Acrylic Seascape Progress - Darks of Foreground

After a week and a half feeling ill I have finally been able to return to the foreground of the acrylic seascape started at the Ross Franzi Art Workshop on Sat 27th & Sun 28th November! 

So without the benefit of a teacher I am following the technique Ross taught us in laying in the darks first.  I started on the dark foliage but then noticed I was just 'blobbing' away with the brush which will NOT make realistic shapes.  I got my head sorted and started to concentrate on placing the dark leaves by looking at the negative spaces.  I will post updates as I go.