A little cement and a large leaf make a beautiful ornament that you can place in your garden, serve as a fruit bowl, or anything else you can imagine. Simple and easy to learn, even a novice can learn it at a glance!~
Materials and tools: sand, plastic bags, large leaves, 5-10 pounds of cement.
Pile a pile of sand on a piece of cardboard or plastic. The sand pile will give the leaves a dome shape. You can also use a bowl or something similar. The cardboard will help contain the sand and make cleanup easier.
Cover the dunes with plastic bags or painters plastic. This separates the leaves from the sand.
Place the leaf on the mound with the vein side facing up, which is usually the underside of the leaf.
This side will give the best detail.
Fresh vs. dried leaves:Fresh leaves are best because dry leaves absorb water from the cement and create a chalky texture.
Mix the cement to form a clay.
And add paint to pick your favorite color.
Begin applying cement to the leaves, starting from the center and working outward.
If it starts to dry out, quickly add a little water. This will help achieve a consistent finish and will minimize dry spots or seams in the piece.
Make the cement about 3/8 inch thick.
Take the time to finish the edges of your piece, it will be easier to shape them before the cement sets.
When you're done, cover it with another piece of plastic and let it cure for 24 more hours.
Removing the leaves should be relatively easy, peel it off in sections.
Use a tool like a small flat-head screwdriver or an awl to remove veins and stems.
The nylon brush helps remove remaining leaves without scratching the surface.
Round leaves like this are easy to make, while some leaves will be more challenging than others and some will look better than others, just experiment until you find one you like.
Texture detail image.
If you like this gorgeous leaf-shaped decorative plate, buy a bag of cement and come back to try it~
