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| Collecting leaves or leaf rubbings and prints can be an enjoyable hobby. You can find plants with interesting leaves in fields, forests, and gardens and even along city streets. But before you remove any leaves from a plant, be sure to obtain permission from the owner of the land. In many parks and other public lands, it is illegal to take leaves. When you collect large leaves, remove only a few. Always pick a complete leaf, including the petiole. In most leaves, the petiole will separate easily from the stem. If you are collecting compound leaves, remember to keep all the leaflets attached to the long petiole. When you collect small leaves, you may need to cut off part of a twig. Keep the leaves attached to the twig, and treat the cutting as if it were a single leaf. Always collect the small needle leaves of firs, pines, and spruces this way. |
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How to preserve leaves. Freshly cut leaves will curl and crack unless you press them. To press leaves, arrange them between several sheets of newspaper. Then place a weight on the newspapers. A piece of plywood with books stacked on it makes a good weight. After a week of pressing, the leaves should remain flat. You can then mount them on stiff paper by placing a strip of tape across the petiole.
How to make leaf rubbings and prints. To make a leaf rubbing, lay the leaf lower-side up on a tabletop. Cover the leaf with a sheet of tracing paper or thin typing paper. Then rub the paper lightly and rapidly with the side of a sharpened soft pencil, a piece of charcoal, or a wax crayon. The outline of the leaf and the larger veins will gradually appear on the paper.
To make a leaf print, you need printer's or etcher's ink and a roller. These materials can be obtained at an art supply store. Use the roller to spread a thin layer of ink on a glass plate or a smooth piece of cardboard. Next lay the leaf lower-side down on the ink. Then place a piece of paper over the leaf and rub the entire leaf with your fingers. After rubbing, remove the paper and carefully pick up the leaf. Place the leaf's inky surface on a sheet of plain paper. Now cover the leaf with another sheet of paper and rub. Be careful not to move the leaf as you rub. After rubbing the leaf, remove the top sheet of paper and the leaf. A print of the leaf will appear on the lower sheet. |
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