garden, a park or on the road.
  9. To remove dirt and germs.
  10. 6 prints (3 + 3 = 6).

What next

Keep learning

Get the whole book

All 4 drawing and craft lessons for classes 1 and 2 on one page, with every practice sheet and answer key, ready to print.

Drawing and craft for classes 1 and 2

All 136 lessonsAll printable books

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