You might make
this for yourself by buying a china plaque the shape and size you
require, and filling this plaque with plaster-of-Paris, being careful to
let the plaster come to edge of plaque all round. When the plaster is
dry, trim the edge round, and take it out of plaque. You must now roll
out a flat sheet of clay sufficiently large to cover this plaster mould,
and, by pressing the clay evenly all over the mould, and trimming round
the edges with a knife, you will get a clay plaque sufficiently good to
answer your purpose. Don't attempt to remove the clay immediately from
the plaster, but let it remain on a few hours, to enable the clay to
set. The surface of this plaque may be kept moist by keeping a damp
flannel over it. When the modelling has been started, the damp cloth
must not press upon the modelled portions, but be supported on a wicker
frame.
It is always better to model direct from nature--and for this reason. By
taking a leaf and pressing it into a piece of clay, and marking it round
with a darning-needle, you get the exact shape of the leaf, and by
pulling off the leaf you can bend the clay impression into any form you
like, and put it upon your clay plaque or vase, pressing it into the
curve you wish it to take.
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