Making Leaf Silhouette Greeting Cards

Read through the tutorial before starting.

Step 1: Select cardstock and paint colors

Select colored cardstock for your card blank and a contrasting color of cardstock or heavy paper for the leaf silhouette. Natural colors will work best—green, yellow, orange, red and brown. A medium tone green card blank and bright yellow cardstock are used in the sample card.

For sponging, choose paint colors that coordinate with both cardstock colors. For the card blank, choose a darker or lighter shade of the card's color along with a light, neutral color. The sample card uses dark green and pale yellow. For the leaf silhouette, select two coordinating colors, a dark and a light, that will enhance the leaf. In the sample card, a dark burgundy red and pale yellow are used.

Tip: For color combining ideas refer to the color wheel concepts in #6: Paper Weaving Card.

Step 2: Cut cardstock

For the card blank, cut a full sheet of letter size cardstock in half to make two 8½″ by 5½″ card blanks. Fold the card blank in half to make a 4¼″ by 5½″ card.

For the leaf silhouette, cut a 3½" by 5" rectangle from colored cardstock or heavy paper.

Step 3: Cut leaf silhouette

Fold the small rectangle in half and cut half a leaf design along the folded edge. Drawing the leaf shape with a pencil as a guide for cutting may  be helpful or cut and trace a template from this printable page of leaf shapes.

Unfold the silhouette cut out and the silhouette's rectangle, now with a leaf shape opening. In artistic terms, the leaf cut out is called a positive space and the rectangle is said to have a negative space leaf. A good design will balance the negative and positive space.

Step 4: Sponge card

Sponge the card front using the two colors of paint selected. Lightly sponge the card with an almost dry sponge applying the darker color then the lighter color. Follow the instructions in #4: Stenciled Cards for sponging paint.

Step 5: Sponge leaf silhouette

Lightly sponge the leaf cut out and rectangle with the two colors of paint you selected. A mottled look can be achieved by dabbing gently with an almost dry sponge.

Step 6: Cut silhouettes in half

Cut the leaf silhouette and the leaf rectangle in half on the fold line. This creates two positive leaf-shapes and two negative leaf-shapes. One of each is used on the card front to create a balanced and elegant design.

Step 7: Glue

Center a positive leaf-shape and  a negative leaf-shape, side-by-side, on the card front and glue. The leftover shapes may be used to create another card.

Add a message to the inside of the card using black and colored markers or glue a printed verse that is matted in a coordinating color of cardstock.