I am trying to make a 3D Winnie the Pooh out of gum paste - this is my first experience with gumpaste. While the figure looks pretty good - it is already starting to crack as it begins drying. I also had a hard time smoothing the cracks out as I was rolling it into the body shapes - am I doing something wrong? I used Wilton's ready-made gumpaste & tinted it with gel colors - also used vegetable shortening on my fingers when kneading.

Would fondant work better here?

Thanks 4 the help

That will happen with gumpaste alone. I have found the best mixture for modeling is what is called 50/50 paste. You knead equal amounts of gumpaste and fondant together. You get the smoothness of the fondant and the faster drying time and strength of the gumpaste.

GREAT Thanks!!

I use this ratio of ingredients for any hand modeled character I do..
1 lb of fondant to 1 tsp of Gum-tex (but you can use CMC, or Tylose and/or denture powder if you are in a pinch)

It is a lovely and soft modeling compound but dries really well...learned that from Aine2!

for flowers I always use gumpaste
for mold work I do like Shirley, use 50/50 fondant/gumpaste

i use the wilton fondant for figures it is stiffer than any other kind of fondant i have come across and since most people don't eat fondant, you don't have to worry about how it tastes. you can see figures i have done in my photos to see how it holds up.

I have one of Debbie Brown's books and she also gives her modeling paste recipe as 1 lb fondant and 1 tsp gum tragacanth (or gum-tex, tylose, etc). I used it for modeling some numbers as a topper for a cake. It was a fabulous medium to work with. So smooth, yet strong.

Great - I will try this today - I'll let ya'll know how it turns out

Does anyone know if I need to let the fondant rest awhile after adding gum-tex or can I get right to it?

I have used it right away with great results...I think technically you are supposed to leave it to rest but I am usually anxious to start and so I do!!!