My biggest fear when I first went into the business of cake decorating was making fondant toppers.  For one reason, I really suck at sculpting.  However, in this business you have to go in the direction the client takes you.  Most of my recent orders have involved (you guessed it) fondant figurines!   Facing this fear has forced me to spend untold amount of hours on the internet trying to learn as much as I can about the the topper I'm making for that project.    I see images of fondant figurines on the web and they always look clean and smooth while I sit there longing to be able to get that kind result.  Although, I believe I have improved--at least by my standards--I still face one challenge.   Whenever I roll the fondant into the shape I want and set it to dry (with lots of tylose) it ALWAYS settles!  I end up with a distorted shape even though I place it in a receptacle with a similar shape.  Then when I try to reshape it I get elephant skins or cracks.  I've used different fondants from very expensive to homemade, they all do the same thing.   How do I keep my original shape while the fondant is drying.  

A2 t tylose to one pound fondant, right? Do you live by the beach?

I think I used more than 2 t to about one cup! LOL  I live in NYC where the weather is different almost everyday.  Yesterday was dry, today is rainy.   But this happens regardless of the weather.  

I'd need to see an example of what you're talking about to properly help. Things do have to be supported in certain ways. Some things are best not done all at once.  For example, if I'm making a person, I wait at least several hours before putting the head on.

Some fondants might be too soft to start out with and not be good candidates for this, not sure.

I used MMF+tylose exclusively until recently when I switched to straight Wilton for figures & accessory pieces (Thanks to Lesley Wright from The Royal Bakery)...NO tylose needed!

Well, I've used satin ice with tylose exclusively for about 4 years and it works perfectly for me. Maybe you got a bad batch or didn't adjust your technique to a different medium. If you were used to working in straight fondant, that's a very different kind of thing.

That's good advice about starting from a ball.

I experimented with it...warming, not warming, tylose , no tylose, coloring etc.

The entire quantity was for me to play with and see if I liked it and could work with it...I couldn't.

Everything I did eventually led to dry elephant skin...
You don't ever get that? If so, do you have a remedy?

I had always read about that issue but wasn't sure if I actually knew what people were talking about...no one ever posted a picture...did it actually look like an elephant's skin??

Once I experimented, I was like ohhhhh now I know what they all meant.

I think they are usually referring to covering cakes with Satin Ice. I assume when this happens they aren't working fast enough.

All I can think of is to knead it well first and make sure you store it properly. I find working in this medium a dream. I originally used true gum paste which I find to be much more difficult because it dries out really fast. Speaking of fast. I do work fast. Making fondant figures isn't fun for me - I just want to get them done.

LOL...I work like a turtle so it's great that I don't have customers...I'd be screwed!

Agree about gumpaste!

AIf you like to work slowly and don't live somewhere really hot, you may prefer MC.

Some things have to dry in a position where gravity won't effect the shape for a day or so before standing up onto legs, for example.