Camille Young

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