This project combined drawing from life with some technical watercolor skills.  Leaves are plentiful this time of year, so I brought a bag full for students to choose from.  We drew with pencil.  The older groups went over their lines with pencil.  The younger groups went over their lines with black glue.  While some detail is lost with the black glue, it provides a barrier for the watercolor, making the painting process easier.  We painted our backgrounds first, using a wet on wet technique and salt to create a sparkly texture.  Then we painted the leaves with lovely fall colors.  We learned about glazing, and some students added glazes to enhance their leaves.  Some students really got into drawing the details of their leaves and decided to leave them white.