Easy Miniature Clay Fruit and Herbs - Rainbow

This is a continuation of my Animal Crossing-themed tarts! Here I am making a few fruits and garnishes to embellish the tarts. Part one showing how to make each character can be found here.

Supplies

For this project, you will need:

• Polymer Clay
  • Translucent
  • Green
  • Orange
  • Yellow
  • Blue
  • Lavender
• Liquid Clay
• Blue micromarbles
• Red chalk pastel (or red pigment)
• Xacto knife
• Needle Tool
• Small Paintbrush

Step 1: Strawberries

Colors

• Translucent Clay
• Green Clay
• Red pastel/pigment

Roll out balls of translucent clay.

Flatten them into teardrop-shaped domes.

Use a needle tool to add indents for seeds.

Use the paintbrush to shade the strawberries starting towards the pointed end.

Roll out strips of green clay and attach to the top of the strawberry using liquid clay.

Set aside for baking.

Step 2: Mandarin Oranges - Part 1

Colors:

• Translucent
• Orange

Mix the translucent and orange clay together.

Roll out the clay and proportion it into slices.

Step 3: Mandarin Oranges - Part 2

Take a section and roll out a rounded log of clay.

Shape it into a bean shape with the needle tool.

Slightly flatten the slice and texture it with a needle tool.

Continue until you have enough slices, and set aside for baking.

Step 4: Pineapple Chunks - Part 1

Colors:

• Translucent
• Yellow

Mix the translucent and yellow clay together.

Roll out and shape the clay into an elongated hexagon.

Step 5: Pineapple Chunks - Part 2

Cut the hexagon through the center.

Cut out trapezoids from the yellow clay.

Use the knife blade to add texture.

Set aside for baking.

Step 6: Mint Leaves - Part 1

Color:

• Green clay

Roll out balls of light green clay (this is green with a bit of translucent).

Shape the ball into a teardrop shape.

Step 7: Mint Leaves - Part 2

Flatten the teardrop and use the needle tool to add leaf veins (following the drawn pattern).

Remove the leaf from the surface by gently scooping it up with the Xacto blade, and set it aside for baking.

Step 8: Blackberries - Part 1

Since blueberries can be made easily at this scale by rolling balls of blue clay and adding an indent on one end with the needle tool, this tutorial covers blackberries. These can be adapted with red clay and micromarbles for raspberries.

Colors and Materials:

• Blue Clay
• Liquid Clay
• Micromarbles

Roll out balls of blue clay.

(You can use a darker, deep red-ish purple color if you want it to look more realistic.)

Step 9: Blackberries - Part 2

Roll the ball in liquid clay.

Dip the ball in the micromarbles.

Roll the ball in your fingers to secure the micromarbles and remove any excess. Set aside for baking.

Step 10: Lavender Sprigs

Colors:

• Lavender clay (the color used here is mixed with translucent)
• Green clay

Roll out a thin snake of green clay.

Add liquid clay to one end.

Roll out tiny ovals of light purple clay to create lavender buds.

Place the lavender buds starting from the top of the sprig, and layer them down.

If the buds are too spread apart, gently shape the buds with your fingers to create a tighter sprig.

Delicately use the knife blade to your baking sheet. Reshape the sprig if needed.

Step 11: Baking

Bake according to your clay packaging directions. Typically it tends to be around 275°F or 130°C, but be sure to read the directions on your clay specifically. Sometimes I use a clay that bakes at 120°-130°C, slightly lower than the regular temperature.

For these small, thin pieces, be especially cautious of burning your work.

hint: Be careful to bake your clay thoroughly. Under-baking causes crumbly clay! Also watch your oven and beware of burning!

What would you be interested in seeing next in this series? Additional embellishments like fossils, bells, and furniture symbols? Tart bases?