How to Paint a Fall Leaf in Watercolor

October 4, 2020October 9, 2020 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

This week, find a leaf that inspires you and paint it. I’ve uploaded a video of my process for painting a leaf:

With pencil I outline the basic shape.
I use just three colors – cadmium yellow, cadmium red, and ultramarine blue and mix colors as I go. From those three colors I create all the fall colors I need – purples, maroons, browns.
I work wet encouraging the colors to bleed into one another.

It’s fun and relaxing. Check out the video below and watch my painting process. Then find your leaf and start painting. I’d love to see – tag me on Instagram @eileenmckenna.

Please like the video and subscribe!

Want a comprehensive guide to getting started in watercolor? Check out “Beginner Watercolor Exploration.” Learn the fundamentals. Practice with exercises and projects. Discover a love of watercolor!

Start your watercolor journey today! Learn more here.

Beginner Watercolor Exploration Guide pdf download | how to guide beginner watercolor

Painting Leaves in Watercolor

October 3, 2020October 9, 2020 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Fall Leaves in Watercolor by Eileen McKenna

Recently I painted a pile of leaves in watercolor. It was an easy relaxing process:

Collect a few leaves
Trace the leaves
Mix fall colors from yellow, red and blue
Work wet and encourage the colors to bleed and blend.

Believe it or not, I’m often more interested in how it feels to sit and paint than what the final results are. Sure, there is satisfaction in how a painting comes out and sometimes frustration when I can’t achieve my vision. But the process of sitting and painting is…the best.

I shared a video on how I created the watercolor pile of leaves painting. Grab your paints and give it a try!

Please like the video and subscribe!

Start your watercolor journey today! Learn more here.

Waiting for the leaves to change

October 16, 2016October 15, 2016 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

rainbowleaves
Here in New York the leaves are beginning to change. Only a few have fallen. I am so looking forward to the bright colors and to walking through the leaves – that “swish swish” and the beautiful reds, purples, and yellows everywhere. Cleaning up the leaves I am not looking forward to!

In years past, the leaves have been a huge inspiration to me.

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See how I made this watercolor leaf here.
finalleaf

Watercolor Leaf {A how to craft project}

September 25, 2015September 8, 2020 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

This is one of my favorite Fall projects! Give it a try and share your results, either in the comments below or on Instagram – tag me: @eileenmckenna. For convenient printable instructions – visit my Etsy shop.

Supplies:

Heavyweight watercolor paper – I used Fluid Easy Block
Watercolor paints (3 colors – light, medium, dark. I used yellow, orange (or red), and brown.)
Water
Paintbrushes (1 thick, 1 thin)
Scissors
Pencil and eraser
Leaf or photo of a leaf (for shape and inspiration)

Steps:

Trace or draw leaf onto the watercolor paper
Cut out the leaf shape
Erase remaining pencil lines.
Wet one side of the leaf shape using a paintbrush and water.
Using a brush wet with yellow paint, paint the entire leaf yellow (or a light color of your choice).
With a brush, wet with orange paint, paint the edges of your leaf. The orange will bleed into the yellow – this is a good thing!
Use a thinner (and not as wet) brush and paint thin brown lines onto the leaf. (Copy the veins from your real leaf or photo.) If your leaf is still wet, the lines will bleed which creates a cool texture to the leaf.
Allow the leaf to dry, then add more thin brown lines. (The dryer the paper, the less the paint will bleed.)

When I first showed my kids my painted leaf, they thought it was a real leaf! Have fun! Can’t wait to see what you make. 🙂 Ready to get started in watercolor? Check out my new guide “Beginner Watercolor Exploration”

Learn the fundamentals.
Practice with exercises & projects.
Discover a love of watercolor!

Start your watercolor journey today! Learn more here.

Would you like to: Be creative on a regular basis and experience the joy that creativity brings? Explore mediums and subjects, in search of your thing? Learn about my new book Creative Exploration: A Six Week Process for Introducing Regular Creativity into your Life by clicking here.

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A few of my favorite things…

December 12, 2014 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Here are a few of my favorite pieces from 2014.

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Ready to fall?

Image | October 1, 2014 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

A Crisp Fall Day!

September 26, 2014 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. I love those sunny, crisp, blue sky days. Unfortunately they lead to damp, grey, cold days! Today is the perfect Fall day. I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts! 🙂

This painting was part of my painting party. I worked very wet, letting the colors bleed together, only hinting at each leaf. I added several layers of paint. After I was done, I added some details with ink.