Nature Smash Collage
This naturey craft combines classic leaf rubbings and the beautiful colours of nature! Did you know you can find art supplies right outside your door? The natural plants around your house, your daycare, or the playground can help you make beautiful artwork! Just make sure you ask before you start picking anyone’s flowers.
Send a picture of your artwork to us at summerreading@tnrd.ca for a chance to be featured in next week’s newsletter and blog post.
Materials Required
- flowers (they can be dead or alive, as long as they are not dried out)
- leaves (make sure they are not super tiny)
- dirt
- berries (optional)
- anything else found in nature that might make good art material
- bowl or basket to hold flowers while you pick
- crayons
- paper or watercolour paper
- spray bottle (if using watercolour paper) or a bowl of water to flick over your paper
Part 1: Leaf Rubbings
Step 1
Pick out your materials. Make sure only to pick them when you are ready to do your art, otherwise they might start to rot. Make sure to check before you pick anything off of plants that are not yours!
Step 2
Do your leaf rubbings first. To do the rubbings, choose a leaf (or many) and the crayon colours you would like to use. Place the leaf under your paper, then peel the paper covering off of your crayon.
Step 3
Hold your crayon sideways and rub it across the paper. Try not to push too hard or you might rip the leaf or move it to a new spot by accident. Gently hold your leaf and paper down in a spot you are not colouring to keep it steady.
Step 4
Do as many leaf rubbings as you would like! You can do a picture that is just leaf rubbings if you would like, or you can add the next part of the craft, the nature smash.
Part 2: Nature Smash
Step 5
Spray the water colour paper very lightly or flick some water over your paper. Choose a whole flower, a specific petal, a leaf, or a berry to smush into your paper. You can use your hands or any kind of object you would like to push the colour into the paper.
Step 6
Smash away! Your artwork can be anything. You could choose a colour theme, make a picture of an animal, or even smash each flower with your eyes closed. You can even place some whole flowers, petals, or leaves in your picture for extra decoration!
Have fun creating your ‘smashing’ artwork!
Colour a Garden Creature!
This cute little bug is lacking some colour. Do you think you could make him beautiful?
Send us a picture of your artwork at summerreading@tnrd.ca for a chance to be featured in next week’s newsletter and blog post.
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