We’re diving into a simple and fun watercolor art tutorial combining pretty leaf stencils and painted green leaves. This project is perfect for artists of all skill levels, offering a wonderful way to explore the intricate patterns and colors of the natural world.

watercolor leaves art journal page

Prep your art journal by taping off the edges with Painter’s Tape. Mist your watercolor palette with water and also mist your paper.

Start adding drops of color to your background – I am using lots of greens, yellows, and oranges. I’ll use a towel to lightly pat my background to lighten it up a little bit and dry it. 

watercolor background

I’m using a Dare 2b Artzy Lacey Leaves stencil to add leaves to my background. I will lay the stencil down and use a small stencil brush and several different green and blue ink pads. 

leafy stencil background

Next, I’ll use a liner brush with black acrylic paint to sketch on several different leaves. Dry with a heat tool. Then, use green watercolor paint to fill in the negative space. Dry with a heat tool again.

painting watercolor leaves

I’ll add more detail lines to my leaves with black acrylic paint. I’ll also take gold acrylic paint and outline my leaves. Finally, I’ll take an Aquarella Pencil and add some extra shading and texture. Remove the painter’s tape and enjoy!

finished leaf watercolor painting

Watch the replay below!

Thank you for joining in on the creative fun. Join us LIVE every Wednesday at 5:30 pm PST on Facebook at Tracy Weinzapfel Studios.

Join the waitlist for Your Artful Journey! This is my exclusive creative membership where you can explore the world of art journaling! Join a community of support and inspiration with interactive art sessions full of tips and tricks, conversation, Q & As, and most of all, FUN!

Supply List:

Tracy’s Resources Page and visit Tracy’s Shop