BySandra Callander Canes, Tutorials
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How to Make Colorful Polymer Clay Leaf Canes

Every garden needs foliage, but the Shadowroot Garden doesn’t do “plain.” Forget basic green leaves, these are as enchanting as the blooms they grow beside. Think freckles, veins, and layers of shifting color that play tricks with the light when you slice through the cane.

Multiple colorful polymer clay leaf canes with veins and freckles stacked together, displayed as finished canes for a polymer clay leaf cane tutorial.

In this tutorial, I show you how to create two styles of polymer clay leaf canes to add depth and balance to the Shadowroot Garden pattern mix cane. One features delicate freckles and the leaves change colors as you slice through the cane, thanks to a little mokume-gane-inspired technique. The second leaf doesn’t change as you go, it doesn’t need to, it has oodles of color in every slice.

Use them to fill out your Shadowroot Garden cane, work into a slab, or let them shine solo. (I’m personally picturing a cascade of color-shifting leaves as earrings.) However you use them, these leaves will bring a touch of wild whimsy to your polymer clay projects.

Tools & Materials

  • Non-porous work surface — I work on either glazed tile or glass
  • Pasta machine dedicated to polymer clay use — I use an Atlas 180 and will refer to the settings I use on my machine. If you don’t have a pasta machine an acrylic roller and some playing cards will do in a pinch, it’ll just take a bit more elbow grease
  • Polymer clay — If you want to follow my color palette I’ve created a separate post with all nine custom color recipes used in this pattern mix cane project. You’ll need Fimo Professional in the following colors:
    • True Magenta
    • True Yellow
    • Turquoise
    • Champagne
    • White
    • Black
  • 1/2″ and 1″ square cutters, or similar size, if following my color recipes 
  • Polymer clay blade — use your sharpest blade for the clean, crisp slices
  • Round micro cutter — 1/8″ or smaller

How to Make Colorful Polymer Clay Leaf Canes

Mix Your Colors

To make both leaf canes the same size as mine (freckled leaf 1 1/4” x 3” x 1” and veined leaf 1 1/4” x 3 1/4” x 1”) use the cutters and clay thicknesses outlined below:

Moth Wing (ivory)
  • Roll the clay out on setting No. 0
  • Use a 1/2” cutter to measure the parts
  • Use 12 parts (or squares) each of White & Champagne clay
Dusky Aster (light purple)
  • Roll the clay out on setting No. 0
  • Use a 1/2” cutter to measure the parts
  • Make 2x the recipe
Violet Hour (dark purple)
  • Roll the clay out on setting No. 0
  • Use a 1/2” cutter to measure the parts
  • Make 1x the recipe
Dandelion Crème (yellow)
  • Roll the clay out on setting No. 0
  • Use a 1” cutter to measure the parts
  • Make 1x the recipe
Sage Smoke (light green)
  • Roll the clay out on setting No. 0
  • Use a 1” cutter to measure the parts
  • Make 1x the recipe
Olive Leaf (dark green)
  • Roll the clay out on setting No. 0
  • Use a 1/2” cutter to measure the parts
  • Make 1x the recipe
Witchwood (red-brown)
  • Roll the clay out on setting No. 0
  • Use a 1” cutter to measure the parts
  • Make 1x the recipe

The Freckled Polymer Clay Leaf Cane

Set up the leaf blend as follows: 

  • 3/4 of the dark purple
  • 1/4 of the ivory
  • 1/2 of the light purple
  • 1/4 of the ivory
  • 1/2 of the yellow
  • 1/4 of the ivory
  • 1/2 of the light green

Note: this is not a traditional Skinner blend with angled lines. Use straight lines and slightly overlap each color with its neighbor.

Run the sheet through the pasta machine until the overlapping lines are blended to your liking. Finish by sheeting on setting No. 3.

Fold the blend into thirds, keeping the colors aligned. 

Feed the blend, narrow end first into the pasta machine on setting No. 0. Keep feeding through the machine on progressively thinner settings to make a long, thin ribbon of clay. I took mine down to setting No. 8.

Fold the blend back and forth in an accordion fold, keeping the folds about 2” wide.

Press a fingertip all over the surface of the clay on both sides.

Shape the clay into a block approximately 1 3/4” x 1 1/4” x 3/4”.

Cut the block of clay into four equal pieces with the cuts running along the longest width.

Roll out the red-brown clay on setting No. 6 and place a piece into each cut. Reassemble the cane.

Press the block of clay into a leaf shape with the veins running lengthwise.

Roll out a thin snake of red-brown clay (between 1/16” and 1/8” diameter).

Make random slices, one at a time, through the cane to add freckles.

Use a micro cutter to make channels through the clay and fill them with pieces of the red-brown clay.

After each cut, reassemble the cane carefully, checking both sides to align the veins.

Once all the freckles are added, wrap the leaf in a sheet of black clay rolled out on setting No. 3.

The Veined Polymer Clay Leaf Cane

Set up a new blend with:

  • 1/2 of the light purple
  • 1/4 of the dark purple (place at the top corner)
  • 1/4 of the ivory
  • 1/2 of the yellow
  • 1/2 of the light green
  • All of the dark green

Again, keep the colors in straight lines, slightly overlapping. The dark green can curve in towards the lighter green.

Start this cane the same as the freckled leaf cane. Make the blend and turn it into a long, thin ribbon of clay by folding it into thirds and running it through progressively thinner settings.

Fold the clay back and forth on itself, this time keeping the folds only 1” wide.

Press the corners in, shaping the clay into a disk, and flattening it slightly (between 1/2” and 3/4”).

Make evenly spaced cuts through the disk of clay.

Sandwich a piece of the red-brown clay, rolled out on setting No. 6, in each of the cuts.

Once the disk has been reassembled make a diagonal cut through the lines. The cut should run from the left side of the top line to the right side of the bottom line.

Flip one of the halves over.

Place a piece of red-brown clay rolled out on setting No. 4 through the center of the leaf and extend it a little beyond the bottom to make a stem.

Shape the clay into a narrower leaf shape.

Place a triangular piece of black clay on each side of the stem.

Wrap the leaf in a sheet of black clay rolled out on setting No. 3.

Add a little extra black clay, if needed, to fill out the curve of the leaf base.

Single: Finished veined polymer clay foliage cane with a black clay border, ready for slicing in colorful projects.

And that’s it. With the foliage finished, the Shadowroot Garden is starting to feel alive. These polymer clay leaf canes aren’t your run-of-the-mill greenery. Freckled leaves shift color as you slice, veins dance across multi-colored leaves, and shadows wrapped in black make them every bit as enchanting as the flowers they frame.

If you’re building the full Shadowroot Garden pattern mix cane, tuck these leaves beside your daisy and fantasy bloom, they’ll be waiting for the berries and blossoms still to come. Or, if you’re etting them stand alone, reduce them to your preferred size and watch them shine as earrings, pendants, or layered details on a patterned slab.

What’s Next in the Shadowroot Garden Series

Next, we’ll wander deeper into the garden for something small but powerful: berries that pop against the darker palette. Until then, keep these leaves close, they know the way through the shadows.

Whether you’re here for a few colorful polymer clay leaf canes or the whole Shadowroot Garden, I’d love to see your creations! Tag me on Instagram @bysandracallander so I can cheer you on.

The Shadowroot Garden Pattern Mix Series

More Leaf Canes