How to Make Beautiful Air-dried Clay Leaves

3 Materials
$3
15 Minutes
Easy

This craft is equally suitable for both kids and adults. The resulting leaves make a gorgeous fall décor accent.


We used air drying clay for this project. It is readily available from craft shops and is not expensive. Air drying clay is not waterproof, so I’d recommend sealing your finished leaves with a coat of varnish or PVA glue if you want to extend their life and be able to wipe them over in the future.

Start by getting outside and collecting a selection of leaves. The one that features in most of these photos is from the Virginia creeper that grows on our house.

Roll the clay out into the thickness you want (We went 3-4mm).

Then placed the leaf on it and rolled it flat into the surface.

Use a knife to cut around the leaf and clay.

Then use tin foil to support the leaf in a gently curved shape ready to leave to dry.

Once safely cradled remove the leaf from the clay, exposing the pattern underneath.


Leave the clay leaves overnight to dry.

Once dry, paint the leaves. You’ll find the paint picks out the detail of the leaves and brings them alive.

You can find lots more simple leaf crafts over on our blog, including decoupaging with fall leaves and decorating candles with pressed leaves.

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  2 questions
  • Kathy Haines Cramer Kathy Haines Cramer on Oct 13, 2019

    Adorable! I want to try this with the 7 and almost 5 year old I watch. Did you actually use the Crayola brand clay?

  • Gig69451122 Gig69451122 on Sep 09, 2023

    Do you have ideas, how to use them when done?

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  • Sunny Graham Sunny Graham on Sep 17, 2019

    Love these!! Need to go gather some leaves before they all turn brown! I have some large leaf banana trees, which I think will be perfect! I love the way the paint brings out the details! Thanks!

    • Craft Invaders Craft Invaders on Sep 18, 2019

      The paint really does bring it alive. Banana leaves sound fab!

  • Yolanda Yolanda on Oct 11, 2019

    I have tried this project and love it. I turned my leaves inwards to create a cradle for T lights and gave them as gifts!! beautiful beautiful.


    Yolanda Mascarenhas

    Sydney Australia

    • Craft Invaders Craft Invaders on Oct 11, 2019

      Using them as T light holders is a brilliant idea Yolanda, I bet they look gorgeous :)

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