Julie, leaves are so complex and rendering them well takes lots of practice. I think you are absolutely on the right track here, especially because I can tell that you are enjoying yourself, and that is the most important thing. 🙂 Your central veins are not straight, which is good, but they read a little bit too wobbly. Drawing leaves is all about subtlety. Find a middle-ground between straight and wobbly, and that’s the sweet spot where the veins will look the most natural. All the veins (primary and secondary) should be thin and get thinner as they reach the edges of the leaf, so by the time you get to the edge, the vein is so thin, it’s invisible. As far as toning is concerned, I think the leaf on the bottom left is nicely done. You have a good range of tones and nice feathering, and those veins are so nice and “barely there.” You have suggested to us that there are veins there, and it works perfectly. Keep practicing!
Julie, leaves are so complex and rendering them well takes lots of practice. I think you are absolutely on the right track here, especially because I can tell that you are enjoying yourself, and that is the most important thing. 🙂 Your central veins are not straight, which is good, but they read a little bit too wobbly. Drawing leaves is all about subtlety. Find a middle-ground between straight and wobbly, and that’s the sweet spot where the veins will look the most natural. All the veins (primary and secondary) should be thin and get thinner as they reach the edges of the leaf, so by the time you get to the edge, the vein is so thin, it’s invisible. As far as toning is concerned, I think the leaf on the bottom left is nicely done. You have a good range of tones and nice feathering, and those veins are so nice and “barely there.” You have suggested to us that there are veins there, and it works perfectly. Keep practicing!