I totally underestimated how hard this was going to be, he looks like a mummy! Can anyone tell me how to get a smooth finish, I have to make a Carter's "jungle jill" giraffe, he stands about 10 inches tall, I made a wire skeleton because of the height and I'm using 50% fondant/gumpaste mixture

Anyone?

i'd love to help you, but can you be more specific please?

Why does she look like a mummy?

Did you make the body out of cake and the neck and head from RKT then cover in MMF?

Maybe im not picturing it correctly.....?

It IS hard! I just made a face for an angel and she looked like an alien the 1st 4 tries. Work fast and have shortening in your hands. Cover all the fondant you're not working with in plastic wrap...even if it's just for 2 min.

have you tried the sketches and templates section in the galleries, there is a tutorial on how to make a giraffe, of course its small (no where near 10") Mines came out to about 4" or so. but you can definitely get an idea on how to make it. I did one a while back for my sister in law and I loved the way it came out.

@Jessdesserts I used a wire since it's so tall as a frame for the giraffe, Im using only a fondant and gumpase 50/50 mixture, it looked like a mummy because I kept wrapping strips of fondant hopeing I could smooth it out I'm a perfectionist when it comes to cakes so I really wish I could say it isnt a little lumpy but it is the example picture they gave me for the cake looks perfectly smooth, maybe I can still make another

The only way I know of to get it smooth is to just keep working it, but as the PP said, make sure you are working it with shortening so it doesn't dry out. Definitely try to avoid wrapping extra fondant pieces around it once you formed the shape, that would just make it harder to keep smooth. I'm not sure what look you are going for, but if it's a plush-looking giraffe, you might try watching Lorraine McKay's sheep tutorial because you could do a giraffe the same way she does that one, only without the "wool" and such. I made the lamb on the pink cake in my pics with her tutorial. HTH!

I would use modeling chocolate on top of your frame. Once you got it the shape you want I would then cover it in fondant. I have never had luck with gumpaste or fondant on a wire frame. HTH

I understand what you're doing now.

Wrapping it might not be the way to go. That leaves a lot of seems and lines to smooth out.
If you're going to use just fondant/gumpaste, try and take a piece, roll it into a log, about the size of the neck and then shape it around ( or even better if the head isnt on yet, push it down onto the wire) and the smooth it with your hand.

You wont have to worry about all the layers that way.

I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!