I'm trying to decide what is the best surface for doing run outs on? In the past I've used the wilton silicone treated parchment paper but someone suggested using cling film, i've also seen people suggest using lamps to help dry the run outs quickly. Does anyone have any recommendations for doing runouts and would you recommend getting a lamp to help dry out sugarpaste/royal icing/gumpaste creationns.

Thanks
Nikkei

I think the best is to use cling film (plastic wrap). It is sooo easy to remove. Much less breakage!
A lamp isn't necessary unless you live in a very humid area. Most of the time mine have dried overnmight. You can always put the piece (sp/RI/gp) in an oven w/just the light on to help it along. Don't turn the oven on! Be sure to put a big note on the oven door so you remember you have sugar items in there

I just use wax paper usually or parchment. I haven't tried the cling film yet. Wax paper is pretty cheap to use.

I've used wax paper but always loose a few due to breakage. I asked this question a while back and someone suggested using that new quick release aluminium foil...I haven't tried it yet but thought perhaps it might help you out.

I like using plastic page protectors. It pops right off them.

To quick dry I just stick them in my oven with just the light on.

I use just the page protects you get for paper. Nothing special. I've never greased them. I love them cause you slide your paper in, then just tape it all down. No having to tape the picture then the other.

"I'm sorry," she said, timidly raising her hand from the back of the room, "but what's a runout?"

A runout is a sugar creation be it a picture or a 3d item etc. You usually work with royal icing soft peak to create an outline say a butterfly for an example. I would make half the wing outline using my icing and then the other half of the wing (keeping them unattached) I would then make a runnier icing and use it to flood the wing (like drawing a picture and colouring it in) when the icing sets, it sets hard but can be fragile, but you can use it to make boxes 3d butterflies collars for cakes etc. I love using them for cupcakes! Hope that helps, if not Peggy Porschens books have a great section on runouts.

Thanks so much! I've seen those but didnt' know they had a specific name. Appreciate the education!

for us old decorators this sounds like wilton's old Color Flow,,, is this correct?

Yeah in culinary school we usually referred to this as "floodwork" but it's all the same thing... except in the case of color flow, wilton invented that so they'd have another product to peddle lol.