Leaf Salt Painting For Fall

Jump into fall with a fun and easy leaf salt painting activity! This simple project combines art and science as kids explore color absorption using salt, glue, and watercolors. Whether your kids are crafty or not, they’ll love creating beautiful fall art that doubles as STEAM.

Leaf Painting with Salt

Get ready to add this simple fall leaf painting project to your art activities this season. Learn how to use salt in a watercolor painting! While you’re at it, make sure to check out more fun fall activities.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Star Salt Painting For Kids

TIPS: Stiff paper is recommended for your leaf salt painting instead of computer paper or construction paper. Look for mixed-media or watercolor paper. You can also use a simple food coloring and water mixture instead of the watercolors suggested below!

YOU WILL NEED:

• White PVA school glue or craft glue
• Salt
• Watercolor paint palette
• Water
• White card-stock or watercolor paper
• Paintbrush
• Leaf Template (see below)

💡 Experiment: Make homemade watercolor paint!

HOW TO MAKE LEAF PAINTING WITH SALT

STEP 2. Print or draw your leaf template onto cardstock and then outline the leaf with glue.

STEP 2. Sprinkle salt over the glue as you would with glitter. Tap the paper to settle the salt into any grooves. Then gently lift the paper and shake to remove any excess salt.

STEP 3. Dip the paintbrush in water and blend with the watercolor to soften. Saturate the paintbrush with watercolor. Then, gently touch the paintbrush to the salt. Watch how the color will spread!

STEP 4. Allow the picture to dry completely before displaying or gifting.

Why Add Salt to Watercolor Painting?

Do you know watercolor salt painting is both science and art, but what’s the science?

Salt is a really useful product that absorbs moisture from its environment. This ability to absorb water makes salt a good preservative. This property of absorption is called hygroscopic. 

Hygroscopic means that salt absorbs liquid water (the watercolor paint mixture) and water vapor in the air. Observe how the salt absorbs the watercolor mixture below with your raised leaf salt painting.

Is sugar hygroscopic like salt? Why not try sugar for a fun science experiment and compare the results?

Fun Fall Art Activities

• Fizzy Apple Art
• Fizzy Pumpkin Art
• Pumpkin Craft With Yarn
• Apple Bubble Wrap Painting
• Apple Black Glue Painting