Ellen, we’ve all been there! The fact that you can see the fish spine-ness of this drawing means that you will figure it out. It’s all about careful observation. Those secondary veins will follow the form of the leaf. So, If your leaf is curling slightly, those secondary veins will follow that contour. Try doing a graphite pencil drawing first (just the outline, no toning), being sure to include the veins. You could post it here before getting out your colored pencils so we can help you get the veins right before adding color. You did a really nice job with the form of leaf. It has great 3D form, and the colors are very natural. Once you get the drawing of those veins right you will have a fantastic leaf.
Going through the predicted “Fish Spine” phase…
Ellen, we’ve all been there! The fact that you can see the fish spine-ness of this drawing means that you will figure it out. It’s all about careful observation. Those secondary veins will follow the form of the leaf. So, If your leaf is curling slightly, those secondary veins will follow that contour. Try doing a graphite pencil drawing first (just the outline, no toning), being sure to include the veins. You could post it here before getting out your colored pencils so we can help you get the veins right before adding color. You did a really nice job with the form of leaf. It has great 3D form, and the colors are very natural. Once you get the drawing of those veins right you will have a fantastic leaf.