Basic black and white leaves

A major principle in my life is to "start at the very beginning".  It is a very good place to start.  :)  hum, hum, hummmm

I drew/traced real leaves.  I experimented with three ways to portray the poplar leaves which are an easy heart shape.  I was very intrigued with the curl on the stem of the cluster of leaves though.

Then I scanned them to the 'puter and printed them on a heavier paper.  This whole process is gonna grind to a halt if I don't get some more printer ink though! lol

The success in cutting them out is due to the handy little Fiskars cutter that just fits so nicely over my finger and into my hand.

I used my gelli plate and printed with black on water colour paper and some deli paper.

The cluster of leaves didn't print so well.  But I still like that curl!

The leaves without stems just look like hearts so I was most pleased with the leaves with stems and that curl!  I just laid the various leaves down on the gelli plate's painted surface and 'pulled a print'. Or I used the full sheet with the leaves cut out to pull a print.

There was some trial.

And some error.

Some worthy.

And some surprises.

  I have no idea how I got a double lined outline!  :)

This was one of the more successful attempts to fill the leaf with interest.  That must all be covered in the advanced class!!!  lol

 This was an attempt to lay some pink deli paper onto the cluster of leaves.  

But it is all mulch for the fertile mind. But  I do believe I have begun to work in a series!  :)