What can I use to paint a candy clay ballerina?

I use luster dust. Either dry or "paint" consistency using lemon juice.

Good Luck!

Beth Sizemore

Thanks! Do you know of anything else? Luster dust can get expensive and I'd have to buy pink, brown (for the hair and eyes) and red (for the accent features of the face).

Can I use a thinned out gel food color or something similar?

Sure! I've used that as well. When you mentioned ballerina I immediately with GLITZ! LOL

Keep on Cakein!

Beth in KY

No lemon JUICE--lemon extract!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The high water content of lemon juice will MELT the figure.

If the figure won't be eaten, you can buy inexpensive pastel CHALKs, grind them thru a tea strainer, mix those with a clear drinking alcohol or lemon extract, and paint. If you want a "lighter look", you can use them to just dust the figure.

HTH
Rae

Thanks ladies! Went with straight Wilton Gel food color. Actually, I thinned it with almond extract at first...then tried adding a small amount of light corn syrup. It didn't paint on too well so I just went with straight gel color. It went on well...but never fully dried and the color was darker than I had wanted. For what it's worth...the cotton candy tutu...perfect!!! LOL

Yes, straight gel/paste colors basically never dry and almond extract doesn't have enough alcohol in it to produce a nice flow of the paint--that's why lemon extract (83-86% alcohol) is recommended. Corn syrup makes a shiny surface, but of course, never dries, either.

Personally, I mix the color with a clear drinking alcohol--Everclear preferred. It's best to mix them in advance and let them sit because sometimes little globules form and need to dissolve over time.

HTH for next time.
Rae

Thanks Rae...that does help. I didn't have lemon extract on hand so figured I'd try the almond (and what's the difference I figured). LOL...now I know. Next time...it'll be the lemon extract.