How Do You Get That Perfect Color?

Decorating By mackeymom Updated 9 May 2009 , 10:18am by Evoir

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mackeymom Posted 8 May 2009 , 4:40pm
post #1 of 12

I need burnt orange icing. So far I have made an amazing replica of Ernie from sesame street, but I ruined it by adding in too much brown...

So how do ya'll match your colors? If you have a special bridesmaid dress or a picky longhorn sister, how do you match your color? Trail and error? That seems too time consuming and waistfull. But am I missing an easier solution?

TIA!

11 replies
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Cakepro Posted 8 May 2009 , 5:14pm
post #2 of 12

Yeah, trial and error. You need to have a little knowledge of the color wheel.

UT orange is easy ~ Americolor orange plus just a drop or two of brown. Allow color to set for half an hour and then look at it. If it's too brown, add white icing and some more orange.

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Loucinda Posted 8 May 2009 , 5:42pm
post #3 of 12

I agree with CakePro.....a lot of trial and error. I have an advantage by having a daughter who is gifted in the visual arts, (she always will tell me what I need to add to get the color I am trying to do). I am also taking the color matching demo at ICES too - hoping that will help me figure it out easier. MIchaels sells the color wheels - not sure if that would help or not. Good luck!

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janebrophy Posted 8 May 2009 , 5:49pm
post #4 of 12

I need to take a colour matching demo!!! LOL!! Some days I can get them spot on, and other days, holy crackers, they turn out hideously!!!!

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indydebi Posted 8 May 2009 , 6:22pm
post #5 of 12

You tell them you cannot guarantee a perfectly matched color. Color in butter, shortening and sugar doesn't work the same as it does in a piece of satin. Color in icing will either darken overnight or fade (if there's red in it) and I can't predict how much darker or lighter it's going to get.

I've told brides, 'Darlin' don't worry about it .... no one but your mother in law will notice anyway!" icon_biggrin.gif (ok, once I said that and forgot that one of the ladies at the sampling appt was HER MOTHER IN LAW! icon_surprised.gif I just laughed and said, "We mother-in-laws get to be the bad guys ALL the time, don't we!" icon_redface.gif )

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janebrophy Posted 8 May 2009 , 8:13pm
post #6 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi


I've told brides, 'Darlin' don't worry about it .... no one but your mother in law will notice anyway!" icon_biggrin.gif (ok, once I said that and forgot that one of the ladies at the sampling appt was HER MOTHER IN LAW! icon_surprised.gif I just laughed and said, "We mother-in-laws get to be the bad guys ALL the time, don't we!" icon_redface.gif )




LMAO!!!

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ccordes Posted 9 May 2009 , 12:56am
post #7 of 12

I actually had the opposite problem as you last weekend. I was trying so hard to get just plain old orange, ended up with something a little to bright, added a little too much blue thinking it might tone it down and ended up with more of a burnt orange/basket ball color. So not what I was trying for and, on top of that, it was my first time using and coloring fondant!

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TexasSugar Posted 9 May 2009 , 2:57am
post #8 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

You tell them you cannot guarantee a perfectly matched color. Color in butter, shortening and sugar doesn't work the same as it does in a piece of satin. Color in icing will either darken overnight or fade (if there's red in it) and I can't predict how much darker or lighter it's going to get.




When I am asked to match some thing I totally say the same thing. I was asked to match colors on an invite once. Took me about an hour and I had at least 10 little bowls sitting around of colors that were not it. I did learn though, that you do it in smaller amounts so if you get it wrong or way off, you still have a big bowl of white icing to work with. You aren't trying to fix/change the whole bowl.

Last weekend I was doing a blue cake. When I asked what color blue they told me, a bright medium blue. Umm okay? Thankfully they followed it up with like the blue on the ROSS store sign.

While I like having an idea what they are expecting, I HATE matching colors. But if you tell them you will do your best to get it as close as possible but that you may not be able to totally match the color it takes some stress off you, and hopefully you have fewer bowls of icing to clean up.

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Rylan Posted 9 May 2009 , 5:32am
post #9 of 12

True trial an error. I hate hate hate coloring my fondant. Sometimes it takes me hours just to get the right color.

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Ariginal Posted 9 May 2009 , 5:41am
post #10 of 12

the other option which i have used, is match the colour with a paint shop sample chart and then you can find out what is used to make that colour... its worth a try otherwise unfortunately it is trial and error sorry..

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paula19 Posted 9 May 2009 , 9:55am
post #11 of 12

Trial and error, definitely. But IMO it does help to know the color wheel. It makes it easier to guess what colors you need to mix and it gets you closer to the color you want. Then you can keep trying if you're not getting the color. But I bet knowing the color wheel saves you a lot of trial and error icon_wink.gif Luckily I took art classes for several years lol.

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Evoir Posted 9 May 2009 , 10:18am
post #12 of 12

After many, many years of tinting paints in a hardware store, I have (luckily!) ended up with a reproducible ability to tint fondants and icings icon_smile.gif

So, I will echo Ariginal's post and say it is a great way to understand what makes up diffeent shades and colours!

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