"Fallen leaf" decorative concrete -- how'd they do that?

[4xdog]

Took these pix a few years ago of work ongoing near the Minneapolis Convention Center. I like the fallen leaf style, and could imagine something similar in some concrete flatwork that needs to be done here over the next year or two.

How do they do this design?

Foot or phone shown for scale.

 

[txvwnut]

Probably had a silicone pad with the pattern on it. In my case when I did my driveway any leaves that fell got troweled in.

 

[rsanter]

Hard to tell, but to be it looks like it was blasted or acid etched.
I say this because I don't see much difference in height or texture but there is a surface difference.

Can also be something added like a powdered glass sprinkled over a template.

Being that it is public area it looks like the concrete is very flat, so I'll say not stamped concrete

 

[cvairwerks]

Looks more like it was etched rather than stamped.

 

[Armorpoxy]

Looks like sandblasted through a pattern...similar to how they make headstones....

 

[dragonballz]

Had it rained recently in those pictures? I know a spray paint type coating that exists that changes the color when wet or is a water repellant. They may have used a stencil and sprayed painted this special coating. I remember of a city that did something similar but with words/messages instead of leaves

Heres a video

 

[The Cobbler]

I am in the sandblasted camp

 

[4xdog]

Thanks, guys. The pattern was "flat", or at least mostly flat -- definitely not pressed into the wet concrete. And it was dry when I was there, so not a (clever) superhydrophobic coating.

This article describes how they did it: https://www.journalmpls.com/news/2016/09/nicollet-mall-sidewalk-designs-unveiled/

--> Sandblasted through a metal stencil.