How to make painted leaf bunting

Collect leaves and use paint to create a vibrant bunting display for your classroom.

Painted bunting
Painted bunting
Learning objectives:
  • Explore different leaf shapes and sizes through hands-on crafting
  • Develop creativity by painting leaves and creating patterns on bunting
  • Practice using scissors, hole punches, and other tools for crafting
  • Work collaboratively to create a display for a specific space
  • Understand the process of transferring natural textures to paper for artistic design
Curriculum links:
  • Art & Design: Use of different materials, shapes, and colours to create a finished piece
  • Science: Understanding plant structures and the process of printing with leaves
  • Design & Technology: Practical skills in using tools to create an art project
  • Geography: Exploring the seasonal aspects of leaves

Jump to

Key vocabulary

Leaf | Bunting | Paint | String | Decorate | Colours | Pattern | Craft

Equipment

  • Leaves of all shapes and sizes
  • Kitchen roll or tissues
  • Water
  • Paints
  • Paint brushes or sponges
  • Card cut into bunting triangles
  • Scissors
  • Hole punch
  • Newspaper
  • String, thread, bunting cord or ribbon

Step by step

1. Using a pencil and ruler, draw a number of triangles onto thick card

2. Carefully cut out the triangles using scissors. You can cut out as many triangles as you like, depending on how long you want your bunting to be

3. Choose your paint colours and using a paintbrush or sponge, add the colour to the underside of your leaves

4. Press the paint covered leaf down on to the bunting card. Gently run your finger along the stalk and veins, out to the edges of the leaf and over the whole leaf surface

5. Now carefully lift the leaf by the stalk to show your painted leaf print. Repeat the process as many times as you like. Try adding different leaf shapes and colours over each other to make a fun design

6. Once you have decorated all of your bunting, use a whole punch to make two holes in each corner. Then, thread your string through each hole and triangle of bunting

7. Keep adding your painted bunting triangles to the string until you have the right length for your space

8. Now, hang your bunting up to decorate a room, window, wall or space

Hint and tips

When threading the string, bunting cord or ribbon through the bunting holes, weave them from the front to back. That way the leaf printed side of your bunting will be in full display and your string will go along the back.

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