i want to do a cake that requires me to paint on fondant, is there a special kind of paint i should use or could i just use gel coloring to do the trick? i think i remember something about mixing colored powders with clear extract or vodka should i do the same with the gels?

The only thing about painting with the gels is that it takes a long time to dry even with using clear extract. But it can be done for a bolder color. I sometimes do that when I need something black and the dust and extract doesnt give me the effect I want. But dust and extracts are probably your best bet!

When I need to paint on fondant I either use gel colors thinned with vodka or my airbrush paints (which are nicely opaque.) Sadly I have yet to try airbrushing them on any of my cakes

Here is a link to a cake I painted on, the shed and fish were painted with gel color and vodka

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1050173

HTH - Good Luck
diana

It depends on how intense you want the colors to be. You can thin the gel colors with vodka if you want a lighter color. When I've done it, it doesn't take too long for things to dry...maybe an hour, but I put things in front of a fan if I get impatient. I'm sure painting with powdered colors would work better, but I don't have any I have painted with pearl dust and vodka and it dries almost instantly.

i have used all of the ones listed above.
I use airbrush colors to fill in not really to paint.
I have used gel colors thinned down with alcohol. I think it is harder to get the right color with these because the colors are so concentrated.
I have also used the dust.
All of them work well. It just depends on your project.