Can anyone give me some tips and/or techniques they've used to do a basketball court? I have a cake due this weekend that I'm needing this for...thanks!!

i've only ever airbrushed them, here's what I do.

I take a wide 2" satin ribbon and lay it on the side of the cake farthest away from me. You kinda work backwards, this way any overspray will just add to the cake lol


lay the ribbon on the cake, leave about a half inch wide line to the edge of the cake, spray airbrush color (brown) along the edge of the ribbon so that edge is darker, the overspray will lightly color the rest of the icing.

Then move your ribbon over a 1/2 inch closer to you, and repeat, continue this until the cake is covered. Then I let the airbrush spray dry for a couple minutes (put orange airbrush coloring in airbrush ) and lightly go over the whole cake with a fine mist. This gives the "wood floor" color that bb courts have.

HTH

I have done a court under a basketball two or three times. There may be pictures in my photos. It really isn't that hard. I make MMF to cover the board. I usually tint it a dull yellow or peach - depends on the rest of the cake colors and if I have leftover fondant. Once the board is completely covered I mark off the long horizontal lines. I usually get a regular plastic ruler and measure what I think I want. Then I mark off the vertical lines trying not to line any up at the same place, like a wood floor in a house would be and I assume a gym. Then I make sure the lines are good (a good groove because that is what will hold the color). Then I maybe knick and mar the floor, maybe draw some elongated circles or curved lines trying to make a woodgrain pattern. I take some brown/copper/tan combination color gel and mix it with clear vanilla and go to town on the board. I either use a sponge, large brush or even plastic bag and smear, rub and push the color on the board. I like it to settle into the grooves and lines I think that looks more realistic. It does get kind of streaky but again, I think that looks more real. Just let it dry a little while and you're all set. It really is pretty easy. I have difficulty with the cake ball (basketball or whatever) staying round and not going flat, looking like it's deflated on the bottom portion.

I used buttercream icing for the floor and colored it. The end color looked close to a peanut butter color. The I took a long wooden skewer and pressed into the b/c to make long even indentions to give a real wood floor effect. It works pretty good and is very easy.

Just realized I forgot to say thank you for your tips. Sorry! I got my court done. Another poster suggested a tool from Lowe's so I picked that up and it seemed to give it a pretty realistic look. Turned out great for my first time! Thanks again.

Hi KHalstead, Thanks for these pics. I actually have one to do this wkend which i'm on at the moment. I am really having fun with it. i'll add my pics when i'm done. Thanks for your inspiration.
Hi Donnabugg, Happy to hear u had success with yours. could u please let's see your picture.