How to Make Autumn Leaf Scatter for Miniatures & Tabletop Terrain (Step-by-Step Guide)

DIY Autumn Scatter Made from Real Leaves

The autumn season has always had a special place in my mind and heart.

Although I’m not very fond of constant rain and those short, grey days, I like its nostalgic and melancholic atmosphere — usually accompanied by lots of new progressive music… and back in my school and university years, often by new beginnings after the summer break.

Longer, rainy evenings, of course, also mean more time spent indoors with painting and crafting — hopefully this will become a reality again this season!

Oh, and of course, a good book is always a perfect companion for such evenings. Right now I’m reading the Dune saga — to be specific, God Emperor of Dune. What’s on your nightstand this autumn?

To stay on the positive side, there’s one part of autumn that’s truly beautiful — especially in the mountains. Colorful trees and leaves in October (if you’re lucky enough to catch some sunny days!) make not only a great excuse for a forest walk, but in my case, a perfect opportunity to refill my stock of homemade scatter - and that’s exactly what today’s post is about.

How to Make Autumn Scatter - Step-by-step tutorial

How I do it? 🍂 

1. Go for a walk! That’s the most important part — both for your mental health and, obviously, for gathering materials.

2. Collect a bunch (or more!) of colorful leaves. I recommend having two separate bags: one for yellow–orange leaves and another for reddish tones. Try to pick leaves that aren’t wet or mud-dirty.

3. Dry them completely. At home, spread the leaves on a flat surface and let them dry for about a week.

4. Remove stems and hard parts. Once dry, pick out any thick stems or other tough bits.

5. Blend them. Use an old kitchen blender* (with a closed container!) and grind the leaves. You can mix different colors, but I suggest keeping orange and red batches separate. The blending time determines how fine the scatter will be — so making several batches of different sizes can be a good idea 😉

6. Store it. Find some small boxes or jars and voilà — your ‘homemade scatter: autumn edition’ is ready!

How to Use Your Homemade Scatter on Miniature Bases & Terrain

This scatter works really well when applied with diluted PVA glue in a spray bottle. It sticks nicely to branches, bushes, and other organic textures.

If you’d like to see how it looks on an actual tabletop terrain, here’s an example on my barberry hedge (see the full set HERE, or explore it in a more CINEMATIC VIBE):

Full Process Video & Extra Tips

In the short video below you’ll find a photo gallery showing every step I’ve just listed above.

*I strongly suggest using an old blender — or at least one you no longer use for food. It can get messy! A good idea could also be putting the dry leaves in the oven first, to kill any potential bacteria. I’ve never tried that myself though, so I can’t give you any specific details yet.