So I just went to the store and bought the Wilton book and kit on how to create gumpaste flowers. I have never worked with gumpaste or fondant before and I have seen so many beautiful flowers that look so real on this site. Anyway I am thumbing through the book and the flowers in there look..well...um...ugly! I was just curious how people learned and what is used to create these beautiful flowers I have seen. I just dont think people must be using the cutters in this book. Thanks!

If you are just learning, it is a good starting point. My aunt who does INCREDIBLE flowers, learned using the Wilton instructions and cutters. Once she felt comfortable, she then moved up to bigger and better cutters. She did mention that she does still have a few cutters left that she still uses today. Have to keep in mind too, that the book has not been updated, so the pictures are fairly old. I bet if they re-did it today, they would look a lot better.

Wilton's gumpaste books is very outdated.. I would imagine they may update it in the next few years, but I could be wrong. I learned making flowers from taking classes, videos and books. I love Nicholas Lodge's dvd's... They are very reasonable ($20) and he's an awesome instructor. I have Scott Clark Woolley's book and I use his cutters and veiners. His dvd is a little too pricey for me.

I have that book w/ all the cutters.. the instructions are pretty basic. It tells you very simple instructions like w/c cutter to use etc..., but
it's really up to you to work it out so it will look very realistic. I think they figured that it is really an individual "craftmanship" thing on each person that is making it. just keep doing it..then once you get the hang of it, you can improve according to your own "touch" and feel.

I have the book "Simplifying Sugar Flowers" (Alison Proctor)... WONDERFUL FLOWERS!

Like others have said... Wilton is not a bad place to start... and when you need a LOT of flowers that are fast & easy (as filler behind a few really dramatic blooms for example)

Also, the dusting and colouring after the flowers are formed really make a HUGE difference... Nick Lodge is a master at this!

I highly recommend taking classes if you can. I just started the beginning cake decorating series at a local decorating school. I have had two classes so far and I have learned so much, more so than any of the books I have. I was amazed at how to fold, fill and hold a piping bag properly. Totally different than what Toba Garrett had in her book, or any of the others.

I start my first gumpaste flower class at the end of the month. I can't wait.

I have a couple of Alan Dunn's books, he is from the U.K. and his flowers are amazing very realistic and very beautiful and they have step by step instructions.

I used the wilton gp book for the first time for my DH's first communion cake. I agree, the flowers aren't so pretty. The lily petals were all one piece - I was disappointed in the result! But, I guess it's a good starting point.

I just bought the Wilton gumpaste book and Kit as well...and I'm really hoping I can create some pretty flowers with it. Merissa you'll have to let me know if you make any and how they turned out. I would like to get started on some this weekend..we'll see.

beachcakes-did you try any of the other flowers? I must say you make beautiful cakes. I love the first holy communion one...and all of the actually. You are very talented.

One thing that I did not even think about was some of the cakes that I adored the flowers on - the flowers were purchased (pre-made) gumpaste. (Talk about a DUH! moment!!) I know there are a lot of people who make them and are very good, but there are also a lot of folks who just buy them already done too. You can even add your own color to the pre-made ones.

I am still working on making mine ~ it takes practice - just like all the techniques with cake decorating. I just felt a lot better knowing that some of those perfect flowers I saw on cakes were not all done by the decorator.

Thanks heiser73 for the compliment. I have not tried to do any gp flowers since the lily episode! LOL I really want to try roses, but from what I've seen, they take a few days and I just never seem to have the time. I'd really like to take a course bc I'm probably not doing something right. I have such issues w/ the wire. My leaves keep falling off.

I ended up taking the kit back-at least for now. I just made up my first batch of mmf, and I will just try working with it for awhile. I decided to just keep my eyes and ears open for the best books and ways to learn to do the flowers.