Gumpaste Bauhinia Leaves | Part 2
These leaves are specifically to go with the Gumpaste Bauhinia Flower | Part 1, however I think once you have mastered these leaves, you will be able to go forth and make a variety of other leaves, since the technique for leaves is pretty similar across the board.
The Bauhinia leaves have a very distinct shape and veining, so much so they have been given the common name of ‘camel’s foot”, since they look just like a camel’s foot print! Fortunately, you don’t need a camel to make them!
They are easy to make, you can either cut them free hand or use a rose petal cutter, a tear drop shape cutter or a heart cutter. In the YouTube video tutorial, I decided to opt for a rose petal cutter and finished cutting it free hand with a sharp scalpel.
Since these leaves are so simple to make, once you have your gumpaste coloured up to a lovely pale shade of green - I used AmeriColor in Leaf Green. Your 26 gauge florist wires cut and petal dust colours laid out - I used Sugarflair Moss Green and Crystal Colors Tree Bark, mixed together with a touch of Sugarflair Matt Black to give the leaves more depth, you will have a production line of them going in no time.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the other unique thing about the Bauhinia leaf is the distinct vein markings. I had to put my thinking cap on for this part, since I was not 100% sure, how best to do it. I came up with the quick solution of using my PME scribing tool.
Now, don’t worry if you don’t have a scribing tool, a pin with work just fine. All you need to do is scratch back into some of the vein impressions left when you used your veining mat or veining tool and scratch away at the petal dust, allowing the white from the gumpaste to shine through. I then took the same brush I used to dust up the leaves, to dust away any excess, which in turn left some of the petal dust and a lighter shade of green in the grooves that had been scraped away! Sounds like a lot to do, but trust me it is a breeze, once you’ve done one. I think you will surprise yourself, how quick you will get them made up!
Top Tips When Using Petal Dust
I have been caught out too many times to mention, after using petal dust on one of my sugar creations. Only to discover the problem that has been left behind, when I have some brilliant white gumpaste, modelling paste or fondant in hand, then realise that petal dust from my previous sugar adventure went absolutely and my once white gumpaste, modelling paste or fondant is now a mass of streaks and specks of muddy petal dust! Happened to you to???
This is not a rock science tip, but I wanted to share it with you all, just in case it helps someone still suffering with this dilemma.
Take a tray with some grease proof paper, layout all your petal dust colours on that. You can dust away until your heart content, stray dust will fly everywhere, but you will have nothing to worry about, since all of that will land back onto the tray. When you are done, take your tray away and your work area and cutting mat will still be lovely and clean! Voila!
Equipment Used
Gumpaste coloured light green
26 Gauge green wire
Groove board for making sugar flowers
Foam pad for thinning leaf edges
Leaf veiner
Veining tool / Dresden tool
Tear drop shape cutter, heart cutter or you could cut the leaf freehand
Scribe tool or Pin
Petal dust colours in green/brown shades
Florist tape in dark green
Useful Links
You can purchase some of the equipment by clicking below:
