Create beautiful painted paper leaves and assemble together to make a paper autumn tree with this fall art activity.
Updated August 2024
This painted paper leaves activity comes from Jean’s book, The Artful Year: Celebrating the Seasons & Holidays with Crafts & Recipes. We think painted fall paper leaves is the perfect craft to do on a cool, crisp fall day!
This is an easy fall art activity that we have done a number of times over the years and think your family will enjoy it too.
Painted Paper Leaves: A Fall Art Activity for Kids
From The Artful Year, by Jean Van’t Hul, © 2015 by Jean Van’t Hul. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boulder, CO.
Besides creating art and crafts with real leaves, we can take inspiration from nature and paint our own autumn leaves.
MATERIALS
- Waterproof tablecloth, place mat, or newspaper
- Paper leaves or coffee filters
- Droppers or paintbrushes
- Liquid watercolors in fall colors
Note: Precut leaves can be purchased or cut your own from coffee filters or paper using leaf templates.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cover work surface.
First, protect your work surface with a waterproof tablecloth, place mat, or newspaper (the paint soaks through the paper leaves and is not completely washable).
- Paint with watercolors.
Use droppers or brushes to transfer the watercolor paint to the paper leaves. Try more than one color per leaf and watch as the paint colors spread and merge.
- Dry painted paper leaves.
Let the leaves dry. Finally, hang them on a paper tree, in a window, or create a garland with them.
If you are wondering what to do with any extra paper leaves, here are some fun ideas!
- Draw veins or any kind of design on the paper leaves first with crayons or oil pastels, then paint over the picture for a watercolor-resist effect. (The wax and oil of crayons and oil pastels prevent the water-based paint from adhering. This technique is especially effective with a white or light-colored crayon and a darker paint.)
- Do a leaf rubbing on the paper leaf first with the side of a crayon (place a real leaf under the paper leaf), then paint.
- Use a dropper to paint a leaf with a generous amount of watercolor paint, then sprinkle it with salt. Leave the salt on until the leaf is dry, then rub it off.
How to Make an Autumn Paper Tree
A fun, seasonal way to use these painted paper leaves is to create a tree! Use brown kraft paper or construction paper and draw the shape of a tree; cut it out and attach to a wall. Then, using your new leaves, decorate the tree!
More Fall Art Activities for Kids
- 12 Simple Fall Garland Ideas for Kids
- How to Make Fall Leaf Rubbings for Kids
- 12 Creative Fall Craft Ideas for Kids
- How to Make Fall Leaf Art with Chalk Pastels
- 10 Fun Crafts with Leaves for Autumn
- How to Make Leaf Peepers for Kids
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