Help! My Figurines Just Can't Sit Straight Without Sinking...

Decorating By lidanna Updated 11 Feb 2013 , 7:41pm by Sparked Ideas

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lidanna Posted 11 Feb 2013 , 8:53am
post #1 of 4

Hi cakecentral.com members, I'm a newbie in cakecentral.com.

I'm just learning how to create things out of fondant or gumpaste or fondant+tylose powder.

Which one would you guys prefer to make people sitting straight?

My people figurines just can't sit straight, it kind of sinking a bit by bit everday, like when I make a man sitting, his tummy will get fat by the day after (i use fondant+tylose).

Any tips how to make my figurine stay the same shape and hard for a few days?

 

I'm also having trouble to make clothes for woman figure (for man I just use the colored fondant as the body & t-shirt). How to attach lady's dress or blouse to the body without joining lines? or anybody had pictures of their figurine front, side & back with clothes?

 

One more question, which one would you prefer, making the parts first, let it dry then attach it. Or attach while making together at the same time? I'm having a hard time glued parts (arms, legs, etc.), I use water for the glue, but sometimes it won't stick without pressing it down (without distorting the parts).

 

Thank you for your advice, looking forward for answers icon_biggrin.gif

3 replies
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lidanna Posted 11 Feb 2013 , 9:01am
post #2 of 4

One more thing, when I try to make the head, I decorate it with nose, ears, eyes. And when I finished the back of the head is flat because I put the fondant tylose on my palm and sometimes on flat surface. What should I do to make it round and nice like a normal head would look like?

 

Thank you...

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Dayti Posted 11 Feb 2013 , 4:13pm
post #3 of 4

I use fondant mixed with tylose for all my modelling (1/2 tsp per 250g fondant). Are you making your figurines with a skewer or a toothpick or a piece of spaghetti in? This will help keep your bodies sitting up straight, especially if you stick the bottom of the skewer in a foam dummy. If your fondant feels soft, just add in some more tylose. For clothes, it's hard to make them without seams (just like real clothes!). Roll your fondant/tylose mix really thin for clothes, but mostly just practice is what makes perfect.

 

Make a glue from some of your tylose powder mixed with water. It will be lumpy the day you make it but the next it will be fine. You should store it in the fridge so it doesn't go moldy. Egg white is also a good glue, as is white alcohol such as vodka.

 

I find adding arms easier when the body is dryish but the arms are still soft, in case I need to bend them into a better shape. For standing figures I make sure the legs are dry before adding the body so they legs don't squash under the weight. I add the head to the body when both of them are dry.

 

When you are working on the head, sit it in a small bowl full of cornstarch or regular flour with plastic wrap over the powder (so the head doesn't get floury). This will help keep it's shape.

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Sparked Ideas Posted 11 Feb 2013 , 7:41pm
post #4 of 4

I'm a bit new to this world like you but have some advice for what to use as  glue. I like to use 1/4 cup powdered sugar plus 1/4 Teaspoon of water. If it's too dry, then slowly add a drop or two of water but be careful because it becomes runny very fast. You want a consistency just like Elmer's glue. It works the same way - apply it to your arm say, let it sit and dry a little bit before attaching it to the body, hold in place for a few seconds. Try not to let the glue go beyond the edges of your pieces because it will show when it's dry. But, you can scrape it off with a little water, a toothpick, a damp tissue, or whatever works best in your situation.
 

Sparked Ideas

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