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Create dimensional fall-leaf typography by covering raised wood letters with printed photographs, then mounting those letters on a softly whitewashed black canvas. The original tutorial used a 12 × 12-inch canvas, 8.5 × 11-inch matte photo paper, decoupage adhesive, a craft knife and 180-grit sandpaper; the sequence below keeps that method while making each decision and finishing step explicit.
What this project makes
This project combines three layers: a dark canvas, a translucent-looking chalkboard-style wash, and dimensional letters whose faces are made from real leaf photographs. Because the photographs are cut to the letter shapes, every character has its own color and vein pattern rather than a flat painted fill. The raised wood letters create shadows and a tactile edge that a printed poster cannot provide.
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Materials and tools
| Item | How it is used | Details from the original tutorial |
|---|---|---|
| Black canvas | Background for the typography | 12 × 12 inches |
| Wood letters | Raised dimensional characters | Arrange them on the canvas before applying adhesive |
| Leaf photographs | Color and texture for each letter face | Print several versions so you can select the best colors |
| Matte photo paper | Printable sheet from which the letter skins are cut | 8.5 × 11 inches |
| Decoupage adhesive | Attaches each photograph to the front of a wood letter | Brush onto the letter face |
| Craft knife | Cuts the paper around each letter | Use on a protected cutting surface |
| 180-grit sandpaper | Refines rough paper edges | Used after cutting |
| White craft paint and water | Creates the softened, chalkboard-like background | Water the paint, brush it over the black canvas, then wipe away excess |
| Paintbrushes, pencil and ruler | Apply the wash and help with layout | Useful supporting tools; the tutorial does not specify brands or sizes |
Choose photographs with enough open color around the leaves to accommodate your letter shapes. A tightly cropped image can leave one character with only a small section of a leaf, while a wider composition gives you more control when positioning the wood letter over the print. Matte paper is the paper type named in the tutorial; the source does not establish that every printer handles every matte stock identically.
Plan the lettering before printing
Choose the word or sentiment
Decide on the exact wording before you buy or cut anything. Count the characters, include spaces in your layout planning, and check that the selected wood letters fit inside the 12-inch square with comfortable margins. The original maker changed the sentiment from her inspiration piece, so the finished message is a design choice rather than a fixed requirement of the technique.
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Dry-arrange the wood letters
- Place the letters on the unpainted black canvas.
- Adjust spacing, line breaks and alignment until the phrase reads clearly.
- Take a quick reference photograph or mark the positions lightly so you can reproduce the arrangement after the background is painted.
Do not glue the letters yet. This dry arrangement prevents a background treatment or a print-cutting decision from locking you into a cramped composition.
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- Mix white craft paint with water until it is fluid enough to brush thinly. The tutorial describes the paint as watered, rather than giving a fixed ratio.
- Brush the mixture over the black canvas. Work in a light coat so the black remains visible instead of becoming an opaque white field.
- Wipe away excess paint while it is still workable. The goal is a softened, uneven wash that evokes a chalkboard, not a solidly painted white canvas.
- Let the canvas dry fully before attaching the letters. Follow the paint label for handling and drying guidance.
Keep the wash lighter where you want the fall colors to stand out. If a section becomes too pale, a controlled touch-up with more black or a thinner white wash is safer than trying to scrape dried paint from the canvas.
Prepare and print the leaf photographs
Use multiple color versions
The original maker printed several copies of her leaf photographs as large as possible on 8.5 × 11-inch matte photo paper. She varied the photograph brightness between prints so she could choose among different color treatments. This is one of the most useful parts of the process: the same letter pattern can look muted, vivid, golden or dark depending on which print you select.
- Open the leaf photograph and size it to use as much of the printable 8.5 × 11-inch sheet as your printer allows.
- Print several copies on matte photo paper.
- Change brightness between copies rather than changing the composition each time. Keep the versions together and label them if the differences are subtle.
- Allow the ink to dry according to the paper and printer instructions before applying adhesive.
The 2013 post says the author used a Canon PIXMA MG7120 and the PIXMA Cloud App to print a photograph of the inspiration artwork while away from home. Those details explain her workflow at that time; they do not confirm current app support, printer availability or compatibility with modern devices. Use a printer and paper combination supported by your own equipment instructions.
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Cover each letter with a photograph
Position the print
- Put a printed photograph face down on a protected work surface.
- Place one wood letter face down on the back of the photograph, or position the photograph over the letter face so the image is visible and the edges can be judged. Choose the orientation that lets you keep the leaf colors where you want them.
- Before gluing, check that the photograph covers the entire front face with a little extra paper around the perimeter. Extra paper is easier to remove than a missing corner.
Apply decoupage adhesive
- Brush decoupage adhesive over the front face of the wood letter in an even layer.
- Press the printed photograph onto the adhesive-coated face. Smooth from the center toward the edges to reduce bubbles and wrinkles.
- Keep the paper aligned while the adhesive is wet. Do not flood the surface; excess adhesive can make the paper slide or soften prematurely.
The tutorial specifically places adhesive on the letter fronts, glues the letters to the backs of the printed photographs, and then cuts around them. In practical terms, the photograph becomes a paper skin on the dimensional face while the wood supplies the structure.
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Cut the paper to the letter shape
- Once the paper is attached and stable enough to handle, place the letter on a protected cutting surface.
- Use a sharp craft knife to cut around the outside edge of the wood letter. Keep the blade close to the wood so little paper remains beyond the profile.
- For enclosed shapes such as an “O,” “P” or “R,” cut the interior opening carefully rather than forcing the blade through in one motion.
- Turn the work as needed instead of twisting your wrist or pulling the blade toward your hand.
Craft knives are sharp. Cut away from yourself, keep fingers out of the blade path, use a stable surface, and replace a blade that begins to drag. If children are helping, make the cutting an adult-only step.
Smooth the edge with 180-grit sandpaper
After trimming, the edge may show tiny paper fibers or excess material. The author used 180-grit sandpaper to smooth rough edges and remove excess paper. Sand lightly around the perimeter, keeping the abrasive on the paper edge rather than grinding into the photograph face or rounding the wood profile. Brush away dust before the final mounting step.
Test the finished composition
- Set the paper-covered letters on the dry, whitewashed canvas in the reference arrangement.
- Stand back and check readability, spacing and color balance.
- Swap brighter or darker print versions if one character disappears into the background or a neighboring letter carries too much of the same color.
- Only after the arrangement looks right should you glue the letters to the canvas.
This test is also the point to reverse a letter accidentally cut or positioned backward. A final dry layout costs nothing; removing a glued, paper-covered letter can damage both the canvas and the letter skin.
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Mount the dimensional letters
Apply an appropriate adhesive to the backs of the wood letters and place them on the painted canvas according to your reference layout. The original tutorial says the maker glued the letters in place after preparing the background and covering the letter faces. Use the adhesive label for surface suitability, application, clamping or curing instructions, and keep the artwork flat while the bond develops.
Press each letter evenly without rubbing across the printed face. If adhesive squeezes out, remove it using the product directions before it dries. Leave enough room around the edges of the canvas for a frame, hanging hardware or a clean finished margin if you plan to add one.
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The paper does not cover a letter
Do not stretch the paper after it has been glued. Lift and reposition it while the adhesive is still workable if the product instructions permit, or print a replacement with more surrounding image area. Cutting a missing corner from a second scrap usually creates a visible seam.
The print wrinkles or slides
Use a thinner, even adhesive coat and smooth from the center outward. Work on one letter at a time so the adhesive does not begin drying before the paper is positioned. Matte photo paper can react differently to moisture than ordinary copy paper, so avoid adding water unless the adhesive directions call for it.
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Edges look fuzzy after cutting
Replace a dull blade, support the letter on a firm cutting mat and make several controlled passes rather than one forceful cut. Finish with the specified 180-grit sandpaper, using light strokes that follow the edge.
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Return to the alternate brightness prints. The original process deliberately created multiple brightness levels so the maker could choose among leaf colors. A lighter or more saturated version may separate a letter from the black-and-whitewashed background without changing the layout.
The whitewash looks opaque
Too much paint was left on the surface. The described technique relies on brushing watered white paint and wiping away excess, so apply thinner coats and remove more while wet. Let each correction dry before judging the contrast.
How to adapt the design without losing the technique
The named project is a 12 × 12-inch square, but the method can be adapted to another canvas if the letters, print area and spacing are scaled together. Preserve the visual hierarchy: a dark ground, a restrained white wash and photograph-filled raised letters. If you enlarge the canvas, plan how many printed sheets are needed for each letter and keep a record of which brightness version went on each character. If you reduce it, verify that the smallest letter still has enough face area for a clean knife cut and a visible leaf pattern.
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You can also vary the photographic source while retaining the fall effect. A single leaf photograph gives the set a coherent palette; several related photographs create more variation. In either case, print extra versions before cutting so a poorly placed vein or color patch does not force a redesign after adhesive has been applied.
What the original source does and does not establish
The 2013 tutorial is primary evidence for the author’s own materials and sequence: the 12 × 12-inch black canvas, wood letters, 8.5 × 11-inch matte photo paper, multiple brightness versions, decoupage adhesive, craft knife, 180-grit sandpaper and watered white craft paint. It does not provide a named study, performance measurement, current pricing, retailer information or a guarantee that the Canon PIXMA MG7120 or PIXMA Cloud App remains available or supported. Treat the printer mention as historical context and select present-day equipment based on its current documentation.
The result is a tactile seasonal sign whose strongest visual feature comes from matching each letter to a deliberate section of the leaf photograph. Careful dry layout, extra print versions and restrained edge sanding do more for the finished appearance than adding more paint or adhesive.
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