... a leaf inspired ring

This is the first metal clay project I made at home. Ever since I started my class and learning about the use of textures in metal clay jewellery, I have been drawn to trees and hedges in a new way. I went for an autumn walk in Epping Forest with friends a few weeks ago, and picked up some leaves that inspired me to make some pieces of jewellery.

I used this leaf to make my ring:

First, I rolled out my clay, placed the leaf on top, and then rolled over it again. I cut around the edges at the tip of the leaf, which would become an overlap on the ring. Here is the ring in its raw, but dry (and very fragile) form:

I filed the edges smooth, and reinforced a rather thin part of the ring with metal clay paste.  Then, back in class, I fired the ring in the kiln for about 10 minutes:

As it has no stone in it, and is just a plain ring, I was able to quench it in cold water (jewellery incorporating stones should cool down slowly, as stones are likely to crack if the temperature drops too quickly):

Bashing the ring on a ring mandrel helps to ensure that the ring is perfectly round, and also makes the metal denser and therefore stronger:

Then I brushed the white residue off with a wire brush, which gives it a very matte (and almost white) look:

And here it is finally: The polished and burnished result. A bit of patina with time will bring out the leaf pattern much more...