WetCanvas: ArtSchool Online: Watercolors: Watercolor Painting, My Way!: Autumn Leaves

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Watercolor Painting, My Way!: Autumn Leaves: L3/5

Author: Rod Webb, Associate Editor

Add some ultramarine to your burnt umber mix to darken.
Then, while the paper is still damp from our last wash, add some spots here and there at random.

This will give the leaf a realistic look of decay.

Also add some more green here and there just to give a slight variation, so the wash doesn't look too flat.
Alllow the paper to dry completely - ready for our water droplets?

If you look closely at a water droplet you will observe that on the side furthest from the light source the colour is warmer . The middle section is the same colour as the leaf and the side closest side is cooler.
Take some of our original green, to one mix add some yellow to warm, to the other add some ultramarine to cool. This is a very small amount. The color change is not great.

The paper is dry so paint will be controllable when placed onto the paper.

First, paint the strip furthest away from the light source with our warm mix.

Then using the original green mix paint across the middle.
This takes careful application so that it doesn't darken the first strip.

A delicate touch with a small brush is required.

Finaly using the cooler mix, paint the last strip, but leave one small spot blank for the highlight.
You can just see the small spot I left blank, unfortunately the flash from the camera makes the wet surface shine.

Leave the paper to dry completely.
My highlight is now visible, also the warm and cool sides of the water droplet.

It now needs a shadow behind the droplet.

Paint the shadow using our green cooler mix, which will be darker than the original green as we added some blue.

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	Add some ultramarine to your burnt umber mix to darken. Then, while the paper is still damp from our last wash, add some spots here and there at random. This will give the leaf a realistic look of decay.
	Also add some more green here and there just to give a slight variation, so the wash doesn't look too flat. Alllow the paper to dry completely - ready for our water droplets?
	If you look closely at a water droplet you will observe that on the side furthest from the light source the colour is warmer . The middle section is the same colour as the leaf and the side closest side is cooler. Take some of our original green, to one mix add some yellow to warm, to the other add some ultramarine to cool. This is a very small amount. The color change is not great. The paper is dry so paint will be controllable when placed onto the paper. First, paint the strip furthest away from the light source with our warm mix.
	Then using the original green mix paint across the middle. This takes careful application so that it doesn't darken the first strip. A delicate touch with a small brush is required.
	Finaly using the cooler mix, paint the last strip, but leave one small spot blank for the highlight. You can just see the small spot I left blank, unfortunately the flash from the camera makes the wet surface shine.
	Leave the paper to dry completely. My highlight is now visible, also the warm and cool sides of the water droplet. It now needs a shadow behind the droplet. Paint the shadow using our green cooler mix, which will be darker than the original green as we added some blue.