Advice...should I Take This Challenge? Help!
Decorating By Kitagrl Updated 5 Apr 2007 , 1:34pm by gateaux
A lady wrote wanting a quote for a sweet sixteen birthday cake to feed 50-60 people. She wants a 3D sculpture...of her daughter! I have NEVER done a 3D cake of a person before although have done several animals...but animals are easier.
The highest I've ever charged for a 3D cake before is $5/serving for one that takes an inner stand...and I quoted $6/serving as a choice for someone but they chose a less expensive choice. Number one...should I say "yes"???? I have no clue if I can do this or not... Number two, how much to charge? (I range $4-$5/serving for 3D fondant cakes). Now if the girl is slender that will be a large sculpture to feed that many....I would probably make sure she is in a sitting pose.... anyone ever done a human sculpture? (Other than that guy online who does life size buttercream cakes, I can't do that....plus he uses TONS of styrofoam). I only have tools enough and skill enough to make basic stands...nothing like ace of cakes does.
I'm usually pretty game for a challenge but I'm hesitating on this one. Advice?
Wow! I'm curious to see if others have tried this!
Maybe tell her you haven't tried it, but because it would require a lot of research, new tools & skills, charge a LOT to do it- maybe even double your normal price! However, if it's something you've always wanted to try and will enjoy the learning experience, you might decide to keep the price reasonable for the customer so you'll have something new to add to your portfolio. Hmmmm...
Maybe a less expensive, less intense option would be to do a tiered cake with a figure that looks like her daughter on top?
That's a good idea, and I think I'll add that in as a price variable option.... most people who go to my site though get their hopes up for a 3D cake (if they have the money to spend).... I didn't think of that idea though and I'll definately use that idea for either a first or second choice. Thanks.
After looking at your site, I can definitely see why everyone wants a 3D cake. Yours are great.
After looking at your site, I can definitely see why everyone wants a 3D cake. Yours are great.
Thanks so much...! But...I'm scared of this one! Every 3D cake is an experiment for me, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for this kind of experiment!
I went ahead and wrote and just told her I wanted to work with her and that I needed some extra info and then would be sending her several choices and prices. I asked for a general photo of her daughter and also how soon she needs the cake. Kind of a good procrastinating thing, so that she knows I got her email yet I'm giving myself time to think about this.
Yikes, we'll see what happens...
*sigh* you guys aren't helping! 
You are supposed to say either "Yeah it will be easy, just do this and this" or "Don't even try it" and then you are supposed to say "Charge a thousand bucks". haha.
I know for sure if I agree I will make sure she understands this will be CAKE and not some kind of bronze statue. No matter how "good" I do my job, it won't look like a mirror image of the girl.
Okay, just throwing my morbid two cents in here, but I wonder if they've thought about the fact that they'll be hacking into and eating something that realistically looks like their daughter. Seems kinda weird once you think of it like that.
I'm sure you can do it, though. Just a thought...would it be easier to do just a bust of her instead of her whole self? If so, maybe they'd be interested in that.
I checked out your photos and you do beautiful work.
If it was me I would try to just do a face and see how it goes, then if you think you can do it or not you can adjust. You might be able to "cartoon it" a bit and that might work. IMO you would definetely have to charge more for it and that might sovle part of the request issue.
Wow that a good chalenge.
Good Luck!
wow, doing a 3D sculpture of anyone would be a lot of work. Were you thinking a full body or just the bust a bust would easier at least on a relative scale. And I would charge quite a bit. Its going to take days to make it. If youre up for the challenge, Ill be eagerly awaiting you posting the final product.
As another thought to steer the customer away from this suggestion and someone just beat me to the punch posting this theyll have to cut into the cake of their daughter is that going to make everyone squeamish? I made a cartoon-y baby in a basket cake for a shower the other week and didnt even think about it until the shower itself. Everyone decided to make me cut into the cake because they were all too chicken to chop up the baby.
Laura, good idea, I think I'll try to keep it to just a bust....
Gate I don't know, I'll look at a photo and see...I wish I could do BC sculpture like Winbeckler but I have no clue how he gets that BC to do all that and so I better keep to the methods I know.
I may be, yeah, charging a whole lot to where she either doesn't want the cake...or its worth my time to spend the time on it. haha. Plus I'm not even sure when she wants this...if she says "two weeks" I'll have to say "no..."
Found this on Mike's Amazing Cakes:
http://www.mikesamazingcakes.com/po/po_06.html
You think he'd write little old me with suggestions? Maybe I'll email to see....
Kitagrl,
What if they don't like the image? If her daughter is a teenager, I would not make this cake and I would run in the opposite direction as fast as I could.
IMHO for this type of artwork you are not charging enough. Consider this piece a one of a kind special work of art. You need to charge accordingly. And many people I know do not have that type of money sitting around.
I would charge $3,500 for it! Without batting an eyelash! And Kitagrl, I think Mike charged a lot more for his bust!
Kitagrl,
What if they don't like the image? If her daughter is a teenager, I would not make this cake and I would run in the opposite direction as fast as I could.
IMHO for this type of artwork you are not charging enough. Consider this piece a one of a kind special work of art. You need to charge accordingly. And many people I know do not have that type of money sitting around.
I would charge $3,500 for it! Without batting an eyelash! And Kitagrl, I think Mike charged a lot more for his bust!
Hmm.
Well yeah I would definately warn them up front that since its just cake its not going to look just like their daughter..... just like if you get your kid's portrait painted in the mall, its not going to look just like your kid.
$3500 for 50 servings? Are you serious?
I think you could charge pretty high, think about a sculpter, how much would they charge for a bust?
I know some would say, but it's just cake. I agree it's cake, but the time involved in a sculpture like that is enormus and like tiptop 57 said, what if they dont like the likeness.
I think I might want to change my vote, charge more way more and see them change their mind. Or get a few pictures and try to make her face once and see where you are you or them might not like it. But then I would charge them for that too!
Good Luck.
Oh ya, I am very serious this is a one of a kind work of art! $3,500 without batting an eyelash.
You are talking about a sculpted bust - correct? Have you sculpted people in any type of material?
If not, I would run for the hills....sculpting a likeness is the hardest thing I ever studied.........and I studied under some great masters. I can not see how cake would be any easier. Just my 2 cents.
Oh ya, I am very serious this is a one of a kind work of art! $3,500 without batting an eyelash.
You are talking about a sculpted bust - correct? Have you sculpted people in any type of material?
If not, I would run for the hills....sculpting a likeness is the hardest thing I ever studied.........and I studied under some great masters. I can not see how cake would be any easier. Just my 2 cents.
Hm...
Yeah my mom was a very good artist (oil pastel, not cake) and she could make an animal look extremely real...but wouldn't even try a human.
And no I have not sculpted any people..which is why I am hesitating about this order. Usually I say "sure I can do that" and then figure out how to do it...but this might be over the top.
Thanks for your thoughts....
Why don't you email Mike's Amazing cakes for suggestions and even ask what you should charge for such a cake. He just might surprise you and answer all of your questions.
Thanks! I did write with questions but didn't think to ask how much he charged for his.....
Go for it!!! Your cakes are awesome!!! I love the sleeping puppy-- too cute!
I've never sculpted a person before, but I did want to mention that you really should charge ALOT for a project like that.
With that said, I would never do a cake like that for anyone. It's right up there with the baby and belly cakes for me. And maybe they should consider that their daughter might not want a cake like that.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck!!
Angie
I'm with the rest you do such great work, but I don't think that I would try this...and as for the people that said try to make the face once I don't think I would even do that unless you are going to try just to see if you can do it. You have to think that it's going to cost you to try it that one time, and if you don't do the cake are you going to feel like you wasted time and money trying to do this??? I know if you are like most of us you don't have time or money to waste so really think about it, and I'm with them on the money thing I would charge a lot for that cake. Do you really think that Mike or Duff would bat an eye if someone asked them how much that cake would cost...NO they would the them $3,500 and think that they were getting off cheep!!!! Good luck with whatever you do.
I've never sculpted a person before, but I did want to mention that you really should charge ALOT for a project like that.
With that said, I would never do a cake like that for anyone. It's right up there with the baby and belly cakes for me. And maybe they should consider that their daughter might not want a cake like that.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck!!
Angie
ditto.
I would probably bring the fact up to her that her daughter may be a little weirded out to have "herself" cut into and have everyone eating "her" for her 16th birthday. just doesn't feel right.
but if the daugther wants it.... then that's a different story.
I would probably push the tiered cake with a figure on top... but if you do make it.. charge a bundle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
good luck!
You guys are great.... I'll be keeping EVERYTHING mentioned here in mind... I'll see if she even writes back with a photo and we'll go from there. Maybe some kind of caricature would be more fun for the teens, easier for me, and easier to cut.... we'll see what happens. I have my doubts that I would be able to pull off something as lifelike as Mike did.
If you really want a shot at it though I would do a trial run. Make one up just to see how it goes. If it turns out great give it to your family to eat if it doesn't at least you know what you can do and then price it accordingly. Sometimes a dry run is all it takes to know that we can do it and build our self confidence in that area.
I know it will take money and your time but I think that is a small price to pay for being confident that if someone asks you to do it again you'll know exactly what you put in it in time and material and your price will match all your talents.
Good luck and keep us all posted.
Kathy
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