TUTORIAL Branches and foliage in Japanese paper

Colorful October winds and powdery mist, chestnuts and wild mushrooms... Autumn is here and blows beneath our feet, some of its dry leaves. To welcome this new season with poetry, I wanted to imagine, a bit like Dutch still life paintings, a composition of materials and colors, mixing seasonal fruits and vegetables and of course... foliage made from Japanese paper!

To create this warm and comforting atmosphere, I selected a range of warm colors: tones of light orange, deep and bright yellow, fiery red and some browns. Combining graphic and floral patterns, this foliage blows the gray out of our walls with its colorful plant touch.

This DIY of branches and foliage made from Japanese paper, simple and quick to make, can complete a table decor, a fireplace top, a living room darkened by shorter days... I therefore offer you the step-by-step not and hope that you will have a lot of fun creating your composition! If you would like to use the papers selected above, you will find the links at the end of this article!

In order to make a pretty branch of foliage out of Japanese paper, you will need:

• the sheet template to download here
  
• a set of origami papers 15cm by 15cm in the colored range of your choice (or a quarter of a half sheet)
• floratape (or florist’s tape) to match your Japanese papers
• a pair of precision scissors
• a brush brush
• white glue
  
• thick stems
• thin stems

NB : The template of the sheet measures approximately 3cm wide by 9cm long. For the tutorial to follow, you will first need to cut rectangles of 10cm by 4cm and small squares of 4cm on each side from your Japanese paper.

Tip : To optimize gluing, prepare an old notebook or newspaper so you can apply the glue without getting dirty.

1. Apply the white glue using the brush on the back of the small square then glue it to the bottom of your rectangle.
2. Repeat step 1 to create the second side of your future foliage.
   
   
   
   
3. Apply the glue to the back of your first rectangle...
4. ...then position a thin metal rod in the center of your paper.
5. Before the glue dries, cover the stem with the other rectangle of paper, sandwiching it.
6. You get this.
   
   
   
   
7. Print your template on slightly thick paper and cut out your leaf silhouette.
8. Use a pencil to trace the silhouette of the leaf onto your “sandwich” rectangle of Japanese paper.
9. Cut out your shape following the pencil line.
10. Repeat steps 1 to 6 to obtain several “sandwiches” of Japanese paper. You can vary the cuts of your small squares, in order to reveal a “V-shaped leaf base”.
11. Once again, transfer the silhouette of the leaf to your Japanese paper “sandwich” rectangles in pencil, then cut out as in step 9. You will then obtain several leaves – the basis of your future foliage.
    
    
    
    
12. Take your roll of floratape and cut a piece the length of your stem to cover it completely.
13. Position the floratape strip at the base of your leaf, as pictured.
14. “Pinch” the base of the leaf as pictured and wrap the floratape around the stem while stretching and rotating.
15. Proceed in this way along the entire length of your rod.
    
    
    
    
16. Repeat the operation to obtain several sheets.
17. Take 3 leaves and hold them together, one on top of the other.
18. Take a piece of floratape and position it around the 3 stems, as in the photo, using your thumb. To tighten securely, rotate around the rods as in step 14.
19. You get your first start of a 3-leaf branch. Separate the leaves by gently twisting the stems.
    
    
    
    
20. Make other branches with 3 stems, repeating steps 17, 18 and 19.
21. Secure two 3-stem branches together with floratape by repeating the stem assembly operation from step 18.
22. You can stagger the branches randomly to give them a more natural look. You get a branch with 6 leaves.
23. Continue like this to add as many branches as you want...
24. ... by staggering the 3-stem or 6-stem branches from each other.
    
    
    
    
25. Add 1 thick metal rod to enlarge your branch.
26. Repeat the operation of assembling 2 thick rods together to reinforce your branch using the same principle as step 21.
27. Cut off the excess stem using cutting pliers.
28. TADA! You have just finished a branch!
    I invite you to make 3 or 4 with small branches of slightly different sizes, to create a very voluminous bouquet!
    
    

If you wish, here are the links to the papers used for this color range:

• Japanese Paper - Cherry blossoms - mustard yellow - M576
• Japanese Paper - Samekomon - Orange Red and Gold - M273
• Japanese Paper - Samekomon - Red and White - M461
• Japanese Paper - Plain - Red - U532
• Japanese paper - Kanoko - orange - M605
• Japanese paper - Kanoko - yellow - M603

Also discover our “ TUTORIAL Ginkgo Branches and Foliage in Japanese Paper ”.

We have developed flower kits in Japanese paper or crepe paper , which include:

• the amount of papers needed, nicely matched and cut to the necessary sizes;
• other supplies you will need,
• the tutorial to guide you step-by-step in your creation.

See you soon for new creative inspirations.
Have a wonderful autumn,

Adeline