To begin, position the leaf fossil under the camera and ensure it is lying as flat as possible. Photograph the fossil leaf and label the image file appropriately. Then open the image of a tooth leaf whose area is preserved or can be reconstructed in the image processing software and crop the image if necessary.
Select Image and then Canvas to increase the width of the working area. Add a new canvas to either the right or left of the current canvas. Now decide on the leaf's preparation method, determining whether to use a whole leaf or half leaf for area and shape measurements.
Using a lasso tool, trace the margin of the leaf, including the petiole if present. Copy and paste the selected portion of the leaf onto an open area of the canvas, making two copies, one original and one is a backup to revert to if necessary. Visually follow the leaf margin to the point it contacts the petiole, often darker and without distinctive veins.
Place a lasso point there and repeat for the other half. Encircle the entire petiole to finish this selection. Then, cut and paste the petiole.
Copy and paste the isolated leaf with the petiole removed and place it in an open area of the canvas. Using the lasso tool, trim excess leaf material to ensure a complete half leaf remains for preparations or leave the complete leaf intact if preparing a full leaf. Using a line or paintbrush tool, repair any damaged areas along the leaf margin with a line of appropriate color and thickness.
For tooth measurements of the leaf, copy the leaf and place it in an open area on the canvas. Use the lasso tool to remove the area adjacent to damaged portions of the margin. Begin selection at a point along the margin that bounds the damaged portion and draw a straight line to the major vein perpendicular to it.
Start the selection at the preserved primary tooth sinus closest to the damage. Continue the selection along the major vein until level with the other bound of the damaged margin, then draw a straight line perpendicular to the major vein to the margin. Delete the damaged portion of the leaf and repeat the process for all damaged portions.
Copy and paste the version of the leaf prepared for tooth measurements and place it in an open area of the canvas. Use a lasso tool to remove the teeth from the leaf. Start at the leaf apex, one of the lobe tips or the tip of a leaf fragment, and select each primary tooth sinus along the leaf, lobe, or fragment.
After selecting the apical sinus of the most basal tooth, apply the extension rule to cut the last tooth of the sequence out. Remove the teeth by cutting and pasting them next to the leaf blade, ensuring that the removed teeth do not touch the original blade.
