I've never worked with gumpaste before, but I'm doing a cake for next Saturday that I need it for. I bought Wilton gumpaste.

Can you give me some pointers on how to work with it? I am going to make this guy's headband:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Jiraiya_main.jpg

Do I use powdered sugar/cornstarch? Can I airbrush it after its dry without it "melting?" Any pointers for making it?

Thanks so much!

(Any ideas for that crazy hair would be helpful too!)

I just finished doing some work with gumpaste and found that if you use too much powdered sugar it dries it out real bad. I used a small amount of shortening on my hands to get it to soften up. If it's sticking to my mat or my hands, I just reapply the shortening.

Thanks! No PS, got it.

Anyone else got some pointers, please? I'm so nervous about it - I just keep looking at it on the counter.

Don't use gumapste alone. Use 50/50 gumpaste and fondant. It is more pliable and give you the time to play with it and get the final effect. And it drys really hard. I don't know whether you can airbrush it, as I haven't done it.

You can use a bit of cornstarch to stop it sticking.

HTH.

When you take the gumpaste out of the package pinch off the amount you would like to use. Wrap the rest back up.

Rub your hands with crisco and knead the gumpaste until it's soft and pliable. Pick out any bits that don't dissolve.

Lightly dust your work surface with a cornstarch pouf and roll your GP out. Use a light dusting of cornstarch if necessary on the surface while you roll. It does dry quickly.

When you need to work on something else or run to the ladies cover the GP with saran lightly pressed to seal it. If you have to leave it for a longer period of time you can lay a damp teatowel over it. If you have a Wilton practice board you can put it under the flap. There are also plastic Cel Flaps (?) that you can put it between.

Powdered sugar tends to make gumpaste sticky. HTH