Okay, does the search thing just not work for me?! I am making a cake with butterflies and flowers on it, and the customer wants it more real looking than playful. So I figured I should do gumpaste instead of fondant. Now, I have never worked with gumpaste, but I went out and bought the gumtex and glucose today. (the cake is next weekend). Where do I find templates for butterflies and flowers, or do you just use cookie or fondant cutters? If so,do you just free hand the lines on the butterflies? If anyone has made either before, I would appreciate some advise, preferably step by step advise I found some royal instructions, but I like the gumpaste look better. TIA. Sorry it's so long

Do a search for patchwork cutters. You should find what you're looking for in there.

A patchwork cutter not only cuts out the shape, but they also imprint the details of the piece.

Other people just do them with edible markers and wafer paper.

Theresa

How would you do them with edible markers? I have tried and they look terrible, all streaky from the markers and they just don't look right.

Sugar, thanks for the link, that's exactly what I needed! If I do the butterfly and cut it out, do I use the edible markers for coloring, or how would I make the butterflies colorful?

You can use your regular colors diluted with some lemon extract and then hand paint them..

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Edna

I would paint them with a variety of media. If I was using regular colors, then I would paint a bit of luster dust here and there, to give them some shimmer.

Theresa

I recently made a cake with butterflies and a flower topper. I used cookie cutters for the butterflies and piped royal icing on them.