Attached (on the bottom) is a picture of my first attempt at gumpaste roses. On the top is my most recent rose. I hope you see as much improvement as I think I do! What do you think? Feel free to critique.

Thanks for looking.
Sandra

I definitely see some improvement but your first were so pretty and good already that it's hard to believe that you have in fact, improved!

My only advice would be to use some sort of coloring to vary the color as you go from the center/bottom upwards and out, makes it look more realistic. Beyond that, the rose shape is lovely.

Lovely roses Sandra. I agree with NIkki....your first rose is very pretty too. I find with roses, as in life, each rose has it's own personality...they are all different. It's hard sometimes to step back and appreciate your own work as an artist....so don't be so critical at your first attempt....it really is lovely. The petal shapes in your latest pic are gorgeous....so there's the improvement. My only critiques, for what they're worth, is too thin your petals more. Start out rolling your paste very thin....so you can read thru it....alternately, just make sure the petals' edges are thinned. Also, if you have the patience....on each successive layer of petals, lighten the color of the petals by taking some of your original color of paste and adding plain white paste to it (I do 50/50)...it's a nice effect. Just like NIkki said...it adds a more realistic touch.

You've come along way baby LOL like the old commercial used to say. And as my Gramma used to practice does make perfect

Great job!!! I haven't made any in a loooooong time. You just inspired me to get busy at it!

Elle

Yes, I agree with you some lovely improvement, the newer one looks much more realistic, you can tell you've been able to get the petals much thinner, which I find tends to make the rose more realistic, well done!

Oh ! they are very lovely !!! Good Job !


Monica

Very pretty, I can see a vast improvement! Both pics are beautiful, but I prefer your most recent rose.

Hugs,
Diana in VA - who can't wait to learn how to make gumpaste flowers!

They are absolutely beautiful!!!!

Very pretty! Well done

There both great first one is way more realistic looking. You did a great job!

Thanks everyone for your compliments and suggestions. I will definitely work with the color gradiation as suggested by Nikki and FlowerGuy. I did use a pasta roller to thin the paste before cutting out the petals, but maybe I needed to take it one more notch down. I really want to perfect my roses before I move on to other flowers, so everyone's comments aand suggestions re appreciated. Here is a side view of the flower which shows the petal placement a little better.l

Thanks y'all!
Sandra

looking good!

they whole petal does not need to be thinner but the edges do make a big difference when the are thin go pick a real rose and see how it goes from thick to thin.

Try petal dust on the finished rose you will be amazed at the transformation from a great gumpaste rose to almost life like.

Big improvement-beautiful job!

A wonderful first effort, as said before use paste very thin so you can read through it, also graduate the paste colour every couple of layers so it's the darkest shade at the centre and lighter as the rose opens so to speak,
also a good tip to make flowers come alive is to dust the petal edges with a slightly darker colour than the paste your using.
If you look at a real rose you will notice that all the petals are level? if i could explain, when you've completed the bud stage and you want to go further keep the top of the petals at the same hight, just open the petals a little, don't work down the stem, the back where you put the caylix should be a cup shape.
hope this is helpful?
I always try to get hold of the real flower i'm trying to make in sugar just to look at the colouring and shading.
Regards
sue