How to Make Chlorophyll Prints

Plants require light as a form of energy to develop and grow. The way this energy transfer happens is by using chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that is used to trap energy from the sun. Each green part of a plant has chlorophyll. Chlorophyll can be extracted from a plant part in order to create a chlorophyll print. These prints will transfer an image of the leaf onto a piece of paper by staining the paper with the chlorophyll pigment.

Things You'll Need

• Watercolor paper
• Green leaves
• Metal spoon
• Masking tape

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Fold the piece of paper in half.

   • 2

     Open it.

   • 3

     Place a leaf on half of the paper so it is flat and facing down.

   • 4

     Fold the other half of the paper over the leaf.

   • 5

     Adhere the paper to a table with masking tape so it stays in one place while you make the print.

   • 6

     Press firmly against the paper using the bottom of the metal spoon. Rub the spoon vigorously across surface of the paper. All of the leaf's chlorophyll will be transferred to paper.