I’ve been getting a lot of use out of these surprisingly realistic leaves, so I thought I’d share my process.
I begin by mixing some acrylic paint into a little Lumina clay. I’ve been going for realism lately, but any color works well. I then roll the clay through a pasta machine at thickness setting 4-5. If you’re going to be using a leaf with thick veins, you’ll want to use setting 3-4. Lightly press a leaf into the clay just to make it stick.
Roll the lumina (with the leaf this time) through the pasta machine a second time on the same setting you used previously.
Carefully peel the leaf from the clay. You can use the same leaf several times.
Cut it out with an x-acto blade. I try to angle the cut inward so the edges look a little thinner and more realistic.
Pinch the leaf to give it a little dimension and let it dry thoroughly.
Coat the leaf with a light layer of acrylic paint if you’d like to highlight the veins. I like to use a contrasting color.
Before the paint dries, wipe away the excess with a moist paper towel.
Add a coat of matte Mod Podge for a nice finish, and you’re done!
Here are a few things I’ve made with this technique, which are also for sale in my Etsy shop 
Your pieces are gorgeous and thank you for sharing!!!!
These are gorgeous. I love the combination of muted/natural tones with that little pop of brighter aqua; lovely!
Wow! What a great technique, love it! Thanks for sharing! Am a huge fan of your work, can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
wow!
great tutorial… thank you so much! and great necklace
I discover your blog. And this tutorial it’s a really good idea. Thanks for share.
very very beautifull !!!
thank for your tutorial
domi
Beautiful! I found your site through a link on PC Daily, and am very happy she posted the link! I’ve been thinking of trying the Lumina air dry pc-this may just be the weekend! I love your small groupings of leaves and twigs-very inspiring!
Thanks for sharing with us
Carole
Many thanks for your share discovered on Polymer Clay Daily !
And very happy to visit your blog. I share the same “addiction” with you in France ;o) ! Your art is So wonderfull !
These are great! So realistic and easy!! I have to get some Lumina!! Thank-you for sharing.
thank you so much for posting this! I cannot wait to try my hand at crafts made with polymer clay! Now, if I could just locate a source to buy some. I’d rather be able to drive some where and get it because you can never tell what the colors look like until they are in person. And a cheap pasta machine! lol
I really like your tutorial and I think your work is splendid! Really quite lovely and natural to look at! Quite inspiring to view too!
Thanks for the tutorial. Your work is beautiful, and your presentation is clear, concise and encouraging. Your finished pieces are fantastic. Well done!
Absolutely beautiful. Thank you. I have bought some fo the lumina to play with and now am inspired to do so.
I appreciate your generosity in sharing this intriguing clay/leaf
technique. I’ve fondled many a leaf over the years and thought that
there must be many kinds of art that could incorporate their beauty.
I’ll try this as soon as I find some good leaves, which are not in
abundance here in the desert, in the winter.
Thanks.
Lizzie
Awesome technique. Very beautiful.
Hey - I’m super impressed with this use of air dry. I’ve been struggling to find something to do with it that isn’t either aimed at kiddies or sculpture-based. This is really nice looking jewellery.
Thanks for sharing
Sera
thank you for your tutorial,it’s clear.
and your neackles is very beautiful!
merci, pour le tuto , j’aime beaucoup
Great tutorial! Simple and genios!!
(:
The leaves are really beautifuk. I like them!!
love the leaves
Wow, I bet you could apply that technique using food too!
Really cool.
That necklace is absolutly gorgeous! i wish i had had something like that for my prom in high school!
Nice, I’ve done similar things with the textures from various nuts, walnuts can give a very beautiful textured surface for example. I usually hand roll them to create strips. I then use my youngests ink letter stamps to impress the titles of books on the strip and then attach the strip to the spine of the book.
Result, a very artistic looking book shelf which consistently attracts questions and admiring glances
I really like your tutorials. These leaves are absolutely beautiful. =)
Hi LOVE your work!!! I went on the etsy site and did not find any of the leaf necklaces for sale. Can you make one similar in pallet and size to the one above? Would love to purchase one from you Thanks !!! Helen Malchow
Nice idea, now push it further!!
Ya great tutorial! You really got my imagination spinning! Your creations are beautiful as well.
Thanks for sharing:)
Nice work! another project! thanks for sharing
those are amazing, really beautiful.
Your art is lovely and you’ve a terrific technique. Keep up the good work.
I’m well impressed with your work, as ever. These leaves are gorgeous! I may have to find myself some Lumina from somewhere just so I can do vaguely similar things…
Wow thats very cool.. I love how creative yet simple this is.
I really like this,
Well done ^^
would love to try this but i dont have a pasta machine.
x
Just “stumbled” on your site. LOVE your work! Thanks for the information!
consider yourself bookmarked for life, would you email me when/if you create other things too please?
beautiful work, gotta try it.
iviewolfe@hotmail.co.uk
I love your leaves and the technique. Stunning results. Keep up the great work on your blog, I love it!
This is a fabulous workshop and I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you so,so much.
Hugs.
Katy
wow! that is really something! hey are you interested in doing a creative swap? i’m organizing some craft bloggers into a swap every two months. it’d be a great way to get new stuff, promote your work and make new friends!
for more infor, head on over to http://gandarynako.livejournal.com/79411.html
cheers!
hi camille!
http://ilnidodellagazza.blogspot.com/2008/06/premio-arte-y-pico-arte-y-pico-award.html
i always keep an eye on your creations on flickr, and because i really love them, i have chosen you as winner of the “arte y pico” award!
here you can read the details
Thank you so much for this tutorial! Your work is absolutely splendid!
I’ve been looking for a sealer for Lumina that would retain it’s flexibility - are the leaves still as flexible after the Mod Podge coat?
I’m not really of the background to do work like this, but I thought I’d just post to say how pretty I think these leave look. Good job
I just have one word : WOW! Your work is amazingly beautiful!
Oh this is just beautiful. I came here by way of One Pretty Thing, and I am so glad I did. I can’t believe how pretty these are, and I can’t wait to make some!
Those are great! I use a lot of leaves in my paintings maybe I will make some of these someday to use on a frame.
Your lunina clay leaves are beautiful. I am doing a clay project with 2nd graders and bake free clay would be perfect to use. I have never used bake free clay so I will do a test run prior to doing the project.
I love your necklace using the leaves. What did you use for the cord? I am curious as how you got the branch like extentions.
It is so lovely and generous of you to share this technique–and a lovely piece of work, too! Buon fortuna!
awesome!!! thank you very much to share!))
Thank you so much for sharing your process and showing your designs. They are stunning.
You should sell these on etsy.com
hehe- next time I should read before posting.
How long you take to complete this?
wow!! so gorgeous! thanks so much for sharing this tutorial!
Great post, thanks for the info
Dear Camille I am mesmerized by the realism of these leaves. but I have a question: at which point is the clay baked, before the white acrylic is applied to it or after?
Moro
This is a super tutorial, I want to try it right away! Thank you!
Wow! That is a beautiful result. Thank you so much for sharing!
Really cool, did you need to use any paint at all in any of your work?
I really appreciate your work and very thankful to you.
i love your leafs I do sculpture and it opens up lots of new idea’s thankyou and up the good work
thanks for the tutorial on how to make these leaves. they look wonderful!! cheers,,
wow these are really great, thanks for posting
Wow, they are absolutely beautiful!
awsome how much dose the clay cost
hey such a great tutorial!i just amazed.you can find some of my works in my blog also.Thanks for sharing.