How to Make a Leaf Collage

Materials and Tools:

stretched canvas
wrinkled brown paper
dried pressed banana-plant leaves
skeleton leaves
various textured papers
colorful wallpaper
acrylic paint
India ink
fixative spray
gel medium
water
paintbrushes
latex or rubber gloves
plastic cups
scissors
rags
staple gun and staples

Steps:

1. Dilute gel medium with water into a workable consistency. This solution will be used to glue everything onto the canvas.

2. Place canvas on table and place the wrinkled brown paper and colored wallpaper on the canvas, ripping or cutting the papers to create the base composition.

3. Wearing latex or rubber gloves, glue the textured brown paper and wallpaper onto the canvas with the diluted gel medium, brushing a coat of gel medium onto the canvas and the back of each piece of paper.

4. Make sure the papers are well adhered by smoothing them with your hands. Let dry.

5. Wrap some of the paper pieces around the sides of the canvas. Staple them to the edges of the canvas with a staple gun.

6. Place dry pressed leaves on the canvas composition. With India ink, water and a paintbrush, paint faces on selected leaves. Dip the brush in water to create a diffused quality.

7. Apply fixative spray to the painted leaves. Let dry.

8. Glue painted and plain leaves and more colored papers on the canvas with gel medium to create a balanced composition.

9. Cut the leaf faces apart and apply only part of the face along the edge of the canvas. Let dry.

10. Apply acrylic paint in selected places on the canvas to create more texture and color. Let dry.

11. Seal the entire collage with a coat of gel medium.