a couple of people have pm me about the strawberry shortcake and darth vader in my photo gallery ..... I thought I would post the instructions here for anyone else who might be interested ...these were done with Color Flow it is a technique taught in the Wilton 2nd course
recipe for color flow
1lb sifted pure cane confectioners' sugar
2 tbs wilton color flow icing mix
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
yield 1/3/4 cup
Make sure all utensils are grease fre
using an electric mixer blen all ingreddiens on low speed for about 7 mins .... color flow icing "cursts" quicly so keep it covered with a damp cloth while usiing
stir in desired colors
1. trace the paters onto parchment paper ...tape the parchment patter onto a cake circle. smooth out any wrinkles
2 . cut a piece of waxed paper a little larger than parchment paper. cover parchment with waxed paper. smooth our any wrinkles and tape waxed paper in place
3 fit one parchment bag with tip 2 and fill half-full with full strnght color flow icing for outlining the design
4 fill in the oulined image with thinned color flow ... ***
The consistency you are looking for for flooding (filling in) your image with icing can be compared to white glue, yogurt or cake batter. It should be runny, but not thin or watery. Icing that contains too much water can appear translucent, take much longer to dry...and even worse, darker/bright colours may separate and appear "crystallized" after drying.
Dip a soup spoon into your icing bowl and watch it drip back into your bowl. The drizzle should disappear into the icing within 3 to 5 seconds. If you shake the bowl from side to side quickly, all visible lines should disappear immediately and the top will be smooth and uniform.
one thing to add these images are very delicate .. you should do them several days in advance ... I peel the paper by putting the finished image on a table and sliding the paper of the edge of the table on a downward motion while supporting the image with my other hand ...
** most of the instructions were copied from wilton 2nd course
***this portion was copied from Antonia's cookie instructions
darn...
Wilton got me!!!! ... lol
LOL... sucker... LOL... 
Yes I know they always try to nail you with "But it dries shiny" Royal icign will dry shiny too if you put it in the oven on a low heat around 200 F.
check out this method it looks easy and great .. I think I'm going to do this one next
.. http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-13945-chocolate.html+transfer.
These are two very different techniques...I personally prefer the look of color flow, especially since you can paint it with luster dusts and gold dust. The frozen buttercream and chocolate transfers produce flat images that look quite different from color flow.
It's just a matter of preference. 
And TIME!! If you run out of time to do color flow, a b/c or choc transfer is a good alternative. It saved me last week. LOL
I would like to add one more tip for the color flow recipe. For the Full strength recipe to know if you have the right consistancy dip your spoon into it and drop it back into the bowl-it should take 10 seconds for it to smooth out into the rest of the bowl. If it doesn't either add a litle more PS or water depending on the consistancy.
Our teacher tought us this one last week b/c we had all different consistancies b/c of different humidities in our homes and the different days we made our batches. So this was an easy way to tell for us.
Hope this helps.
Leily
I would like to add one more tip for the color flow recipe. For the Full strength recipe to know if you have the right consistancy dip your spoon into it and drop it back into the bowl-it should take 10 seconds for it to smooth out into the rest of the bowl. If it doesn't either add a litle more PS or water depending on the consistancy.
Our teacher tought us this one last week b/c we had all different consistancies b/c of different humidities in our homes and the different days we made our batches. So this was an easy way to tell for us.
Hope this helps.
Leily
Did your teacher really tell you that? If he or she told you that you should demand a new teacher.
That test is used for thinned color flow to check if the consistancy is right for flooding.
Here is some accurate information on color flow.
http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects//icing/colorflow.cfm
Sorry... i went back to my notes and I didn't remember it correctly. I was just thinking that when I read the first post and she stated it should take 3-5 seconds to smooth back out....
My notes say the consistancy of the full strenth is like a can of frosting (I used this as a reference b/c this is what it reminded me off) Then the thined for flow work should smooth out in about 10 seconds.
Sorry to of confused anyone.... I should have double checked my notes first.
leily
Our instructor taught us the 10 second rule as well...(to add more water until it takes 10 seconds for the drop to disappear. We all added too much water (even though it was with a water bottle and I was very careful, but it doesn't take much water!!) and had to add more of the full strength color flow to the mixture. It was very fun using it, though. I can't wait to find a new picture to use to create another color flow piece!! I haven't tried using royal icing in its place yet.
Angie
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%