Flower Pounding Craft Hammered Flower Prints On Paper

This easy hammered flower activity is perfect for teens, adults, and creative kids who love working with natural materials. Whether you’re making handmade cards, decorating a journal, or just exploring the art of nature, this craft is both relaxing and rewarding. It’s a wonderfully creative way to preserve a bit of summer on paper!

Helpful Tips:

What are the best flowers for flower pounding?

The best flowers for hammering are thin, smooth-petaled, and not waxy. Flat-backed flowers also work better for creating clean prints. Our top picks:

Pansies & violas: Excellent colour transfer and they maintain their real-life shape beautifully. Bidens: These daisy-like flowers transfer great colour with a clearly defined shape. Lobelia: Adds lovely greenery and delicate details.

Others we tested:

Petunias: Decent results, but not the strongest colour transfer. Marigolds: Fantastic colour payoff, but you’ll need to cut off the base. Plus the shapes are less defined and don’t automatically read as flowers. Begonias: Leave these off your list. These didn’t transfer well at all, likely due to the waxy petals.

What’s the best paper for hammer flower art?

Watercolour paper is your best option. It’s meant to hold up to a bit of water and it gives the cleanest results. Cardstock can work in a pinch, but it warps quite easily with the moisture of the flowers. Even watercolour paper may need flattening if you use flowers with strong colour transfer, like marigolds. Tip: You can place your finished artwork between paper towels and set a stack of heavy books (or baking dishes, etc) on top to flatten them out.

Do I have to tape flowers down to make pounded flower art?

Not necessarily! You can also add flowers one at a time and hold them while hammering. But we found it easier (and more precise) to arrange everything first and tape the flowers down. Plus, this is the only way to trim off thick flower bases that might get in the way. If you do it without the flower being taped it will just fall apart.

Where can I get flowers for flower pounding?

If you have a garden you can clip blooms from your flower beds at home. Or visit a greenhouse or nursery for seasonal garden flowers, like we did. You can also use a store-bought bouquet as a ready-made source of colourful petals. There’s something magical about revealing your flower pounding print. Each one is a surprise, full of vibrant colours and delicate details you didn’t expect. Whether you’re experimenting with garden blooms or putting together a handmade card, this craft brings a fresh and artistic twist to working with nature. From soft pastels to bold petal prints, no two creations are ever the same. It’s a relaxing, hands-on activity that invites creativity and lets the natural beauty of flowers shine through. Give it a try and see what kind of floral masterpiece you can make!