It’s that time of the year once again, Autumn is here, probably my favorite time of the year because of  all the amazing Fall colors I see everywhere. I live in a very green city and our region is transformed into a haven of colorful foliage at this time. I am Asian and this season is totally absent from where I grew up so I am very grateful that I see this beauty. Before, the magic of experiencing Autumn is unknown to me, not until I moved here in Germany and live with this season of cold, wet, rainy and yet fascinating metamorphosis of nature colors.

I’ve always been interested in the color-changing process of leaves during Fall. I knew its science and natural phenomenon but still, I am susceptible to its charm. I find it totally relaxing to watch nature and its beauty in its simplest form.

Even more rewarding when combining this with my favorite hobby : Painting.

There is something about doing what you love and enjoying it at the same time. It is always a win-win situation!

All you need is a head full of imagination and creative enthusiasm and you will be on the right track. My Blog is full of my rendezvous about my Expat life here in Germany, as well as my personal journey of mastering my own craft. Painting is a journey. It is a lifestyle of discovering of what you are capable of doing and not inhibited by insecurities. At the beginning of Fall, I have created new  abstract paintings inspired by Fall colors using Acrylics. It’s something that I have never done before.

 

Many times, when I don’t know how to do something or I haven’t mastered yet a certain technique, I am hesitant, and always making excuses not to do it in the first place. But then I’ve learned that the only way to find out is to try. I have never tried painting with leaves before but I got an inspiration and wanted to replicate the natural leaf patterns that a dried leaf has by engraving them through watercolor paints.

The whole process is quite easy. This is a great DIY Home project especially if you have little kids and wanted to engaged into a creative project. The materials are quite handy. If you have the free time and willingness to learn,  then its one of the things I recommend you to do .You might even develop a hobby out of it.

 

Materials needed :

• Fall leaves in different shades, shapes and colors of your choice.
• Watercolor paper ( you can prepare it in postcard or in any medium paper you like but it should stand heavy watercolor washes and wetness, so I recommend an artist-grade paper.
• Watercolor paints or Acrylic paints
• Sets of brushes

How to do it? 

• First,clean and make sure your leaves are clean and free from dirt like mud or sand.
• Create the background wash for your card or poster by brushing your preferred color as a background. I choose warm tones like red, burnt sienna and light browns.
• Once the wash is dry, arrange the leaves in the paper and make sure they are flat. You can start by brushing the other side of the leaf with high-consistency paint and then flip them over to the paper, just enough to lay them flat. This is very important in drying and getting the patterns engraved in the paper in the drying process.
• Once you arrange all the leaves and pattern you desired, you can add more colors, just to create a more liquid, or more texture to the painting. You can intensify the colors by painting all over the leaves, making it more wet. Make sure not to add colors that makes a “muddy” appearance or the colors blending to each other.

• Place your painting in a place where it will not be touched or moved so that it will dry fast and the leaves remains intact in the paper.I do this overnight and remove the leaves once I saw that it becomes loose from the paper.
• Remove the leaves slowly.
• Add more color or enhance your painting with other effects to highlight the texture and tone.

Remember, PATIENCE is the key in creating a wonderful, personalized and unique artwork. It doesn’t need to be expensive,it just takes a hand full of creativity.

 

Have you enjoyed reading this post? I hope so and l look forward to hear your feedback if ever you have tried it. What was your approach?

I hope you enjoy this wonderful time to do something creative like this. If you need more inspiration, make sure you follow my Instagram feed, I post there some creative ideas and DIY projects I do . Have a lovely week, my friends!