Leaf Art is a simple idea I started in the late autumn and it seems to have captured the imagination of a growing number of fellow walkers! As 2013 draws to a chilly conclusion there’s still time to get a little creative next time you go out walking. Why not leave a little #LeafArt to brighten up someone’s day?!
The great thing about Leaf Art is it’s FREE and you can do it anywhere, and to be honest, it becomes a little bit addictive! Every time I go for a walk now I find myself looking for colourful leaves of all shapes and sizes and suitable surfaces to act as a canvas.
Here are a few simple tips to help get you creative juices flowing….
Your Leaf Art can be any size, it depends on the size of leaves your are using, how many leaves you have and how large a canvas (patch of ground) you have!
- Look for leaves of different size, shape and colour. Bright red, yellow and golden leaves are great as they stand out really well on green of brown backgrounds.
- Take a carry bag with you on your walk to collect any interesting leaves you find. You’ll then have plenty of materials to use when you find the perfect spot for your leafy creation.
- Choosing a subject for your Leaf Art creation can sometimes be a little tricky. Who doesn’t suffer from the occasional ‘brain block’ from time to time! Have a think about what you might like to create before you go for your walk. Here are a few suggestions…
- Simple short words work well. Keep them cheerful and inspiring if possible for best effect. You could even use words that are topical or related to the area in which you are walking. Here are a few words I’ve used – LEAF, LOVE, HAPPY, SMILE, HOPE, FROSTY, SNOW, SUNNY, WALKIES, FRESH, WINDY!, COLD.
- Simple geometric shapes and symbols. I’ve created a flower, a smiling sun, hearts, stars, Xmas tree, smiley faces to name but a few.
- If you are feeling really creative have a go at creating a bird or woodland animal.
- Look for surfaces to act as a suitable canvas. Surfaces with a fairly even colour work well as they will help the leaves stand out. Grass is the first obvious choice. Mud works well. Bark mulch and areas of moss work really well too. You may even find a suitable fallen tree or stump.
- Create your Leaf Art beside a path not on it as it will likely last a little longer!
- Take your camera with you so you can take a photo of your Leaf Art creation and share it with friends via Twitter and Facebook etc.!
The photos of your Leaf Art creations will look great but I like to get a little more creative and add a filter effect in Adobe Photoshop. Here is an example….
I created this early on a particularly chilly morning not so long ago. There were large areas of frost covered grass that instantly made me think of the word ‘FROSTY’. I found some lovely golden leaves that contrasted well with the frosty grass. This is the raw image with no effect added.
This is exactly the same image with an effect added in Adobe Photoshop. I like to experiment with different filters in Photoshop but my favourite, and the one I use most often, is ‘Oil Paint’. To get the best effect using the ‘Oil Paint’ filter I recommend reducing your image to 1500 pixels wide before applying the filter.
Here are a few of my other Leaf Art creations…
This was my first Leaf Art creation. ‘LEAF’ seemed the most logical word to use at the time! Early on in autumn is a great time as there is an abundance of leaves on the ground to choose from and the carpets of leaves make a good canvas too!
Simple geometric shapes work really well and they are reasonably quick to do!
This only took a few seconds to create. It was another chilly morning. The background is frost covered bark mulch used on paths and plant beds.
A simple variation on the smiley face theme – add a few extra leaves and create a smiley sun!
I love to share a lot of my photos on Twitter and Facebook so I thought I would add a little text to one of the pics. A great pic to retweet and share!
A couple of variations on the heart shape. This would make a great small print framed and hung on the wall.
Birds and woodland animals can look great too. I loved creating this hedgehog!
This is the kind of photo that makes all the work I do on this website worthwhile! I was delighted to receive this image from my brother showing Imogen, my very proud niece kneeling beside her very first Leaf Art creation!
Plans for 2014?
I love the transient nature of Leaf Art as one gust of wind could erase your creation in a seconds. It may even improve it if you are not particularly artistic! I’m sure I will continue to create lots more Leaf Art and will be sure to take lots of pics to share with you guys.
One of my plans for 2014 is to create a number of timelapse video clips. I plan to create a number of timelapses of me creating Leaf Art and I would love to leave the camera in place over a longer period to capture some of the Leaf Art gradually disintegrating due to the wind etc. It would be great to then play the video in reverse so it looks like the wind is blowing the leaves into position to create the word or shape!
Here’s my first attempt at one such timelapse video. Not great, so I need lots more practice!
I hope this blog post has inspired you to get out in 2014 and create some Leaf Art of your own. If you do I would LOVE to see it! Share it in the comments below, Tweet me on Twitter or share your pic on my Facebook page. I can’t wait to see what you create!!!