First I dribble wax over one side of the leaf. Then I slowly drag a flame across it to even out the wax distribution. I secure the piece to another sheet of wax and cut out the silhouette.

The final step is to smooth and smooth and smooth the leaf into as much of a perfect circle as I’m capable of. I add a little wax the the bottom of the stem, trim any excess along the edges, and attach the sprue channel for casting.