Every time I make figurines or cutouts with fondant and/or gum paste, they crack as they dry. How do I keep them looking smooth?

I ALWAYS microwave my fondant (+tylose) before I model...it keeps my figures crack free.

hi, you have to condition your fondant/g/p with a little shortening on your fingers.Massage into medium really good , stretch and pull and knead with your fingers, until you see and feel that is is conditioned good.Nick Lodge always emphasises this in he classes. It will not crack , then, as it dries. hth

I agree with icer101. Another thing to keep in mind is to go easy on using cornstarch or powdered sugar. They can cause you fondant to dry too much.

icer101 said it perfectly that is exactly how I do it..shortening works wonders...sometimes I can even fix cracks with a little dab of shortening and PS and then massage it into cracks