I'd appreciate any feedback: comments or criticism in learning to do gumpaste leaves with wires.

are you supposed to tape wrap every single leaf before you wrap them together?  Another new foray into decorating for me this week. Thanks.

They are nice and glossy. Well done.

That was from painting on 50/50 vodka/corn syrup.  Thanks Bunny0410.  I think that they would look better with the leaves further down the stem or closer to the stem, or does it matter?

I want to get on the right track with this before I attempt a gumpaste rose.

AThey look really good for a first time!

Some feedback: use green wires to put your leaves on, then you don't have to tape the individual stems unless you really want them dark. I find in nature, the stems are usually lighter/greener toward the leaf, and then darken/become browner down the stem toward the main part of the plant.

In terms of spacing, I would probably tape the first couple of leaves where you have placed then, fairly close to the main stem and fairly close to the top leaf. I would stagger them very slightly though, adding one leaf and then the leaf on the opposite side of the stem very slightly lower. Then as you move down the stem, you can make the individual stems slightly longer so the leaves are slightly further from the main stem, and you can increase the distance between the leaves a little more. This reflects more what happens in nature. Don't go for perfect symmetry! For once, my inability to create something symmetrical is a blessing!

Go and look at plants or use the excuse to buy yourself some roses - it's research after all!

Good luck, I think they look fantastic.

There was only regular green in my box of colors, I'm going to have to send for some of the leaf green color.

Thanks Winniemog for the suggestions.   My fingers got so sticky trying to wrap the tape, it drove me nuts.

Hi MBalaska - it's been a long time since I did leaves but yours do look good.  I agree with the comment regarding green wires and also taking a clipping from your garden!

Kathy

Took some tweezers and wrangled those stems closer to the main stem, and immediately it looked better.

Thanks Kathy  (right now the garden has broccoli the size of watermelons and big potatoes) so buying a couple of dozen long stemmed roses just may be in order......   Sadly the rose bush we planted last summer did not survive, although it was next to the house and super insulated for the Alaska winter. 

This was a package of Wilton brand wires,  I used the smallest ones for these leaves.

Well............. it's a start.

AGet out of here! They're beautiful!

Thanks  @-K8memphis. Making gumpaste roses and leaves has been put off for years.  I finally got up the gumption to make the leaves, then went for the small roses.  I'm glad that I did.

AGreat job!

Thank You @vldutoit.  The behavior of the gumpaste in making the rose, was completely different than with fondant or modeling chocolate, and it surprised me.

AThey're beautiful!

One more comment - I'm not sure if it's the angle of the photo or not, but you should start with the smallest leaf at the end of the stem, and then gradually get larger pairs of leaves as you move down the stem toward the main branch.

I love the rose colour you used too, and you really glazed the leaves beautifully.

Thanks @winniemog, don't even remember what color I grabbed for the roses. lol

gotta admit....I'm 'chuffed to bits' over the first time baby roses.  and it can only get better if I'm willing to study, learn more, & practice.

AI'd be pretty impressed if they were my first attempt too. And yes, practise, practise your new skills!

Don't forget - an important part of your homework is to buy flowers regularly to "study" and enjoy!

"study and enjoy"  is good advice.

AI love working with gumpaste. I bought one of those silpat mats and you can roll that stuff thin on one of those babies. My roses don't look anywhere as good as yours though.

Thank You @vldutoit.  I took a peek last night at the gallery section on sugar flowers.  Wowwie Kazowie are there some incredible gumpaste sugar artist on there!

What I'm going to do the next time............is to get out my portable DVD player, put in a tutorial DVD on making leaves & flowers, and sit it on the counter right in front of me and the gumpaste.  'cause I get too forgetful.   I watch the DVD from start to finish, then go into the kitchen, and forget a step.   So I'll try playing one bit at a time, watch it twice if I have to, then stop the DVD and try to do it correctly.  Whew maybe that will make it easier.

But the next thing is to learn how to arrange flowers.  That's a real art in itself.

bought a rose.  The rose leaves are backwards.  The fattest ones are at the end of the line.

A[quote name="MBalaska" url="/t/779172/need-feedback-plz-1st-gumpaste-leaves-with-wires#post_7548200"]Thank You @vldutoit .  I took a peek last night at the gallery section on sugar flowers.  Wowwie Kazowie are there some incredible gumpaste sugar artist on there!

What I'm going to do the next time............is to get out my portable DVD player, put in a tutorial DVD on making leaves & flowers, and sit it on the counter [B]right in front[/B] of me and the gumpaste.  'cause I get too forgetful.   I watch the DVD from start to finish, then go into the kitchen, and forget a step. :cry:   So I'll try playing one bit at a time, watch it twice if I have to, then stop the DVD and try to do it correctly.  [I]Whew[/I] maybe that will make it easier.

But the next thing is to learn how to arrange flowers.  That's a real art in itself. [/quote I put my tablet on my work table and watch Shawna Mcgreevey's tutorials on YouTube!

here's another one.  Kara's Couture Cakes.

Those are really good regardless of whether they were your first time or not...

Leaves and the size of them are different on every plant, so you do have to look at the real ones to see what they look like on the specific flower you're making. Or you can do a basic rose leaf and just use that.

Were you using a veiner? When I do wired leaves I usually do the sandwich  wire thing then cut them out and vein them using a rose leaf veiner. It's kind of a general veiner for floral arrangement leaves. Here's the sandwich wire thing: http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2011/03/wiring-gumpaste-quick-way.html

and here's the rose petal veiner: http://www.nycake.com/LargeRoseLeafSiliconeVeiners.aspx

@costumeczar Yes, that's the leaf veiner that I used.  I must have purchased it about 15 years ago, and have been too intimidated to try gumpaste until now.  CC.com is motivating me to try new things.  {oops edit - I made gumpaste snowflakes for the wedding cake with plungers. Not the same}

But You rolled yours so thin and delicate, mine were thick - and then I forgot to thin the edges. argggg.   I'll study your tutorial tonight and save it in favorites for next time.  Making a sandwich out of gumpaste, my oh my, you have a superb mind for decorating !!  looks like it beats the pants off of trying to shove it in. Thank you.

here's the finished cake........

AOh that's lovely! :-)

Kathy

ABeautiful!

That's really pretty!

wow -- gorgeous, mb -- it's breathtaking