without impression mats or textured pins?

I was thinking cutting pieces of fondant and sticking it to the fondant covering the cake. Would that make it too thick?

I'm open to ANY suggestions except buying anything. Thanks!

I dont know if you have a craft store near you, but I bought (in the dollhouse dept) a brick pattern sheet of plastic. It was 9.99 and I used a 50% off coupon. i bought mine at AC Moore.

1. roll fondant. and if at all possible put on cake and do rest of this while on cake.
   
   
2. take ruler lay near edge of fondant to draw HORIZONTAL lines first.
   
   
3. using a pizza wheel or similar, follow edge of ruler to draw line all the way across (press gently, just enough to dent.)
   
   
4. move ruler the amount you want one row of bricks to be "high" being sure to keep it parallel to the previous line.
   
   
5. draw line all the way across
   
   
6. repeat steps 4 & 5 until whole piece has parallel horizontal line.
   
   
7. keep ruler but trade out pizza wheel for anything that will make a line of the same width as the wheel (toothpick?)
   
   
8. now make the vertical divisions between the bricks
   
   
9. place ruler to one side of fondant so it is now perpendicular to the lines you already drew.
   
   
10. draw a vertical line EVERY OTHER row that connects two horizontal lines.
    
    
11. move ruler 1/2 the distance you want bricks to be "wide"
    
    
12. draw a vertical line in the other rows you didn't draw in step 10 above.
    
    
13. move ruler 1/2 the distance you want the bricks to be "wide"
    
    
14. draw a vertical line in the same rows as you did in step 10 above.
    
    
15. repeat moving 1/2 distance and alternating rows with vertical lines until you reach the other side.
    
    
16. tah-dip - you have a brick pattern.



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some hints:



• if cover fondant with a piece of saran wrap before drawing it will make the bricks a wee bit puffy and rounded.
  
  
• if you use a paper towel or sponge very lightly soaked in food color you can gently rub the color over the fondant and have colored bricks and white or gray (more realistic) joint lines if you start with white or gray fondant.
  
  
• splatter paint the fondant with black, brown, orange and even scuff some of those colors around first. Allow to dry, then rub on the red for an even more realistic look. (old tooth brush dipped in thinned color and then run finger nail over brush to splatter or run brush over piece of window screening
  
  
• if you have an airbrush -- can splatter it first by misadjusting the airbrush on purpose so it spits out drops instead of a fine mist. Then go over it with multiple coats of different shades of red.
  
  
• common red bricks are in a 1:2 proportion (actual size is 4"x8" on facing side)--- 1 unit high to 2 units wide -- Adjust your measuring to get these proportions.
  
  
• if at all possible do all this AFTER fondant is on the cake so it doesn't distort by being moved.
  
  
• using a drafting triangle will be easier than a ruler for doing the vertical lines.



HTH

WOW Doug! Thanks for that! I'm gonna be painting it in pink and I love the suggestion of starting with white or grey. Thanks for typing that out. It's so cool!

cathie, I hadn't thought of that. will check too.

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

PINK!

::choking sounds::


and he's down for the count!



boys and pink just DON'T mix!

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I'd use white fondant for PINK brICKs

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glad to help

ooops! I forgot about your aversion to that color... haha Thanks for the help!

You can use the end of a match box - depends on what size you want the bricks.

Good luck,

You can also use the bottom of a lego piece. Someone posted a fireman's cake a few days ago and used this technique to make the brick building. I wish I could remember the username.

great ideas guys! Thanks so much!