Thanks for the call out Sue.
Hi Joyce, Welcome to ATP! Here is the response I gave somebody else who asked - hope this helps.
I use the small bottles of acrylic craft paint - Folk Art is my favorite. With big leaves it can take several bottles of paint. I prefer the metallic colors, just because I like sparkly things.
First, I decided which color I want the veins. Then I paint the entire leaf, front and back, with that color. It usually takes 2-3 coats because I don't put the paint on thick, I kind of dry brush it on because I'm afraid it might flake off if put on too thick, but I do want a solid color when I'm done. You have to really jam the paintbrush in the veins. Don't use a good brush because it does get ruined after a few leaves. After that's dry (I usually wait a whole day), I add the next color. Starting at the stem of the the leaf, I paint the next color on, putting more saturated color toward the edge and kind of feathering the paint as I get to where I want the next color to begin. I use 2 very thin layers of paint being careful not to get paint in the veins, just brushed over the outermost layer of the cement. For the next color, I dry brush that on starting toward the edge of the last color I put on, again feathering the paint toward the outer edges. You just repeat the process depending on how many colors you want to use. Sometimes I take a final color and just very, very lightly paint some of the raised edges or ruffles of the leaves. That's it - nothing special! The nice thing about this is if you don't like the finished product, just start over with a different base layer and do it again.
Good luck!!
Joycebristow!
