Making Prints from Nature

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Kristen Campainha and Aimee Poirier
Cover image by Kevin Kennefick
Cover design by Carol J. Jessop, Black Trout Design
Text illustrations by Alison Kolesar
Text production by Jennifer Jepson Smith

© 1997 by Storey Publishing, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this bulletin may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this bulletin be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permission from the publisher.

The information in this bulletin is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.

Storey books and bulletins are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call 1-800-793-9396.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bethmann, Laura Donnelly, 1953–

Making prints from nature / Laura Donnelly Bethmann.

       p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-58017-013-0 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Plant prints. 2. Leaf prints. 3. Prints—Technique

I. Title.

NE953.B47       1997

Introduction to Nature Printing

Nature printing is the process of recreating images from the natural world. It is a direct, inexpensive process that requires some practice, but no particular artistic talent. Little-changed from former times, this unsung, centuries-old technique has been practiced as an art, a craft, and an aid to scientific study. It yields unlimited possibilities, restricted only by the imagination and the subjects available to the individual practice.

Simple nature prints can be used to ornament correspondence, form herbariums, and illustrate nature journals and herbals. Nature printing is an art form that can be framed and displayed, but it is also a craft that can be used to decorate linens, wearables, walls, and furnishings. Moreover, nature printing is a science, as exhibited by the beautiful volumes created by herbalists, physicians, and botanists for identification or research from the 13th through the 19th centuries.

This bulletin focuses on methods and applications for plant printing, but keep in mind that there are nature printers producing prints of anything they can find: spider webs, rocks, shells, vegetables, feathers, woodgrain, fish, and other animals — including human beings!

Pressing Techniques

Good results in nature printing depend on well-pressed specimens. Folded, wrinkled leaves and petals produce poor nature prints. It’s very important to take the time to press your specimens carefully.

Use your judgment in adapting these pressing procedures. Practice will be your guide, as it is impossible to describe methods for pressing every kind of plant. Experimentation is half the fun!

Pressing Small Plants

The simplest way to press small specimens is with an old telephone directory. Here’s how to press multiple specimens all at the same time:

Printing Supplies and Equipment

Nature printers use some of the traditional tools and supplies of printmakers, painters, and craftspeople, but useful supplies can also be found in pharmacies, junkyards, or auto supply stores, or even lying around the house. Nature printing lends itself to most media, so if you already have art or craft supplies, you can probably make use of them in nature printing. It is easy to get carried away with wanting to try all the wonderful art products on the market, but that can be expensive. If you are unsure of where to begin, buy only the minimum printmaking supplies needed to experiment.

Pigments