Paint Colorful Autumn Leaves with Watercolor & Colored Pencils
Falling leaves are trees’ way to declare that summer is out and sweater season is in! Put down your pumpkin spice, pick up your art supplies, and create your own colorful leaf illustration to capture that fresh autumn feeling.
Scroll through this post for basic step-by-step instructions to draw a fall leaf using a combination of colored pencil and watercolor techniques. Watercolor leads the way with loose washes and fluid color transitions. Colored pencil adds crisp edges, fine veins, texture, and control. Together, they can capture subtle shifts of pigment, the fragile margins, and the feeling of fall leaves.
Dive deeper in our Zoom Drawing Workshop: Fall Foliage
Starts Live on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025
Step-by-Step Guide to Paint Colorful Autumn Leaves
Learn to Create a Fall Leaf Illustration with Colored Pencil and Watercolor
The following instructions are just one example of how to draw an autumn leaf, working with the wet-on-wet watercolor technique to create vibrant colors and using colored pencil to add fine details like leaf veining. Instead of copying this exact drawing, we encourage you to collect some colorful fall leaves to use as your models for this lesson.
If you want to learn more about drawing green leaves, find A Botanical Artists’ Guide to a Realistic Leaf Illustrations here and find 9 Steps to Lifelike Leaves here.
0. Get Ready & Get Set (BEFORE You Go)
Find a fun autumn leaf outside, and let’s get started! Before you begin botanical drawing, prepare your workspace, set up your light source and subject, and position yourself so you’re all set for success! Click here for specific set up tips, and click here for our list of suggested art supplies.
1. Outline Edges & Center Vein
Draw a light outline of your leaf with graphite pencil. [A] Sketch the center vein, and then draw the outside edges of the leaf. Have an eraser handy to make adjustments until you’re satisfied with the shape of your outline.
PRO TIP: Measure Precisely
For the most accurate drawing, measure your subject with a see-through ruler. Learn more about how to measure precisely here.
2. Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Wash
With a large brush, wet the paper inside of your leaf outline. Add a layer of yellow watercolor, and while the paper is still wet, add some orange watercolor at the top edge and some brown watercolor where it appears on the leaf, allowing the colors to bleed into each other naturally. [B]
3. Subtle Veining
Once your watercolor layer is completely dry, add subtle veining with sharp colored pencils. Embossing tools can be helpful in creating texture (see the “Embossing for Delicate Details” section of this post to learn more). Use some subtle embossing on veins if you think it works on your leaf, but always look back at your leaf as a guide.
PRO TIP: Emboss on Wax Paper
Use an embossing tool on top of wax paper (on top of your drawing) for even subtler indentations. See this FREE video for further details.
4. Add Color
Compare the colors of your subject to the colors of your drawing. Add more watercolor if needed, wetting the paper again (so that the watercolor spreads rather than creating flat edges when applied). [C] Learn more about watercolor techniques here.
5. Grisaille Toning
Once your paper is completely dry, use colored pencil to apply grisaille toning layers. The grisaille method uses neutral toning to describe form (see the “The Grisaille Toning Method: Form First, Color Second” section of this post to learn more). Shade one side of the leaf slightly darker to show its two distinct planes. [D]
6. Finishing Touches
Emphasize leaf veining and structure, but keep it subtle. Be sure to include the details that make your individual leaf unique!
PRO TIP: Cast Shadow
If desired, add in a cast shadow. Start with a light layer of Dark Sepia watercolor, and keep the outer edge of the shadow gradually fading into the background. When the watercolor is completely dry, layer Verithin Cool Grey 70% pencil and Verithin Black right where the shadow touches the leaf edge. [E]
We’ll “Leaf” You With This
Nature whispers in nuance. A single leaf holds stories of sun, wind, rain, and time. With watercolor providing a soft voice and colored pencils adding clarity and texture, you can listen to and retell that story on paper.
We hope this method sparks your curiosity, gives you confidence, and invites you into the slower, deeper art of botanical illustration.
FAQ: How to Draw Fall Leaves with Colored Pencils & Watercolor
Q: How do you draw a fall leaf with watercolor and colored pencils?
A: Begin with a light pencil outline, then apply a wet-on-wet watercolor wash for soft color transitions. Once dry, use colored pencils to add veins, texture, and shading for a realistic autumn look.
Q: What colors should I use for autumn leaves?
A: Start with warm yellows, oranges, and browns, then layer reds and russets. Add greens* to dull brightness, and make sure to blend transitions gradually. Always compare to your real leaf reference! Notice the colors in your leaf and use a scrap piece of paper and your palette to experiment with color mixing until you are happy with your color matches.
*Green is red’s complementary color. Learn more about color theory here.
Q: Can I mix watercolor and colored pencils in the same leaf drawing?
A: Yes! Watercolor provides loose, vibrant washes, while colored pencils add crisp detail. Our signature “Draw Botanical Method” uses this combination of colored pencil and watercolor for lifelike results.
Q: What paper should I use for drawing fall leaves?
A: A smooth watercolor paper. We find that hot press paper works best, as it accepts both watercolor washes and colored pencil layering. See the full list of art supplies we recommend here.
Q: How do you make fall leaf veins look realistic?
A: Draw the midrib and main veins lightly in pencil first. After watercolor, add subtle veins with a sharp colored pencil or embossing tool. Keep them delicate—real veins are never too bold.
Q: Where can I learn more about drawing leaves?
A: Draw Botanical offers many workshops, video lessons, and step-by-step tutorials on realistic botanical art, including how to draw fall leaves with colored pencils and watercolor. You might be most interested in these workshops, recordings, and videos. Click the images below to find out more:
LIVE WORKSHOP! Starts Oct. 19, 2025
Videos & RECORDINGS
FREE Tips & Tutorials
Explore our blog, where you’ll find botanical drawing tips and tutorials including A Botanical Artists’ Guide to a Realistic Leaf Illustrations, Draw a Leaf in 9 Simple Steps, and so much more!
