Book 3 — Making Impressions of Leaves
Reading edition
A very true and artistic impression of a leaf, or similar object, can be made as follows: Grease a piece of heavy writing paper with linseed oil, and smoke the surface well by lighting a small piece of camphor gum and holding the paper over the flame. Place the leaf on the smoked surface of the paper and cover it with several thicknesses of newspaper, then press the leaf into the blackened surface. Remove the leaf and lay it with the blackened surface on a piece of white paper, then cover again with the newspaper and press evenly and thoroughly. A beautiful and permanent impression of the leaf will be transferred to the paper.
Care should be taken not to move the leaf the least bit either in coating it with the smoke or in transferring it to the paper. Be careful not to use too much oil. This process can be used to stamp cloth for embroidery. A candle can be used in place of the camphor if care is exercised, but the camphor gives a very dense smoke with a minimum of heat.—Contributed by J. H. Beebee, Rochester, N. Y.
