Hi all. I'm trying to get a handle on techniques for coloring gumpaste flowers and was curious which methods you use, and why. Do you generally start with white flowers and paint with petal dust? Dust with petal dust? Or do you prefer to start with colored paste and dust from there?

I assume it would depend on the flower; I don't think I'd want to tackle turning a white rose into a pink or red one.

Thanks for your feedback.

depends on the flower. Frankly, if starting with some color and layering on more you will get a more realistic flower.

Definitely depends on the flower. But generally it's easier to start with tinted gumpaste/fondant and layer shades. PS...plain old school chalk rubbed on a sieve makes GREAT powder tint to brush onto dried flowers if you aren't going for shimmer! Esp for yellow centers.

I start off with a base colour anddust up afterwards to lift it. If I was doing a flower with spots on it I would paint the detail on. I certainly would never use ground up chalk anywhere near an edible product.

I actually got that tip from the ladies here. It's nontoxic, just like petal dust, and you don't use enough of it to taste if someone were to eat it. It doesn't make dark colors though. I really just use it to tint flower centers or add shading.

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-270557.html

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-688091-.html

There isn't a right or wrong way, just depends on the look you are going for. There are people that start with white for everything and layer on their colors with dusts and there are people that start with colors and layer on dusts.