Leaf Dances
Wet-on-wet watercolor and crayon techniques help capture the motion of autumn's falling leaves.
1. Identify fallen, colorful autumn leaves. Use a field guide to select those that are safe to pick up and collect.
2. Cover your work area with recycled newspaper. Use Crayola® Washable Watercolors and Paint Brushes to paint the underside of a leaf. While it is still wet, press the leaf onto light-colored construction paper, applying even pressure to all parts. Lift the leaf carefully.
3. Repeat this process with several leaves, using different colors of watercolor. Overlap some of the leaf prints to create the effect of motion.
4. For added color, try a wet-on-wet watercolor technique. With your brush, drop color onto still-wet portions of your painting. Control the direction of the spreading color by lifting and tipping your painting.
5. After the leaf prints dry completely, use Crayola Construction Paper Crayons to accentuate portions of the leaves. Use partial outlines near the prints' edges, trying varying colors and pressures.
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.
Crayola Washable Paints—Not for use as body/face paint.
- Use Crayola Crayons to create an under-drawing before making the leaf print. Crayon will resist the paint, so use a light crayon with darker watercolors. The under-drawing could have a fall theme, or be used to identify a particular tree.
- Make a series of leaf prints, varying the colors to represent different seasons. Use light greens for spring, dark greens for summer, and reds and oranges for fall.
- Make crayon rubbings with different leaves.
- Younger students and those with special needs may benefit from short practice sessions experimenting with watercolor printing and wet-on-wet techniques before creating final artwork. Provide leaves and plenty of paper for experimentation.
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