A good leaf outline is one of those printables I come back to all year, and in winter it turns into wreaths, gift tags and garlands.
Get the 12 free leaf outline templates 👇
Quick answer: 12 free printable leaf outline templates (holly, ivy, monstera, fern, oak, ginkgo and more) as an A4 PDF plus PNGs. Print one, then trace it, cut it out or paint it.
I’ve put together 12 free leaf outline templates in one printable PDF: a holly leaf, an ivy leaf, a mistletoe sprig, eucalyptus, a fir sprig, a monstera leaf, a fern frond, an oak leaf, a ginkgo leaf, an olive branch, a bay leaf and a blank leaf for your own patterns. Trace them, cut them out, or paint them.
Print at 100% on A4 (or “fit to page” on Letter), then scroll down to see every template with an idea for using it.
Table of Contents
All 12 Leaf Outline Templates at a Glance
Here’s the whole set on one page so you can see what you’re getting. Every template is one simple leaf or sprig with a clear black outline and plenty of white space, so it’s easy to trace, easy to cut and easy to paint inside the lines.
Want a closer look? Here are four of the pages up close: the mistletoe sprig, the eucalyptus, the fir sprig and the olive branch.
How to Use These Leaf Outline Templates
Quick answer: print the leaf at 100% on A4, then trace it onto your own paper, cut it out as a stencil, or color and paint it right on the printed page.
Print size and scaling
Each template fills an A4 page. On US Letter, tick “fit to page” and you lose almost nothing. For a garland or a wreath you’ll often want smaller leaves: set the print scale to 50% or 70% and you can fit two or more on a sheet. For a big statement monstera, print the PNG file larger at a print shop.
Tracing onto your own paper
To trace, tape the page to a bright window and lay your paper on top, or use an LED light pad at the kitchen table. For thicker paper, scribble soft pencil on the back of the printout, flip it over and go over the lines to transfer the outline. It’s the easiest way to get a leaf onto watercolor paper without a smudgy sketch underneath.
Cutting out leaves and stencils
Print on thin card (160 to 200 gsm) and cut the leaves out. Now they’re stencils: trace round them onto colored paper, felt or fabric as many times as you like. The simpler shapes, like the bay leaf, the blank leaf and the ivy, are the quickest to cut, and the fern and fir are best for patient evenings.
Coloring and painting
Leaves love loose greens. With watercolor pencils you can color first and blend with a damp brush afterwards, and a set of Zig Clean Color brush pens in greens and blues gives you lots of leafy shades in one go. If you want to paint with real watercolor, print or trace onto a Canson XL watercolor pad so the paper doesn’t buckle. Drop a second green or a touch of yellow into the first while it’s still damp and let them blend on their own.
Making your own patterns
The blank leaf has no veins on purpose. Fill it with stripes, dots, tiny doodles or a repeating pattern, or use it as a frame for a word, a name or a date. It’s a lovely one for journal pages and place cards.
1. Holly Leaf Template
A single holly leaf with its spiky, scalloped edge, a strong center vein and soft side veins. It’s the most Christmassy leaf in the set and the one I’d print first in December.
Cut out a few in green card and glue three in a little cluster, then add three red paper dots for berries. Instant gift-tag decoration.
2. Ivy Leaf Template
A classic five-pointed ivy leaf with a curved stem and branching veins. Ivy has such a recognizable shape that even a plain outline reads straight away.
Trace it again and again along a strip of paper, each leaf turned a little, and you have a trailing ivy garland for a mantel or a journal border.
3. Mistletoe Sprig Template
A mistletoe sprig with pairs of rounded leaves along a forked stem and two clusters of round berries. It’s small, symmetrical and very forgiving to trace.
Leave the berries white and paint the leaves a soft yellow-green. Tie a real ribbon through a hole at the top and hang it in a doorway.
4. Eucalyptus Template
A stem of round, coin-shaped eucalyptus leaves climbing in pairs up a slim stem. It’s a calm, simple shape and lovely for anyone who prefers a modern, minimal look.
Paint each leaf in a different soft blue-green, letting some edges bleed, and it looks like a real stem from the florist.
5. Fir Sprig Template
A fir sprig with a woody stem and side branches covered in short needles. This is the most detailed page in the free set, with lots of little lines to follow.
Use it as a pattern for a winter wreath: trace it several times around a circle on card and overlap the sprigs as you go.
6. Monstera Leaf Template
A big monstera leaf with its deep splits and oval holes, on a long curved stem. It’s a house plant favorite and it fills the page beautifully.
Try painting just one half of the leaf, wet into wet, and leave the other half as clean line art. It makes a striking print for a wall or a card.
Enjoying these so far? All 12 are in the one PDF. Grab the free leaf outline templates here and they’ll be in your inbox in a minute.
7. Fern Frond Template
A tall fern frond with toothed leaflets getting smaller toward the tip. It looks delicate but the outline is clear and even.
Lay it diagonally across a journal page and use it as a stencil: dab ink or watercolor around the cut-out edges for a woodland print.
8. Oak Leaf Template
A wavy oak leaf with rounded lobes, a center vein and fine side veins. It’s the classic hedgerow leaf and a good one to practice smooth outlines on.
Cut out a stack in brown, gold and green paper and string them into a garland, or press one on a card next to a little acorn doodle.
9. Ginkgo Leaf Template
A fan-shaped ginkgo leaf with fine lines spreading out from the stem and a little notch at the top. It’s my favorite shape of the twelve.
Paint it in one sweep of buttery yellow, then let a touch of green bloom in at the stem while it’s still wet.
10. Olive Branch Template
A slim olive branch with narrow, pointed leaves and two small olives. It has a gentle, Mediterranean feel and works well as a border or a frame for words.
Trace it in each corner of a card, or along the top of a recipe page, and write your greeting underneath.
11. Bay Leaf Template
A single bay leaf: a long oval with a pointed tip, a center vein and curved side veins. It’s the simplest leaf with veins in the set, which makes it ideal for younger crafters.
Print it at 50% so two fit on a page and cut out a whole pile for a leaf-counting game or a kitchen herb label.
12. Blank Leaf Template
A plain leaf shape with no veins at all. It’s there on purpose, as an empty space for your own ideas.
Fill it with stripes, dots, doodle patterns or a pressed-flower collage, or write a name inside it and use it as a place card.
Template Specs at a Glance
| Templates | 12 leaf and sprig outlines, one per page |
| Pages in the PDF | 15: a cover, the 12 templates, a how-to-use page and a page about my Patreon |
| File types | PDF, plus a zip of the 12 templates as PNG files |
| Size | A4 portrait; prints on US Letter with “fit to page” |
| Resolution | 300 dpi (2480 × 3508 pixels per page) |
| License | Personal and classroom use; not for resale |
You’re welcome to use them at home, in your classroom, in a homeschool group or at a library craft session, and to make cards and decorations with them for friends and family. Please don’t sell the files, print them for sale, or share them online as your own. If you’d like to share them, send people to this page instead. Thank you!
More Leaf and Botanical Printables
If you’re in a leafy mood, these posts will keep you going:
- Turn your paper leaves into a door decoration with my Christmas wreath templates.
- My Christmas drawing templates have lots more festive outlines to trace and color.
- Ready to paint? These printable watercolor templates are floral outlines made for watercolor.
- Pair your leaves with a fox or a hedgehog from my watercolor woodland animals post.
- And for autumn color, try my fall leaves coloring pages.
Want a whole forest’s worth of leaves?
The full Leaf & Foliage set arrives on Thursday 5 November: 36 leaf outline templates, from hedgerow leaves to house plants, including detailed showpiece arrangements, and none of them repeats the free 12.
You’ll find all my other printables in my Payhip shop.
Love Making These? Join Me on Patreon
If you love printing, cutting and making, come and join me on Patreon. It’s where my weekly watercolor template sets go out to members: printed outlines with painted references, so you can see where the color goes, plus Procreate stamps and palettes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find free printable leaf outlines?
Right here. Pop your email into the box at the top of this post and the PDF of all 12 leaf outline templates comes straight to your inbox, along with a link to the 12 PNG files. You can also download it straight from the thank-you message.
What is a leaf outline template used for?
A leaf outline template is a printed leaf shape you can trace, cut out or color. People use them for wreaths, garlands, cards, gift tags, stencils, botanical journals, classroom nature lessons and watercolor practice.
How do I make a paper leaf wreath with these templates?
Print the holly, ivy, eucalyptus and fir pages on thin card, cut them out and trace round them on green paper. Glue the paper leaves in overlapping layers around a card ring or a paper plate with the middle cut out, then add berries and a ribbon.
What size are the templates?
Each template is a full A4 portrait page (2480 × 3508 pixels, 300 dpi). They print on US Letter too: choose “fit to page”. For smaller leaves, set the print scale to 50%.
Can I use these leaf templates in a classroom?
Yes. Personal and classroom use are both fine, and so is a library or homeschool craft session. Please don’t sell the files or share them online as your own.
Final Thoughts
Twelve leaves, a printer and a pair of scissors, and you’ve got the start of a wreath, a garland, a stack of gift tags or a whole page of botanical painting practice. Start with the ivy or the bay leaf, they’re the quickest, and save the fern and the fir for a cozy evening.
If you’d like the templates, pop your email in at the top of the post and they’re yours.
For more art ideas, come and find me on YouTube (subscribe here so you don’t miss the next one) and on Pinterest, where I save all my botanical and craft ideas.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. I only recommend things I’d happily use myself.
Last updated 5 November 2026.
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Happy making!
Dee x