ISO AnnaW &/or anyone else w/tips re coloring dark purple sugarpaste irises

[psycholucy]

Hi AnnaW:

we've e-mailed before about sugarpaste irises. my last attempt at these was too hurried and not very successful, but I am trying again and have some questions about coloring. you said you colored the paste first and then dusted. i'm making the dark purple ones & the falls have a splash of yellow running down the center. i'm not sure how to get more "depth" to such a dark color. i've tried starting w/dark paste, but it just looks flat. any advice for this? also, what about the yellow? mixing the dust w/vodka doesn't give very good coverage. too translucent. any help is appreciated.

thanks much!

[momoreg]

If you start with a light violet colored paste, and then paint on it with either diluted paste color, or dust with vodka, it will give you a very deep color. Stay away from straight food coloring as a paint, because it doesn't always dry completely. For the yellow, you can mix white food coloring with yellow, and that will be opaque enough to colver the violet paste beneath it.

[LotusCakeStudio]

I get vibrant colors using coloring paste thinned with alcohol. I find with the dusts, you have to use way too much to get true colors.

[Anna W.]

Everyone gave you great advice- a lot of variables come with your gumpaste recipe, your brand of colorings, and your expectations. I would test out the different ways and see what is best for you.

[psycholucy]

Thanks for your responses, everyone!

is there a best way to prevent brush streaks when painting w/thinned gel paste or have i just not gotten the hang of it yet?