I am so confused about all the different types of food coloring. What is best? Gel, powder, liquid?? Are some brands better than others. How do I get a real deep red or purple color with out using tons of food coloring? My dark colors always look a little anemic and I don't know if it is because of the food coloring I am using.
I use wilton pastes. I have heard that others are better, but wilton is all I can get in my little town at walmart. They have worked out well for me.
I do know that true food coloring, the kind you find on the sugar/flour isle isnt the best for doing cakes and such. it takes so much it changes your constiancy and changes your taste. And you spend more money using it, because you truely do have to use soooo very much.
The first time I did a baseball field I used reg food coloring. I used 2 of the larger bottles of it. The second time I used wilton pastes, the cake was twice the size, and I literly used less than half a bottle of wilton paste. it was at least 1/3 of the price if not more.
Definitely gel colors are best than liquid ones but you need to know that no color is really strong, you have to make it strong. First make pink let it rest for a couple hours and then add the red and same with black, make it grey first, let it rest and color black. This works great for me no matter what brand of colors.
Pastes or gels are both just great, liquid ones is better to avoid, that is not meant for fondant colouring.
I use all the brands actually, I love the ones of Americolor, the colour easily, give beautiful shades and you don't need to much.
Wilton has also very nice colours, you do need a bit more but you get nice colours as well.
For dark colours it's best to add some other shades, like for exameple for dark red, try to add some purple or black or even brown. Just see if it is the right colour for you-
Good luck!
Lara
If you want black, red, etc. instantly, no bitter taste, not change the consitancy of your icing, and use very little get chef master liqua gel. It's the best coloring I have found. I hate waiting hours and mixing colors to try and get a true red or black.
When I have to get a real dark or vivbrant red like on my Elmo cake, I alway use a medium pink first, like rose color paste from Wilton. (All I use is the paste from Wilton and have never had any problems.) After I get the pink, then I use the no taste red and am always happy with the results. This way I don't use a ton of red paste on a small amount of icing. For black, I use a purple or brown then add the black depending on the shade that I want. Hope this helps. 
Mistie
When I have to get a real dark or vivbrant red like on my Elmo cake, I alway use a medium pink first, like rose color paste from Wilton. (All I use is the paste from Wilton and have never had any problems.) After I get the pink, then I use the no taste red and am always happy with the results. This way I don't use a ton of red paste on a small amount of icing. For black, I use a purple or brown then add the black depending on the shade that I want. Hope this helps.
Mistie
That's a good idea for the red. I never thought about that. I use brown and then add the black. Thanks for the red tip! 
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