Hello! I wanted to know if there is a something I can use to turn my powders into liquid paint, other than vodka. I have some extracts here and wondered would that work? I want to paint, but want to use something other than vodka!

Yes, extracts work fine!! That's what I always use. You can also use the clear vanilla...any extract or flavoring that has alcohol in the list of ingredients should work great!!

I like lemon extract. I like the smell.

Deanna

Look thru your extracts and pick the one that has the higest %age of alcohol.
It's the alcohol that makes it dry - the higher amount the faster it will dry.

I think I read here on CC that lemon extract has more alcohol than vodka ... so that means it evaporates faster! That is good and it also has a great taste.

I use clear vanilla extract and it works great.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Now I can get to painting! I'm so excited! If you have anymore suggestions, bring them on! You guys are great!

lemon extract dries super fast but also leaves a lemony taste. Okay in some situations, not so much in others.

Is there a reason you don't want to use alcohol (as in vodka)? Lemon extract has the highest percentage of alcohol.. even higher than everclear. I don't do a lot of drinking, so I buy nips for painting. One will last me a LONG time. I agree with Alana about lemon extract leaving a smell and taste. Lemon flavor is fine if you have a cake that has lemon in it.. not so much if it's a chocolate cake or something. I can understand I guess if it's religious.. but I guess I really don't if the extracts have more alcohol than most liquors.

I agree with Jeanne. We don't drink either, but I have nips for painting. And a bottle of vodka for vanilla beans.

Yes, it's a conviction with my spiritual life to go buy alcohol. It may sound stupid, but I feel funny going in a liquor store to get vodka! I'm going to suck it up and get over it because I can't see having lemon intertwined with something like red velvet! yuck! My other problem is knowing how much to get and how much to use at any given time. Is it a teaspoon, a drop, etc? So basically It's my personal issue! Silly huh?! So are you guys suggesting that vodka is not the best? If not what is? Thanks for understanding, at least I hope you do!

Sweetneice: I understand your convictions! It took me some time to get over walking into a liquor store to buy the nip sized bottle myself. However, after someone commented on the "super lemony" taste to the fondant (believe me, it was NOT a glowing comment) I switched from lemon extract to vodka. That was even after trying the clear vanilla and finding that it left a taste as well. If it is for show, no biggie, but if it is for eating, the cakes will carry the flavor you have used to paint. A very little (1/2 teaspoon or less will paint a lot of surface!) In the end, it is economical as well as a wiser choice. A Liquor Outlet type store is a little more "user friendly" since they are a Party Supply Store as well. If you have one near you, it makes it a little easier to walk into. : )

Thanks WIN! I never thought about going to a party outlet store! DUH! GREAT advice and put me at ease about it! Will they be able to taste the vodka pretty well or no? BTW, I was born and raised in Louisville KY!

I've used vodka and have had no problems with the taste issue..You cannot taste it, i dont think it even has a taste, but it does dry quick..If you go into your liquor store they usually have small bottles in the front or behind the register, i've been told EVERCLEAR is the best since it is the highest proof. HTH

HI all
I'm a cookie maker but happened on this forum and it has peaked my interest. So from what I'm understanding, its the powder food colors that you mix with 1/2 tsp of vodka? Then paint on the fondant? I have mmf on my cookies so since I'm a tolepainter, maybe I'll paint a few designs on my cookies. So hopefully, I'm understanding all of you correctly.

My issue with the extracts is the amount of flavr you can add depending on the amount of painting you have to do..If is just touches is fine but if you are doing a whole painted cake it can be a problem..Yet I know for a fact oil extract have a a better coverage(thats what Nicolas Lodge uses) leaving no streaks ..Some luster powders tend to leave lots of streaks.. At the end of the day the the vodka doesn't leave any flavor and the alcohol evaporates.. So that is what I use...
And that is only my opinion..
And what I do is I sent my husband to the store to get it for me
Edna

toleshed thats right you can use alcohol to turn the dusts into liquid form to paint on fondant and gumpaste...

toleshed asked<...from what I'm understanding, its the powder food colors that you mix with 1/2 tsp of vodka? Then paint on the fondant?...<
YAY124 answered.>....toleshed thats right you can use alcohol to turn the dusts into liquid form to paint on fondant and gumpaste...<

Well that answer is not exactly right.
It's not powdered food colors that is used....it's petal, pearl, fairy dusts (etc) that are used. They are *much* finer than powdered colors.
One might be able to use pwdered colors but I don't know of anyone who has and generally they are not what is thought of when mixing w/vodka or other clear alcohols.
One may not even need 1/2 teaspoon - depending on how much dust is being used it could be just a drop or two - I use an eye dropper. Now the good thing is if you get too much liquid in there all you have to do is wait a minute or so and the alcohol will evaporate to just the right amount
Any mixed color left over can just be left in the container and more alcohol added next time you want to paint something. That's why it's good to use a (new) paint tray. They come im many sizes - a sort of flat tray w/small ball impression holes. You can use one hole for each color you will use.
The smallest one I found approx. 3"x5" has 4 holes; a round one can have 8 or 10.
The mixed color/alcohol mixture can also be used in an airbrush to color large surfaces.

You can also use it to dilute gel colors for painting. I use vodka. One nip of Absolute lasted me a LOOOOOONG time. I use it in my airbrush too to spray gold or silver dust.

I can understand the religious thing. I am not religious, but I can understand. I doubt anyone would be judging you for buying a nip to paint with. And if they do.. you don't need them in your life anyway. ((hugs))

I use an eye dropper too.. LOL. sometimes I use one drop sometimes 10.. but you are using such a small amount.

Thanks for your help

You guys are great and very compassionate to the way I feel about it. Thanks for being non judgemental and helpful.

"A very little (1/2 teaspoon or less will paint a lot of surface!) In the end, it is economical as well as a wiser choice."
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Yes, I meant 1/2 teaspoon goes for a very long time and paints a lot of surface (or surfaces.) I too, use a separate container when I mix colors (the little empty paint boxes in the oil/acrylic aisles of the hobby stores are great for mixing in and then putting the cap back on after it has dried.)

I have kept one of the nip sized bottle in use for 3 or more months now.

kakeladi thanks, i didnt realize she was referring to powdered food color. I have diluted my gel colors with alcohol also, however im wondering if the powdered food color would work with the alcohol or extracts. Has anyone tried that??How did it do?

Haven't tried it but I bet it would work. One would have to strain the powder 1st I think because it can have lumps in it which might give trouble.
Why don't you or toleshed make that your project for the week and report back to us?

This all makes me wonder, how much can you paint with a small container of luster dust.

If you needed to paint an intire cake using different colors, what kind of coloring would you use? I don't know if I am stating this correctly. I need to paint a landscape on a cake, but I really am not sure what is the rightstuff to use. I did one but I used wilton gel and vanilla. It was a little streaky, which ok because it gave it a little texture look. But something that you want smooth looking would be hard to do that way. And what kind of brushes would you use? I ended up picking little brisles off my cake.

Is thereno one out there that will answer my question?

a chef at school took a class with flower makeing class with collete peters i beleive. and she gave him the tip to use lemon oil to paint with, because she said she doesnt want it to evaporate, so what you paint will stay nice and shinny