What's the best way to color in a picture that I draw on a cake? I'm new to cake decorating, and I can't figure this out. I can draw a picture free hand or use piping. I know I can fill it in using the little stars, but I'd rather not. Is there another way? Like on this picture--how was this colored in? Thank you so much for any help you can give me! [img][/img]

If this was ordered from us, we would have tried to airbrush or use an edible image then pipe over.

I use a round tip and fill in the best I can. Then use the Melvira method to smooth it out. Lastly do the outline in black (or whatever color). I have several examples in my gallery.

piping gel? chocolate transfer? not really sure.

I would use the FBCT method with this one.

This definately looks like airbursh to me! If you don't have one I would use the technique jammjenks posted for you.

You can use a glaze to fill in the picture after you have piped the outline of the picture. I've only done this twice (on my Sophie and Baron Humbert cakes)-- so I'm not an expert-- but I've seen some really neat cakes done this way.

I read about it on these boards quite a while back. I used a recipe (basically just powdered sugar, water, and corn syrup) posted by ladycakes.

looks like a FBCT to me, possibly using the method where you make the whole top of the cake the fbct. i just saw it posted in another thread, i'll try to find the link for you... give me a few minutes.

Here's a little slide show that illustrates a couple of the techniques mentioned above.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1130410232051689275UlLEan

As far as filling in with the glaze, you just pipe your outline in BC (it holds the glaze better if it's thicker)then thin down your colored BC with corn syrup until it's an easy flowing consistance. Don't get it to runny or it will be to hard to control.

I don't have an airbrush, and I would do this as an FBCT myself. I do my FBCTs by doing the picture and then incorporating the cake top into the FBCT all at the same time.

all i do is ... get the picture on the cake however you want to get it on there...i usually make a stencil.... airbrush the stencil ... then i outline with buttercream... then i put 10x sugar in a cup... maybe a little flavoring.. not always... just enough water to make a glaze ... kinda like you do a color flow pattern... be sure to outline just like you do with the color flow.. then make the glaze.. never have used corn syrup.. got this recipe some years back... it really looks pretty on the cake.. and really easy to do... the glaze should flow back in the icing just like color flow... hth

I agree with the fbct idea...once applied to cake surface, add embellishments(stitching, a couple of raised lines to resemble ribs on blanket, even some fur on the teddy)

welch628, I can't wait to see how your cake turns out. You'll have to post it & let us know which tech. you used.

I would love to save this thread. Do you know if there is a way to do it?

I do a lot of these kinds of cakes. First I freehand the drawing on the cake with a toothpick (after I frosted it) and pipe in all the colored areas. Then I smooth those areas out with a small tapered offset spatula. Then I pipe in the boundary lines and details. Here are a couple examples that might help explain:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1198348

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1193517

The way I "save" a thread is I just click on watch this topic at the bottom of the last post. That's the only way I can do it, I've even read how to do it in the help section and I still can't figure it out. This way is easiest for me then all I have to do is go into watched topics and find it if there's not been a post in a few days.