I am attempting an alligator cake next week and had 2 questions?

1. What kind of icing do I use to make the board look like water?
2. Should I use fondant or bc for the alligator and if I use buttercream do I just smooth it on or use a tip?

I am a novice but have taken the Wilton courses. Thanks!

You could use piping gel to look like water, or buttercream of different shades of blue and white with texture. I always tend to think fondant works best for sculpted cakes, but if I were you, I'd think about what you want your final look to be. Like, will you be adding texture or different shades of colors to the alligator's skin, or will it be a solid color, can you accomplish the colors and texture you want with fondant? That will help you decide which medium you should use. I know for me, I have to consider my abilities, my tools, time, etc. Sometimes the quick answer is to use fondant, but surprisingly, sometimes buttercream will give you the better result depending on the shape of the cake.

I've used piping gel with blue and white food coloring to make water. I think that fondant would be the better choice for an alligator. HTH!

Hi and welcome to Cake Central! I just finished the Wilton courses earlier this year as well. You can use piping gel for the water--apply it after you've placed your alligator on the board. You can color it blue with gel coloring or buy Wilton blue piping gel. Just type the word "water" and "alligator" in search and you'll come up with a zillion pictures.
Another member here said when you search, do your keyword with the word AND in between and it will narrow the search: how to AND alligator, how to AND water
I haven't made an alligator cake, but I've seen on tv that they used fondant and just pinched it together with thumb and first finger to make a 'scale'.

Here's a link for a buttercream "star tip" alligator: http://thepartyworks.com/alligator-cake-a-1263.html

here's a detailed pictorial with fondant: http://www.how2cakes.com/croc.html

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1761939

I've done waves in two different ways. Above, I used a smaller sized star tip and wrote the letter 'c' in cursive to create the waves.

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1690778

I've also smeared it with a spatula to get the wave effect.

I think your alligator would look very cool made with MMF.

Good luck!

tokazodo, thank you so much for posting your marlin cake photo! You have managed to make a 2-D cake look like that marlin is jumping right out of the water!!!! May I borrow your technique?

I have also done water using piping gel and buttercream. I used piping gel for calmer water (moat around castle) and a crusting BC for waves (cruise ship). I sprayed the BC with the Wilton aerosal blue, as I don't have an airbrush...
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1795955

I agree. Your pics are the bomb. I love the little crabs, seagulls, and sandcastle. I definitely wouldn't eat the crabs or seagulls-they are way too cute!