Fleur, I usually paint mine befor I seal them, if I remember right , if you seal them first, the paint sorta slips and slides, and I like my paint to soak into the leaf a bit. It doesn't take much paint, I also dampen the leaf first, and I dilute the paint in some way, you can wet the brush a bit, and I also do some dry brush painting around the edges. I get the little bottles of acrylic at wal-mart, they work just fine, and go a long way. You can experiment on a piece of crete.
bonnie

Here is a link that might be useful: leaves

Fleur-If you decide on metallic finishes,they DO require a latex-type primer so that the metal will stay bonded to the concrete.Then painted,then sealed.The paints,undiluted,are quite thick.But the colours!Oh,la la!!
Check out modernmastersinc.com for more info.We're using both Metal Effects,because you can age them,and their other metal paints,because of the palette,including a dazzling blue!

Cheers from here

Rickharmer,

I have also been using the metal effects paints. Are you sealing your stuff with the sealer they sell? If you are not sealing it how does the paint hold up to exterior exposure? If it is a bowl do you think that if it is holding water that it might cause any paint peeling? I have the recomended paint sealers but dont like the final finish as well as the metal effects alone. It looks more like real metal without the sealer.