Hi. How do I color dry gumpaste roses by hand? Thanks in advance.

I was told by my Aunty to dust the roses with colour and then heat your kettle and pass the rose over the steam coming out of the spout to set the colour - you don't leave it sitting there, just pass it through the steam. I have never tried it so I don't know how well it works.

If they're completely dry and wired, they can be dipped. Mix your color ( I use airbrush colors and 190 proof) in a container large enough that your item can be completely submerged with enough color mix to do so too. Have ready an empty shoe box or some other wide not too deep box.
Take your wired flower, holding it by its' wire, dip it into the solution(keeping it upside down the entire time)...kind of bob it up and down lightly a couple of times. Still keeping it upside down, hold it between your palms and down into to box, spin to remove excess liquid by rolling the wire between your palms. Hang upside down to dry. Dry completely between dippings.

I use the separate box to spin in so I don't have to mix up so much liquid to fill the volume needed to submerge larger items.

I have always used petal dust and dusted the flowers and then when the kettle is boiling (without lid), pass the flowers & petails across the kettle, do not stop on top of kettle otherwise the steam will melt your items. The different depth of shade and variation of colour of shades on your flowers by using the petal dust will give it more a realistic item.

The point of steaming them is to set the colour so the colour will not go on top of your cake.

I would be very frightened to dip the items into liquid because any form of liquid on your gum paste will just melt it. I have never used an airbrush to colour the flowers etc, so don;t know how that process will work.

I've dusted them with chalk and then steamed them. I have also painted the flowers with a mix of vodka and color. Both methods work. For me the chalk was more subtle, and the paint made more vivid colors.

Dipping them is a great idea, though. I had never thought of that.

I hand paint mine with airbrush color mixed with alcohol and then dust after dry with the lighter colors that are necessary. The dipping method works well too just very messy.

i've read other posts about coloring with chalk and have a (possibly silly) question.
is the chalk specifically made for dusting food or do you use the kind that kids play with?

We were told to use the non-toxic pastels and grate them by rubbing them on a strainer....

That's what it said in the Wilton book too...use chalk and grate it. I use non-toxic artists chalk. I bought a box of 50 colors at Hobby Lobby for $5...about the same as one container of petal dust

I use non-toxic chalk. I don't grate it, I just scribble on a paper plate, and use a paint brush from there. My kids LOVE helping me paint roses!

so is it the chalk found in the kid's aisle (sidewalk chalk)?

thanks!

noooooooooooo not sidewalk chalk. in the craft section....near the paints...make sure it states non-toxic...not all of them are. They're usually rectangular sticks of color and come in a package of many many many colors.