I get confused seeing as I am directionally challenged.

I want to do some nursery rhyme characters so there is a bit of minute detail I want to capture and I don't think a choc. transfer would do the trick. Do you still do it mirror image and use the part that's face down on the wax paper? Or is it the other way around? I did a search for color flow but didn't come up with much. I can't draw freehand worth a tiddly.

Melanie Mc.

How funny. I just posted a picture of one I did over the weekend. The way I did mine w/RI, the side up is the same as when you place it on the cake. I piped out the outlines first, then flooded with slightly thinned RI. I printed out the image and placed my Silpat mat over the top. (I found out that dark colors will stain the mat though so keep that in mind. Next time I'll use a piece of the clear vinyl I use for fondant.) Here is the photo of the scoreboard I just did. Hope this helps.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1246942&done=1

Oh, I feel as though I need to add that RI transfers like this are rigid. I say this because the cake flexed just enough with 3/8" foam board under it that it cracked the transfer (it was also due in part to it being 2 - 9x13 next to one another). I ended up adding extra support under the cake, and was able to go back over the entire design a second time w/RI to cover the cracks.

FBCT are done upside down. So the top is actually the bottom. Royal icing pieces are done right side up. So what you see on the top will be the top of it. And Chocolate transfers I believe can be done either way, depending how which way you like it.

FBCTs only need to be reversed (before you start) if it is something that has to go a certain direction (like words). Royal Icing/Color Flow pieces do not have to be reversed because your top is the top. You are not flipping it.

As TexasSugar said, FBCTs are done upside down, so the side facing you when making it is actually the backside as you will flip it onto your cake. I have used color flow/royal icing a lot, and those you make right side up. Those pieces dry harder than and FBCT and are more prone to cracking. However, I find them better for really fine detail and if you want the image to "stand up" on the cake. They also don't melt really quickly when you are placing them on the cake. When I do a color flow piece, I usually make one or to back ups in case of breakage. Mind you, I make at least one back up of an FBCT just in case too...

Thank you so much for the wonderful tips! I'm looking fwd to working on them soon. I'll definitely make sure the baseboard is sturdy enough.
I've done FBCT and CT and those are definitly backwards... Thank you for setting me straight on the correct direction.
These should be fun... famous last words, right? I found several great images to copy online.

Melanie Mc.

Good Luck.