Watercolour Leaf Cluster with Toe-Belly-Toe Technique

A project from our live show ONE DAY SPECIAL - Join Toni for her brand new launch - Broadcast 18th July 2025 · 18/07/2025 · watch it from 21:15

Learn the fundamental toe-belly-toe brush technique to paint simple leaves with dimension and depth. This easy starting point builds confidence and creates beautiful leaf clusters perfect for backgrounds or card designs.

You will need

Carta - Traditional Watercolour Paper - A5 - WCPA501SEE IT Stamps By Me - Premium Dye Ink Pad - Limeade - 121022ASEE IT Stamps By Me - Premium Dye Ink Pad - Ocean - 121022BSEE IT Stamps By Me - Premium Dye Ink Pad - Tiffany - 121022CSEE IT 943382 TV - 100268 - HTCN - Stamps By Me Standard Paintbrush Set - 061121ASEE IT 943381 TV - 100269 - HTCN - Stamps By Me Fine Tip Paintbrush Set - 061121BSEE IT

DOWNLOAD THIS GUIDE (PDF)

Step by step

1. Wet your brush and pick up ink from a dye ink pad, starting with a green shade. ▶ watch 21:30
2. Hold your brush upright on its toe, then push down onto its belly, then bring back up to the toe in one fluid motion to create a leaf shape. ▶ watch 22:15
3. Repeat the toe-belly-toe motion multiple times to build a cluster of leaves in different directions. ▶ watch 23:00
4. While the ink is still wet, drop a second colour (such as teal) into the wet ink to create instant dimension. ▶ watch 23:15
5. Create variation by doing the toe-belly-toe motion twice on a single leaf for a curved, posh effect. ▶ watch 23:45
6. Extend the technique into long branches by stretching the toe-belly-toe motion along a longer line. ▶ watch 24:30
7. Darken areas by going back in with more colour once the initial layer has dried slightly. ▶ watch 25:30
8. Allow harsh lines and watercolour effects to remain as part of the natural technique. ▶ watch 26:15

Tips from the show

• The toe-belly-toe motion comes from the brush movement, not your hand movement as a person.
• Watercolour dries back two shades lighter than it appears when wet, so apply colour generously.
• You do not need to be perfect; watercolour has no rules and no two pieces are ever the same.

More from this show

• Aurora Borealis Bear with Watercolour Fill and Stamp Detail
• Industrial Cityscape with Watercolour and Ink Pen Detail

Written up from the show itself. See every guide from our shows · free how-to guides · watch live on My Telly