No. 8 ,Week two of the 30 Day Challenge, Decaying Virburnum Leaf

Collected this leaf a few months ago in Longton Park, Staffordshire.  Not sure of the species, maybe Virburnum rhytidophyllum.  My favourite sort of colours and a nice surface texture.....perfect for painting in every way!  completely dried out so hasn't changed since I found it. Would make a good vellum study but this one is on paper for speed.

Really pleased that so many of the botanical artists from the Botanical Artists Facebook Group are joining in with this challenge too!

Decaying Virburnum leaf

Close up, showing leaf surface painting technique

 
 Colours: Aureolin wash, lay it on fairly loosely leaving highlights clear.
Add a mix of Permanent Rose and  Gold Ochre to the golden brown areas.
Add a mix of French Ultra and Winsor Lemon for the green areas
for the dark red/ brown edges Perylene Maroon and a little Permanent Rose mixed with Sepia. 
Model the surface 'bumps' using dry brush using the same colours, plus a little neutral tint in the shade areas
Pick out the lines for the veins and deeper recesses using the same colours.
oh and a tiny bit of Cerulean on the highlights.