Need Help Advise In Making Figures..

Decorating By TickleMySweetTooth Updated 29 Dec 2010 , 3:44am by olgaCake

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TickleMySweetTooth Posted 15 Dec 2010 , 9:13pm
post #1 of 13

Hey all,
So I'm needing help.
My sons birthday is coming up and I will be making this cake. I'm good at buttercream cakes.. not a great artist like you all though when it comes to modeling ect.
I am wanting to make something like these here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clevercupcakes/3127524967/in/photostream/

I actually did contact the shop and asked if it were at all possible to make for me and mail out.. but they said no.. So I guess my only other option is to try and make myself.
Any HELP or ADVISE much appreciated here.. icon_biggrin.gif

12 replies
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TickleMySweetTooth Posted 17 Dec 2010 , 8:40pm
post #2 of 13

please..anyone?

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ladyk333 Posted 17 Dec 2010 , 9:21pm
post #3 of 13

Hi! I bet you can do it! How much time do you have? If not a lot, I would use modeling chocolate, as it creates a firmer base more quickly. Or gumpaste/ fondant (50/50) together. My best advice would be to google "animal figures from gumpaste or modeling chocolate tutorial" and you will find something with step - by - step instructions. I did that when I wanted to make the teddy bear on the polka dot cake in my pictures. I learned tricks like using a hard piece of spaghetti to help attach a head to a body, and arms and legs. also, that a dab of water helps to adhere pieces of gumpaste or fondant together. My final piece of advice would be to look at the figure as shapes to start off with = the body is a larger sphere - roll it first and then elongate one side to become a neck. let that sit. A smaller sphere for the head and then shape it appropriately (Binoo's head has a particular shape, as does Toopee), and once those are on, just start to add the appropriate details. Give your self lots of time. One final thing, now that I'm being so long winded anyway - my initial figures (teddy bear and horse) cracked a little bit. I found out that if you want a perfectly smooth shape with no cracks, you must roll it in the palm of your hands, not with fingers, and the warmth of your palms will smooth out any separations that will later cause cracks.

The tutorial I first used was on the "Cupcake Obsession" website. I purchased it (only $6 or so) and she sends it right to your computer so you don't have to wait. I bought the lion topper one. It was invaluable as I could apply the same principals to any figure at all.

Good luck and most of all, have fun with it. who knows, maybe you will start to really love making mini creatures - I know I do!!

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Coral3 Posted 17 Dec 2010 , 9:29pm
post #4 of 13

Have you done much modelling before? Assuming you've done none, I would tell you to start by using something stronger than straight fondant, so that the figures will dry stronger. I use fondant mixed with gum tragacanth (1 tsp gum trag powder: 500g fondant) - knead in an let rest for a few hours before using. Others use modelling paste or gumpaste, or mix tylose into their fondant.

For figurines I always make the body up to the neck first and let that dry out for a day (or until firm) before adding the head.

As mentioned above, you don't need to use sugar glue to join pieces... a little bit of water (not too much!) will work just as well.

The black details on Binoo and Patchy Patch have been drawn/painted on. You can do that with a VERY fine paintbrush and undiluted black food colour gel, or use a fine black food marker if you have one.

Generally though, as Ladyk has already suggested, it's easier to think of the model in terms of the basic shapes that it's made up of. Get in and have a go...modelling is the FUN part of cake decorating! thumbs_up.gif

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TickleMySweetTooth Posted 17 Dec 2010 , 10:44pm
post #6 of 13

thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!
Will give a look at all the pics and videos after ds goes to bed.
And if I did not say enough.. THANK YOU! thumbs_up.gif

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diamonds-and-rust Posted 18 Dec 2010 , 5:57am
post #7 of 13

jeez, would it have killed them to help you out? thumbsdown.gif
check out aine2's channel on youtube....she is fantastic and has a lot of great ideas for figures like these.....i just made some of her snowmen , xmas trees, and xmas penguins today...her tutorials are fantastic and very easy to follow....she is a great teacher.

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diamonds-and-rust Posted 18 Dec 2010 , 6:03am
post #8 of 13

forot to add, also check out her extra icing website and blog.

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jerseygirlNga Posted 18 Dec 2010 , 7:39am
post #9 of 13

HI...

Don't know if you tried working with the figures yet but I usually do figures in gumpaste. Be sure to anchor heads to body with piece of wet tooth pick. I would normally make figures a week in advance.

I saw your location is BC and I realize that covers a lot of area...but take a look at Andreas sweet treats on Flickr...she is in Ontario and her figure work is unbelievable.

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TickleMySweetTooth Posted 28 Dec 2010 , 8:25pm
post #10 of 13

thanks all! So I will try this.. I'm nervous to say the least! But I need to try and do myself. I only have 3 people coming to DS bday and there is NO way I am paying someone(another cake shop in the area) $120 to make 3 small figure for me. I think ds will be happy with whatever I made, crappy or not LOL Looking at buying suppies now and have some cutters and tools in my basket.. I'm just going to use fondate.. I know you all said gumpaste but I'm just going to try fondate. I think it's cheaper to made eh? and those figure I posted are made with fondate.. so I figure it can be done eh.

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microbiology1 Posted 29 Dec 2010 , 2:48am
post #11 of 13

You can make them with fondant but you may find it more frustrating especially as a newbie. Fondant doesn't dry as fast or as hard as gumpaste. This makes it a lot harder to get heads and arms to stay on. Just make sure you really let the bodies dry before you put the heads on otherwise the body will just collapse. I usually 'pre-drill' a hole with a toothpick where I will be attaching body parts later. That way I don't have to worry about cracking the piece when it's dry.

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Coral3 Posted 29 Dec 2010 , 3:06am
post #12 of 13

If you want to use fondant you should seriously consider mixing in some gum tragacanth powder for strength - even just 1 tsp of gum trag per 500g fondant makes a big difference. You can make figures out of straight fondant, but they take a LOT longer to dry and won't dry as strong, which means simpler stable figures will be okay, but anything that's thinner, or less stable will break easily. Personally I have only ever used fondant for modelling, BUT I always mix in gum trag these days because it just makes it so much easier, and you can do so much more with the fondant that way. Just be sure to let the fondant rest a few hours after mixing it in so you get the full benefit of it.

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olgaCake Posted 29 Dec 2010 , 3:44am
post #13 of 13

If u stil have time and no desire to try, I can make those for you for no charge, just shipping. But they will require couple of days for drying. Pm me if you stil need help. Olga
Facebook: Olga's Creations
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