'One Green Leaf'

[Tony (ASM)]

The only thing I've done in the last 6 months and this was only in the last couple of weeks!
I used watercolour pencils. I specifically used only one green to do the leaf on purpose. I wanted to make tonal values with just the one colour! I then finished it off with a few other colours and, the red background (as it was a complimentary colour). I didn't do a shadow on purpose.

Details

[MaryAnne Long]

Tony,

Great job on the leaf.  You definitely got the tonal values to give the leaf all its contours and dimension.

aloha

mea

[Sacgal/Sharon]

Tony - after a 6 months hiatus you haven't lost your touch! Love the Leaf - great work on the tonal studies...hopefully you'll be posting even more paintings now that you've picked up the brush again!

[dennis]

Great work, Tony. Love the background

[Lisa From Oto]

Very realistic looking leaf Tony. 

[Annie.]

Rarely venture to the Watercolour Forums, but the old song from the depression 'one meatball and no spaghetti' came to my mind when I read the title...

Love the details of the leaf, amazing what you did with minimal palette   

[Happychappy]

    Excellent Tony and I too, just love your background which is so well done.  Hope to see a lot more from you.   Patricia

[KathyKuz]

Tony;  I really love the leave. Kathy

[Val]

  You have been getting artsy again!  That's pretty close to British Racing Green kid! 

Very well done Tony, the leaf looks great and I love the background. Wonderful texture. 

[Annie.]

 

[Tony (ASM)]

Gosh! I didn't expect so many replies given I've not been on for ages! Thank you for such kind words   


I've set up a different area to get back to art-work last night. The dinning room! I've put a magnifying glass/light clamped on to a shelf above work area and now I'll be able to get better detail.


I wanted to deliberately use only one colour to see how the image would turn out on the tonal values. I did add a bit of red and dark grey to a few small areas at the end to broaden the contrast between light and dark areas.

There are so many ways to create the same picture that, just choosing where/how to start can take a day deciding! From graphite, coloured graphite, watercolour brush work, watercolour pencils, standard coloured pencils, inks, acrylics, oils, pastels, gauche, pen & ink, digital, illustration outlining pens, black 'n white/sepia, mixed media or, other ways and, that's before you start on choosing the paper!


Talking of Paper!, Arghhhhh! there are so many things we can use to paint/draw on (other than digital) and different opinions about the quality/relevance that the mind boggles!  I've started looking at light coloured paper lately. I like how the white light areas can stand out more.


Sharon, I used watercolour pencils for the leaf! No brushes in sight!   


Patricia, thank you for your words. I'm hoping to be back more but, I can't make promises I seem unable to keep of late. We've just bought another caravan (yes, we've now got two!) for touring over autumn, winter and spring, before we take the big caravan back on a 6 month seasonal pitch near the coast at Southport in UK.
We're only going away 3 more times this year in the new small caravan which we collect this Friday. This week is last for the seasonal pitch before the big caravan (26' Lunar Lexon TL) goes in storage.   


Val, OMGosh! I got the green (nearly) right at last! It's funny how many times I've pointed out to the boss (Mrs) 'British Racing Green' on our travels. She told me to button it after a few hundred! 

[Tony (ASM)]

Oh, by the way, I created the red background on the leaf picture by using side of a red watercolour pencil. I used Faber Castell Albrecht Durer. The grain of the paper showed through as I applied the pencil fairly lightly (which I wasn't really aware how much grain there was and, how uniform it is).
I resisted applying heavy pressure near the leaf thus forming the vignette effect. I wasn't sure if I like the grainy look but, I left it because, I knew I could go back and add more colour pencil after using a very very slight, very large damp, very soft bristle brush across the area of red then, burnish the dark areas (apply very heavy pressure to flatten the hills of the paper grain).
It seemed to be okay in the end so, I left it this way. 

[Fiona]

Love the tonal range    Well done   

Cheers
Fi

[Val]

    Ah lad I have missed having you about. You always surprise me with things you come up with. Don't stay away so long!

Give my sincere apologies to Sue for making you work so hard at perfecting British Racing Green.... I'll not be so too hard on you then...     

How's our Ruby?
 

[Happychappy]

Tony with all your travelling and seeing so much, you will have a wealth of subjects to paint. However, your leaf is outstanding as we all said and the background is just phenomenal.   Patricia