Leaf Painting Demos
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| | Wet-in-wet watercolor leaf painting: This method is done very quickly while the leaf shape is still wet. Do not allow the paint to dry between steps. 
Paints: Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolor Intense Blue (Phthalo Blue) Winsor & Newton Cotman brand Cadmium Yello Paper: Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lbs. Hot Pressed Brush: Winsor & Newton Cotman brand #777 flat 1/2"
Instructions
Step 1: Paint the shape of a leaf with a clean brush and clean water. Step 2: While the leaf shape is still wet, dip the brush in the Phthalo Blue paint and dab a drop or two onto the the leaf. Step 3: Quickly clean the brush and dip it into the Cadmium Yellow paint. Dab a drop or two of the yellow paint into the still-wet leaf. Step 4: Let the paints mingle on their own or encourage them gently by tipping the paper. Allow the painting to dry completely. Winsor & Newton™ is a trademark. Fabriano® is a registered trademark. |
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| | Creating veins in a watercolor leaf : 
These veins were "pulled out" of the wet yellow paint with the tip of a damp flat brush.
|  While the paint on this leaf shape was still wet, the veins were scraped out with the sharp tip at the handle end of a brush.
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Another way to create veins is to simply paint them in with a rigger brush. |
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| | Glazing with watercolors : | 
Layer 1: A thin glaze of Cadmium Yellow was painted in the shape of a leaf and allowed to dry completely before going to Layer 2. | 
Layer 2: A thin glaze of Ultramarine Blue was applied to the left side of the leaf. A wet brush was used to soften the edge of the blue, allowing it to gently blend towards the middle of the leaf. | 
Layer 3: After Layer 2 was dry, another thin glaze of Ultramarine Blue was applied to the left edge of the leaf, again blending with a wet brush to avoid a hard edge. Veins were created with a rigger brush and a light amount of Ultramarine Blue. |
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