For a science project, you could try to collect a leaf from every type of tree that grows in your area. Or you can try to find find leaves from different individual trees of the same type to show the difference between the size of a sapling’s leaves versus a full grown tree’s. For an art project, you can a landscape with leaves standing in for trees, with the leaf’s stem standing in for a trunk. You could also make a wreath with lots of layers and differently colored leaves. For a landscape, you only need a few. For a wreath, the more the better! To identify specific types of leaves, there are plenty of field guides you could use, as well as websites like https://www. arborday. org/trees/whattree/.
You want to keep your leaves as pristine as possible, so don’t stuff them in your pockets or a bag. Bring a manila folder, notebook, or something similar to slide them inside without folding them over. If it’s spring or summer, search the trees and pluck the leaves directly from their stems. If it’s autumn, search the ground, too, but avoid damp leaves if possible, since these may smell a little funky and start decaying faster than dry leaves.
Lay your leaves as flat as possible inside a manila folder or between sheets of paper that you don’t mind getting a little damp or dirty, like old newspapers. Place a heavy object with a flat bottom on top of them, like a big, thick hardcover book or a stack of board games. Give your leaves a couple of days to flatten under the weight.
Colored or plain white backing paper[3] X Research source Cardboard or foam backing board[4] X Research source Contact paper Pens, colored pencils, markers, etc. Various forms of glue
Craft paper Cardboard, new or used[5] X Research source Colored construction paper[6] X Research source Foam backing board
Grouping them by the type of tree they came from. Creating a wreath. Making a landscape with leaves standing in for trees.
If you’re making a wreath, you can trim sheets of other colored paper (or use crayons or markers to color in plain white paper) into thin strips. Arrange these like sunbeams pointing outward from where your leaves will go and then glue them into place. If you’re making a landscape, you can draw other features in the background, like buildings, mountains, or a setting sun.
If you’re using liquid glue, apply a thin bead around the back of your leaf. Keep a little distance between the glue and the leaf’s edges. This way the glue won’t squirt out from underneath when you stick it to the paper. A glue stick can be a neater alternative, since it’s transparent and won’t goop up anywhere. Rub it onto the back of the leaf, the paper itself, or both, and then press the two together.
If you’ve grouped your leaves together by type, consider labeling. You can use pens or markers to write the type of tree directly on the backing paper where there’s room. Or you can glue separate labels written on a different colored paper so they’ll stand out even more. [9] X Research source If you’ve made a landscape, you can still draw in features like grass, clouds, or the sun or moon where space allows. You can even glue other materials to the backing paper for these, like green yarn for grass or cotton balls for clouds. You could also apply spray-on glue to the whole thing once you’re finished. This will help preserve the leaves’ original shapes and colors. [10] X Research source Glitter, stickers, and similar materials can also be added to make your collage even more eye-catching.
Seal a finished glued collage. Stick leaves and other materials directly to it. Create a collage that’s totally transparent except for the leaves. [11] X Research source
This is only a good idea for flat collages. If you’re using stuff like cotton balls and yarns, or if you like the way your leaves curl, this would only flatten them out and ruin the effect.
Peel off the backing to the contact paper’s sticky side and lay the paper down with the sticky side facing up. Take a leaf from your backing paper and press it facedown into the contact paper’s sticky side. Because the contact paper is facedown, remember that sides are reversed. For example, if your backing paper and contact paper are side-by-side, the leaf that’s lying faceup all the way to the right of your backing paper should be placed facedown all the way to the left of your contact paper. Continue sticking leaves (and any other materials) one at a time so you don’t lose track of which goes where. When you’re finished, flip the backing paper over, line its edges up with the contact paper’s, and press the two together.
Use two sheets of contact paper of equal size, trimming one to match the other if needed. Arrange your leaves on any surface to settle on a design. Again, contact paper is pretty sticky, and removing your leaves once they’re in place will be pretty tough. Remove the backing to one sheet of contact paper. Lay that sheet facedown, with the sticky side up. Stick the back of each leaf, one by one, to the contact paper, following your design exactly. Once you’re all done, remove the backing to the other sheet of contact paper. Line their edges up and press the two together, with the leaves sandwiched between the two sticky sides.
