Autumn Leaves Art Project for Kids

Autumn Leaf Art Project for Kids: STEAM Project!

Posted on by Pragmatic Mom

Autumn Leaves Art Project for Kids

The gorgeous New England leaves inspired this easy and colorful art project for kids.

Because the actual leaves I found don’t have the same range of colors on the trees, I thought it would be fun to just outline a leaf.  I provide several shapes as suggestions but the actual leaf can be a simple oval.  

Once the leaf is outlined in pencil, use any kind of paint you want but for we’re going to use watercolor because I like how the colors run together just like the colors in the fall trees!

Using a wet brush, paint directly onto the paper, mixing and moving around the color. You can try to copy the colors in one of the trees below, or just do your own thing.

Paint fast or slow — you’re the artist!

If you want, try different leaf shapes.

Pick a Leaf Shape

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Three different Maple leaf shapes. You don’t have to get all the pointy corners if you don’t want to.

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This leaf can be drawn with the ridges or without. You can just draw an oval if you want!

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A cluster of leaves for either color inspiration or for a more challenging leaf drawing.

Paint in Leaf Shape with Colors from a Tree

Not all the Autumn leaves are shades of red and orange. This tree’s leaves are yellow.

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different colors of autumn, New England Fall, fall leaves,These two examples start with red at the top of the tree with oranges and yellows in the middle until we hit green at the bottom.


Do you picture Fall leaves as more reds and oranges? If so, try these!

autumn leaves, maple tree changing color, New England trees, Fall colors in Bpston

autumn leaves against blue sky

Autumn Leaf Watercolor Paintings

You can paint wet or dry, as you please. These are meant to be quick studies. Try two or three different leaf shapes or color variations if you want.

Autumn leaf art project for kids, kids watercolor art project, color mixing on paper art project for kids

Autumn leaf art project for kids, kids watercolor art project, color mixing on paper art project for kids

Autumn leaf art project for kids, kids watercolor art project, color mixing on paper art project for kids

Autumn leaf art project for kids, kids watercolor art project, color mixing on paper art project for kids

Why Do Leaves Turn Colors?

 
“You probably remember from science class that the color change all starts with photosynthesis. Leaves constantly churn out chlorophyll — a key component in a plant’s ability to turn sunlight into the glucose it needs to thrive — from spring through early fall. Those cells saturate the leaves, making them appear green to the human eye.
 
But leaves aren’t green at all. Autumn is the time for leaves’ big reveal: their true color, unveiled as chlorophyll production grinds to a halt. The colors in fall’s breathtaking tapestry are influenced by other compounds, according to the national park’s website.
 
Beta carotene, the same pigment that makes carrots orange, reflects the yellow and red light from the sun and gives leaves an orange hue.
 
The production of anthocyanin, which gives leaves their vivid red color, ramps up in the fall, protecting and prolonging the leaf’s life on a tree throughout autumn.
 
And those yellows that make you feel as if you’re walking in a ray of sunshine?
 
They’re produced by flavonol, which is part of the flavonoid protein family. It’s always present in leaves but doesn’t show itself until chlorophyll production begins to slow.” from Patch.com
Learn more about chlorophyll, carotenoids, xanthophylls, and anthocyanins with this autumn DIY experiment: Leaf Color Chromatography with Alex Dainis via @ScienceChannel.

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17 thoughts on “Autumn Leaf Art Project for Kids: STEAM Project!”

  1. Great idea! I have one question: What does it mean that “You can paint wet or dry, as you please”? I have not heard this before. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Sunny,
      Sorry for the confusion. I meant that you can paint wet or dry with regard to the paper. If you put water on the paper first and then add paint from the brush, it will make a lovely blurry color colision especially if you dab on different colors. Or you can apply the paint to dry paper and add water via the brush to swirl and combine colors if you wish. Or just use a dry- ish brush to dry paper to make a more patchwork of color. Anything goes. Have fun exploring how to mix colors in different ways using more or less water on the brush as well as on the paper. That is the fun of watercolor!!

      Reply

  2. Ah, thanks for the clarification! We recently did a leaf study with rubbings, so the kids will have fun with this. Thanks again! 🙂

    Reply

  6. What a cute project! I grew up in the Midwest, but moved to Florida to get out of the cold. I don’t miss winter, but I really miss the brisk mornings and beautiful colors of fall. Definitely going to give this project a whirl!

    Reply

    1. Hi Beth,
      Thank you so much! The one good thing about a New England winter (brrr!) is the beautiful fall foliage and it’s so fleeting that I wanted to share it. It’s just the trees in my town … at my elementary school and along Commonwealth Avenue (also part of the Heartbreak Hill of the Boston Marathon). I’m sure the leaves in the forests are more spectacular but I never seem to get out that way.

      The colors are so gorgeous. I’d love to post your artwork so if you email me, I’d add it! pragmaticmomblog@gmail.com

      Reply

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