Wondering how to make a bulletin board tree is not only for teachers but also for parents or guardians of children nowadays. A bulletin board tree gives a standard room the appearance and aesthetic of a classroom. Seeing a bulletin board tree can help children prepare their minds for education and absorbing knowledge.
Homeschooling is getting more prevalent, especially in the past couple of years, with the threat of Covid-19 endangering students. But students can find studying at home hard if the atmosphere of the classroom is no different from the atmosphere of the home. An easy fix is by adding a bulletin board tree – something that is straight out of the school look. Here’s how to make a bulletin board tree step-by-step.
How to Make a Bulletin Board Tree – A Step By Step Guide
There are many ways to make a bulletin board tree. But I will share with you how I do it.
- Materials Needed
- Measuring tape
- Scissors or craft knife
- Cardboard
- Brown lightweight paper (or construction paper)
- Leaf-colored construction paper or light and dark green tissue paper
- Glue
- Pen
- Tacks
Step 1: Getting the Measurements Right
It’s tremendously easy to get carried away while creating your bulletin board tree and make it so big. To ensure you maintain the balanced look of the room, the tree should only occupy around a fourth or a third of the bulletin board or the wall. The tree is a decoration, after all, not a centrally functional part of the classroom.
In terms of height, I think it is acceptable to cover the entire height of the bulletin board or the wall. But in terms of the width of the space, I suggest only covering around a third or a fourth of it.
Step 2: Draw the Outline of the Tree
The cardboard will be the base of your project. Draw the outline of the tree on it. Draw it freehand or use a template – it does not really matter.
However, I would do it freehand just to make the art really my own. The drawing does not have to be detailed. It does not even have to include the leaves. I just draw the trunk and the branches.
Step 3: Cut the Outline
You can use a pair of scissors or a craft knife to cut out the outline of the tree. Because trees don’t really have straight and smooth edges, don’t be disappointed if your cutting is not straight and out of the lines you drew.
Step 4: Crumple the Brown Lightweight Paper
Next, crumple up the brown lightweight paper. The paper can be construction paper colored brown. Crumpling it up then lightly spreading it again can give it the wooden texture. Wadding up the paper also works.
Step 5: Glue the Brown Lightweight Paper to the Cardboard Base
This step is not as straightforward as you might think. While gluing paper onto another piece of paper might seem pretty simple, adding the right texture to the tree is not. I like my bulletin board tree looking like a real tree. So I would not settle for one layer of crumpled or wadded-up lightweight paper on the base.
Layering up the construction paper adds depth to the appearance of the tree. So for the trunk of the tree, I would put more layers so it would appear thicker. For the branches, the layers will be significantly fewer.
Step 6: Set Up the Leaves
Cut out small circles of poster boards. The poster boards will serve as the base of the leaves just as the cardboard served as the base of the trunks and branches. I don’t suggest using cardboard as the base of the leaves because cardboard is thicker than poster boards.
Use leaf-colored construction paper, or light and dark green tissue paper, depending on which materials you have, for the leaves. I prefer using light and dark green tissue paper because there is more creative potential with them. They can give the appearance of shadows and depth. They can also add a hint of realism to the bulletin board tree. Although shadows are commonly used to add realism to 2D works of art, why settle there when you can use them for 3D projects?
Crumple or wad the “leaves” towards their center then glue them to the poster board. Then glue the leaf-filled poster boards to the branches of the tree.
Step 7: Sticking the Tree to the Bulletin Board
Wait for everything to get dry before sticking the parts to the bulletin board or to the wall. I use thumbtacks to attach the parts of the tree to the bulletin board. I attach the trunks and branches part first. Then I attach the leaves on top of the branches.
Again, you can add a realm of realism to your tree by layering the leaves on top of each other.
Conclusion
This process is my take on how to make a bulletin board tree. It is the simplest method and uses the least amount of materials. Enjoy creating your own bulletin board tree!