Nature Print Cards

Make a selection of unique cards and tags using leaf prints with soft, natural images.

Nature Print Cards

Skill Level

Beginner

Time to Make

1 hour + drying time for ink

How to Make

  1. Cover your work area with newspaper, place a couple of sheets of scrap paper with a sheet of papyrus paper on top, so it’s ready to print. Place a leaf onto some scrap paper.
  2. Squeeze a small amount of ink onto a tile or a piece of smooth card. Ink colours can be mixed together with a wooden stirring stick or a knife. The dark grey shown here was made from white and black. Use the roller to spread the ink in a thin layer. When the roller is inked, roll it over the leaf.
  3. Carefully lift the inked leaf and press it onto the papyrus paper. Roll firmly over the top of the leaf to make a print. Lift the leaf, re-position it then roll over again to make a lighter print.
  4. Continue to lift the leaf and re-print this until you have 3 or 4 images on the paper. Leave to dry. Keep your fingers and work area clean with wet wipes and paper towels.
  5. Make more prints in the same way on new sheets of papyrus. Experiment with different leaves and patterns. Try printing another colour over the top, like the white shown here. When the leaves are rolled over, some ink may transfer onto the paper, which can be part of the design, but if you don’t want this effect, use a separate clean roller for making prints.
  6. Leave the prints for a couple of hours to dry. Cut the paper into smaller pieces and mount onto folded cards and tags.
Nature Print Cards Nature Print Cards Nature Print Cards

Top Tip

Flexible, smooth leaves with interesting shapes make the best prints. Try to avoid crispy leaves with bumpy textures or curled edges, which tend not to work as well.