The finished project

Project 1: Creating a Single Leaf from Field Maple

It's time to get creative. For our first project, we'll be putting the techniques we have just learnt into practice to create a field maple leaf on a twisted brass stem.

MATERIALS YOU'LL NEED

• Brass sheet
• Reference leaf (field maple if possible)
• 0.6mm/24 gauge brass wire

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED

• Cork yoga block
• Stabbing tool
• Embroidery scissors
• Waste bag or box
• Small dapping tool
• Bigger doming tool, 10 inch if possible
• Nylon jaw pliers
• Non-corrugated sharp nose pliers

Step One: Cutting Out the Shape of the Field Maple Leaf

1. Roll out the brass sheet on top of your cork yoga block and place your chosen reference leaf on top.
2. Use your stabbing tool like a pencil and draw a circle around the leaf on the brass sheet.
3. Use your embroidery scissors to cut out the circle.
4. Place the reference leaf back on top of the brass circle and use the stabbing tool to draw more closely around the outline.
5. Take your embroidery scissors and cut out the outline. Use a waste bag or box to catch the smaller shards of brass beneath.

Step Two: Adding the Stem Holes

1. Over your cork yoga block, take your stabbing tool and punch two small holes next to each other at the bottom of the brass leaf.
2. Turn your brass leaf over and use the stabbing tool to punch back through the two holes you've just made.

Step Three: Debossing the Leaf Details

1. Take your smallest dapping tool, and start by drawing the midrib vein on the brass leaf. Apply pressure from the base in a straight line up to the top.
2. Continue to deboss the brass leaf, replicating the visible veins in your reference leaf.
3. Turn the brass leaf over, use a bigger dapping tool and apply pressure to the edge of the brass leaf to smooth the edges and create movement.
4. If needed, use your smallest dapping tool to go back over the veins.

Step Four: Adding Some Final Touches to the Leaf

1. Place your non-corrugated pliers at the base of the brass leaf and use your fingers to bend the metal around the pliers to give it some extra movement.
2. Turn your brass leaf over to the back, take the small dapping tool and emboss your leaf.
3. Turn your brass leaf over to the front and use the small dapping tool to go back over the midrib veins.

Step Five: Adding the Stem

1. Using wire snips, cut a double length of your 0.6mm/24 gauge brass wire.
2. Thread the wire through one of the holes in your brass leaf until it reaches the other brass wire end and the leaf is in the middle.
3. Grab your nylon jaw pliers and squeeze on the wire join to secure it.
4. Thread the other piece of brass wire through the second hole until it meets the other brass wire end. Use your nylon jaw pliers to crimp again at the join.
5. Holding the join with your nylon jaw pliers, start to twist both pieces of wire until all the wire has been twisted, or you have made your stem as long as required.
6. Hold the stem over a waste bag and use wire snips to cut the two ends of the wire.
7. Using nylon jaw pliers to hold the brass leaf at its base, replicate the movement of your reference leaf by pushing the stem back and the leaf forward.