Local artist Katherine Lampert is showing us how to make our own nature rubbings using objects we can find in our backyard or local park.
Supplies
- Wax crayon (any color works, clear or white will give an invisible design)
- Lightweight white paper, such as regular copy paper
- Watercolor paint
- Bag for collecting objects from nature
Directions
Go on a nature hunt to collect objects that have some texture, such as leaves with bumpy veins, twigs, flowers and seed pods.
Back at your “studio” place a sheet of clean paper on your work surface. This will help eliminate the rubbing picking up any surface texture from the table. Arrange your nature objects, textured side up, on top of the paper. Place another sheet of paper on top.
Using a crayon, begin to create your rubbing. Experiment with pressing very lightly at first and add more pressure later if you want to add more texture.
Once finished, add a wash of watercolor paint over the top. If you used a clear or white crayon, watch your invisible design appear! If you used a colored crayon, try using paint colors that contrast with the crayon color so that your design really “pops.”
Keep Learning
See how Katherine assembled hers by checking out this episode of Curious By Nature.
