About
Go for the gold!
Gold leaf can turn an ordinary watercolor into something truly showstopping. I chose to pair it with a sunflower for this project, but you could try it with any subject whose background is plain and distinct from what is going on in the foreground. Experiment with autumn leaves, animals, or even portraits!
Downloads
- 2019-05-16-134302-supply1.png 982 KB [ Download ]
- 2019-05-16-134306-supply2.png 1.49 MB [ Download ]
- 2019-05-16-134311-supply3.png 1.1 MB [ Download ]
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Kelly E. published their project Sunflower With Gold Leaf 18 Aug 09:00
You Will Need
watercolors
, either in tubes or a set (Prang is a good and inexpensive option for beginners). Colors I use: cadmium yellow light, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium red light, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, Prussian or phthalo blue, cerulean blue, Hooker’s gre
Watercolor Paper
: at least 140lb (I prefer cold-pressed, but any texture is fine)
Palette
: it needs to be white, and you can use one with special wells and mixing areas, or you can try a white plate or tray.
Gold Leaf
sheets and sizing (Speedball Mona Lisa Simple Leaf and 2-ounce Metal Leaf Adhesive Size is available on Amazon)
Masking Tape
, blue painter’s tape, or brown kraft paper tape
A
Wooden Board
, piece of cardboard, or foamcore to tape the painting to
Paper Towels
Masking Fluid
Pencil: 2H or other light
Pencil
that’s easy to erase
Brushes: #1 or #1 round, #6 round, ½” flat, ¾”flat. Look for
Brushes
with short handles, soft (but not floppy) bristles, and sharp points. Old, messed-up brushes are also useful painting tools, so if you have any, do not throw them out!
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Step 1
Watch the video tutorial.