Leafy backgrounds

For some time I have been looking at the leaves of my plume poppy (macleaya cordata) thinking they would be good for a craft project, so when I saw the Branching Out article by Jo Capper Sandon about using real leaves to create backgrounds in the October issue of Craft Stamper magazine, I was reminded to have a go. As well as trying to spray over fir tree branches as Jo did, I picked some macleaya leaves to use as masks. The leaves of this plant can grow quite big. Here is a picture of one leaf with my hand to give you some idea of scale. This is a dramatic plant for its foliage, the underside of the the leaves is beautiful too, being soft and downy white like velvet.

I picked some smaller leaves and used them as masks with mostly adirondack dye inks to make some interesting backgrounds. Firstly I sponged two colours onto white card, before stippling with a darker colour to repeat masking with the frilly leaf edge all over the card. I am usually hopeless at doing backgrounds, so I was really pleased with the results. Each sheet took no more than 15 minutes. The first I did was on a Willow and Lake Mist background, stippled with a Colorbox pigment ink. This is greener in real life!

Next I did a bluey version, using Juniper and Pool for the sponged background and Stream for the stippling.

Last I did a red and orange version, with a Sunset Orange and Watermelon sponged background and Cranberry stippled leaf pattern.       

           

                                            

Now I just need to incorporate these designs into some interesting projects!