FALL FOLIAGE FLOATING FRAME DIY

Calligraphy Quote on a foliage floating frame 2019

Make this beautiful autumn/ fall wall art using golden leaves and a bit of creative calligraphy using this step by step tutorial below. 

Fall comes and goes annually but after 15 years living in Canada, I finally preserved a little bit of fall and turned it into a part of my home decor. I collected all my leaves off my neighbour front yard, where they own a beautiful Japanese Maple tree; that would turn orange/ red once the temperature dropped to around 15 degree Celcius and pressed/preserve them in a frame and have it as a background for a calligraphic quote I hand-lettered on the top of the glass. This is my first tutorial I write for A Grateful Note and possibly is my favourite project to date. 

Fall is my favourite season. Fall signified the day I landed in Toronto, where I begin my new journey to become a Canadian after leaving everything I have ever known and had 14,000 km across the world . It was my first time seeing autumn, as the fall foliage was something I would never see in Vietnam. It was fascinating walking around James Park in the weekends, seeing the leave changing colours and feeling the crisp cold air on my face, Fall is magical; it is the season of harvest and the season of love and is the season that exist to remind us things must end to begin again. ​

WHAT YOU NEED:
- White Sharpie Oil Paint Pen 
- Japanese Maple Leaves
- Gallery Solution Black Floating Glass Frame
- Ipad with Apple Pencil + Procreate App (Optional)
- Printer/ Scanner (Optional)
- 50% Vinegar / Paper Towel for Glass Cleaning

Step 1:  I picked the most freshly fallen leaves and I would take more than I need. I selected a few sizes to alternate them when arranging to create dynamics. I would wipe off any dirt and moisture before putting them into between the pages of my husband's large textbook and having around 4-5 heavy books on top to press the leaves straight. It is recommend to complete this process as soon as possible to prevent any curling. I left them pressed for 10 days and checking every once in between.

Step 2: Once the leaves are dry enough to layer in between the glasses of the frame, I do another frame press for 10 more days. I would try layering the leaves evenly and not too thick around the edges. The closed up and tightened frame were leaning on the window ledge; where there is concentrated drying heat from the sun presents most days to speed up the process.  Tip: When rearranging dried pressed leaves, keep in mind they are very fragile and the pointy tips would break off easily. Handle with care!

Step 3: To prepare for the lettering, I drafted my quote on my Ipad using Apple Pencil + Procreate App. If you would like to use pen/ paper + scanner/ printer, subscribe to my newsletter with your email and I will send you a copy.
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I took around 2 days of design process to comes up with the final design. I measured my frame and resize the design accordingly in Photoshop before printing the design template.

Step 4: Remove all the leaves from the glass frame. The leaves should be very dry and flat. After placing and securing the template behind the top glass with tape, I cleaned the glass surface  of which I would letter on and trace the design using the Sharpie Paint Pen. I usually paint two coats and leave to dry for 24 hours before the detailing process. I used an X-acto Knife and lightly scratch off the rough edges to smoothen the lines, creating clean, crisp letters. You can avoid scratching the glass by keeping the blade on a 35 degree angle while detailing.

In the end, the frame went on my art wall after the photoshoot; side by side with artworks I purchased from many Canadian artists. I hope you enjoy this post and don't forget to like, comment and subscribe to get more future tutorials; straight to your mailbox.