Hello Francy
Your leaf is really gorgeous. Lovely colours and look at that glow! Well done.
It is lovely for me to see how well everyone is doing.
Suggestions:
You can take this beautiful study to the next level quite simply:
One of the things I find most often is artists often stop too soon.
You have an excellent study here and with just a few minor additions - this leaf will be three dimensional.
One thing to watch out for is the veins of the leaf go right to the edge of the leaf. This sometimes happens in nature and if it does - it can make the leaf look a little like a skeleton. So if I see it in nature - I change it so the end of the veins become "lost". Nebulous.
It is easy for you to acheive this: Lay a clear water wash over one half of the leaf. Just as it is about to soak into the paper - use a soft scrubby brush (I use da Vinci series 122 Nova synthetic - see the list of suppliers here:
http://www.harrison-tustain.com/suppliers.htmlNow with an extremely gentle circular motion - rub the surface of the leaf at the end of the veins (about the last 8th of the vein). If you have used my priming method and use your scrubby gently enough - you will find you will soften the ends of the veins and the colours will merge so the veins are no longer visable.
Let your paper dry completely.
Now throw another clear water wash over the same side of the leaf again and that will ensure the lifted pigment is absorbed into the paper.
Dry
Now lets have fun creating shadows:
The light source will be constant. Lets imagine it is from the front of the leaf. This will give you highlights on the front raised area of each segment. Naturally that would cause the back side of each segment to have a more shaded area as it folds back away from the light.
You will remember that generally when the light is natural light such as daylight - the highlights are cool and the shadows will be warm. So we need to bring some slightly warmer shadow hues to the back areas of the segments.
You could begin by lifting some of your green out of the front of each segment. This would give the leaf the impression of being shiny. In this case - I dont think that is necessary. Let's imagine this is one of those leaves that does not have a shiny surface.
You will establish the look of raised segments by simply laying in a slightly warmer shadow hue on the back edge of each segment.
To do this I suggest you work on each segment separately and allow it to dry before you wet the adjoining segment. I would work on one segment on the right hand side of the leaf and while that is drying I would begin working on one segment on the left hand side - and so on. Just ensure your wet areas do not meet.
Wet a segment. Allow it to seep in - but still have a sheen on the paper. One the back edge of the segment, drop in a wash of Scarlet red, a touch of thalo blue and a touch of sap green. Dab this in and work along the vein - almost to the edge. The slightly wet surface should pull the pigment up and onto the imaginary raised top of the segment roll. If the pigment doesnt flow - then you will know you need a little more water in your initial clear water wash. Dab off your colour and begin that segment again using more water.
Do be careful not to add too much red in your shadow mix. Keep the balance of the mix green/blue. Too much red will blacken the hue.
BUT as soon as you have come close to the end of the vein/edge of the leaf - use another brush that is
just damp with clear water. Touch the shadow mix with your slightly damp - clear water - brush and allow the colour to flair and then settle in a gradual blend so the very end of the vein is not distinguishable. Naturally the earlier/beginning of the vein will be quite definate.
As the segment dries - just keep an eye on it to ensure no hard edges are developing. If they are - just use your very slightly damp brush and soften them. Simple!
Now you will have a lovely roll to your segments.
There are a number of reasons for this:
-You will now have created a change in the colour temperature of the back part of each segment. The shadow mix is warmer than the local green you have used on the leaf.
-The tonal value will be darker - because you have more dense colour - due to the additional wash of colour
-This will not only give the impression of a shadow on the back edge of the segment - but it will give a contrast to the front edge - and also the front edge of the segment behind the one you are working on.
-This contrast will make the front edge appear lighter and also give the impression of a slight highlight on that leading edge.
Naturally you would allow each segment to dry. Once complete and bone dry- throw a clear water wash over the leaf. This is a magical thing to do as it softens edges and reduces any demarcation lines that have formed. It gently lifts the tiny amount of residue colour sitting on the surface. It redistributes it and when it settles - it softens the edges and gives a gentle natural look to the leaf.
But please do remember - you can only do this on a totally bone dry painting.
One last thing - I often see a shadowed edge running alongside the spine of a leaf. If the leaf you are referencing has this - then remember to pop that in with your shadow colour while you have it mixed on your palette.
You have a lovely uneven spine - just as it would be in nature. Be sure to create that same effect if you are adding a shadow to your spine. A straight and perfect spine looks very unnatural. Your leaf looks so beautiful it would be a pity to detract from that.
Oh yes - just one tiny thing that will also help give the impression of reality: I like to make my spine and spine shadow look as if it runs in and out of the segments. It is hard to put into words: Imagine each segment is raised and there is a puff area that very slightly raises up covering a small amount of the spine. This is gives the spine it's uneven look. Hmmmm - maybe I should post a close up detail. That will show you exactly what I mean.
Take a look at the way the veins seems to be slightly curved at the edges where they meet with the spine. They do not hit is at right angles.
Okay - I hope that all makes sense. It is after midnight - so my head is about to shut down for the night!
Please let me know if I have confused the issue!
I particularly love the serrated edges you have created Francy and the curve on the stem is lovely. This leaf really flows well and I am so proud of you when I see your fresh glowing colours! Beautiful work!
Susan
