Hello fellow cakers!
I have an Ariel cake topper due in a few weeks, and this will be my first topper that requires painted facial features. What should I use to paint the face (eyes, eyebrows, lips)? Any paint and brush recommendations are much appreciated! Attached is a picture of what my figure will be modeled after.
Thank you![postimage id="4403" thumb="900"]
i would use edible ink markers -- specifically americolor gourmet markers -- you can cut the tip to make it a finer tip -- I've even mixed colors by writing over --
i would use these because they work so very very well and because I suck at painting 
Following - no advice sorry, just interested in the answers.
For the face I would use a very very thin paint brush and gel colours. I would definitely paint the eye brows, eyes and lips. I find I can control the thickness and intensity of the colour best using a brush and gel. For more translucent colour I thin it down with vodka. I also have markers but I find the colour is not as intense and they are too thick for details.
For the rough on her cheeks you can either use a dry round brush and red dust or airbrush.
i admire those who wield the mighty paintbrush but just for the record -- I'm repeating here so forgive me --
for others of us who are not paint brush worthy -- you can trim the felt tip on the gourmet markers to make it a very fine point -- just cut with scissors or an exacto
Thank you for the tips! I really appreciate it :)
@julia1812 what do you use for the white when bringing life to the eyes?
Thanks again, ladies! (I've never tried trimming the felt marker tips, but I see how that could come in handy for a lot of projects!)
I'm no expert, when I do eyes I use white gel paste and the tip of the handle of a paintbrush. It makes a perfect circle. Dip the tip in the color and lightly press onto the area. HTH
julia1812 -- I do not doubt my artistry but the paintbrush which is your right hand apparently -- is not my favorite tool -- I can pipe flawlessly in the tiniest widths and I can as I said trim a marker and etc.
here's an old quote I like "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
all I was doing is giving more options -- 
in fact fwiw -- in school and all following till my 20's I thought I was zero artistic -- then I tried to copy a greeting card picture onto a cake and I did it perfectly and I was astounded -- speechless -- so I became a tree climbing fish -- 
oh yeah in 8th grade though I did one project that was an Indian chief in yarn on burlap -- I do more 3-d things, drawings piped in icing -- but painting with brushes uh ugh I'm a flopping fish outa water
Oh no no I get your point @K8memphis! And I have mighty respect for free hand paint artists. What I mean is, if someone is artistic enough to sculpt ariels body and face should be able to paint some red lips on the already sculpted ones. I would be more worried about getting the proportions right and make her sweet face not look like a freak shape wise. But like you said everyone has a different strength and feels more comfortable with their own techniques. Not trying to make fish climb trees here hehehe.
Oh nooooo! Hahaha. ... That's not what I wanted :/ Hope you are just joking...
You know I love figurines because you can make them in advance, no pressure. And if you don't like it just start over again. I always make the heads separate cause it takes me much longer than the body. And only if I'm happy with it I attached it.
Hope you gonna post pictures!?
I am kidding :) And I do the same thing; I do the head as early as possible so that I have plenty of time to redo the sculpt if I'm not happy with it. Three is usually a charm for me! :)
And u can't definitely post pictures! Thank you for your help!
well done -- dang the little details huh but all your wonderful figurines have great expressions -- she kinda looks like mariah carey doesn't she?
Bahahahaha she does!
I'd be really pleased if anything I did turned out like that! I ordered a decent set of make up brushes with a really fine eye liner brush included. Have yet to try them though as I've packed all my cake and craft stuff away ready for imminent house move!
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