Liquidambar styraciflua stage two

This is stage two of my watercolour and gouache painting 'Liquidambar styraciflua'.

Here I have been quite loose about adding the first wet watercolour washes. I always like to cover the white paper with the lightest washes of paint. 

The background grass is painted with midnight green, which is probably one of my favourite colours. The leaves are very wet washes of vandyke brown and quinacridone magenta. 

Once the painting is covered it is easier to see where everything is in the composition. Now I can begin building up the layers of paint then adding details.