In this process foraged flowers and leaves are inked and used to produce a direct one-off print. Sandwiched between two sheets of paper, the botanicals yield a front and back image.

I actually started to explore this form of printing last year. It really appeals to me because I love to see what I can find in my garden to print, and can use the prints like a diary of which plants grew that season. Plus my youngest is always gifting me fallen leaves. I do try to be careful as to what and how much I pick to ensure enough is left for wildlife and regrowth.

I’m still finding the right balance of ink. Too much or too little looses the incredibly fine level of detail that can be captured. So far I have worked with fresh flowers and leaves. Those with thicker stems often blemish the print from sap that gets squashed out in the process. I don’t actually mind these too much, it’s nature. However, I was wondering if pressing the botanicals for a few days before printing could help. But then perhaps they would be more delicate and brittle for inking up. Something I could try.