There are endless videos of painting techniques online. Like most artists, I enjoy watching them. One that caught my eye was layered watercolour. This is a technique based on layers of washes surrounding repeated shapes. I’ve seen people do it with fruit, flowers hearts and leaves. I decided to try it with gum leaves.

The Layers

The technique is based on layering background colour around drawn shapes. The videos I’ve seen seem to use the same colour in different tones. Sometimes the shape is a different colour than the background. I wanted to try this technique using multiple colours.

1. Getting the first layer down

Decide on a shape you want to repeat. Draw 3 or four of these shapes on watercolour paper.

When preparing to paint, decide if you will use one, two or more colours, and how you want to distribute these. It’s important to start with the lightest tone of the lightest colour.

I’ve seen the first paint layer started in two ways

• first shapes are drawn onto watercolour paper, before the wash is applied
• the background wash is painted across the whole page before the shapes are drawn.

2. Layering

Each layer is essentially a repeat of the first layer, but in a deeper tone. Paint around the shapes each time, not within them. This means they will be filled with the colour of the wash from the previous layer.

My multicolour layers meant I decided to use different colours in each corner, and work out where they blended as I painted.

I added the step of using Inktense pencils to add the veins of the leaves, and the vein around the edge of the leaf.

Here is the result.

What I Noticed

The choice to use multiple colours did add a bit of complexity when it came to the blending points, but mostly I was happy. I especially love the depth of colour in the top corners. The colour of Inktense pencils I used was influenced by the background in that area.

Probably, if I had opted to use only two colours, fewer choices would be required.

In relation to the shape, I chose to vary the leaf shape. It suits my sense of aesthetics. It is just as valid to repeat the exact same shape.

I plan on doing a few more works in this style. It will be interesting to compare the results with one, two and more colours.

100 Days of Art

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