I am planning a cake for a family reunion that I would like to have my two uncles standing on the top....but any pictures I see only show people sitting, unless it is a bride and she is wearing a dress. Any ideas on how to get a figure of a man (in pants) standing?
I don't know how big or thick your figures are but, you could put a bamboo skewer stick up through the figure (up through foot/leg) and use the end to stick into the cake. Just a suggestion, I think I saw something like this on a cake show. I've never tried it but that's how I would do it.
I haven't made any fondant figures but I'd imagine that if I had to make one I would insert a skewer into the figure from the bottom and leave it to dry. That should hold it up
I have used skewers, but you could use toothpicks, or even maybe small, teeny dowel rods? Just be sure to let folks know they are there!! 
I make a lot of standing figures... The key to making them stand successfully (IMHO and works best for me) is to make them on a separate topper and then secure the topper to the cake itself. When making standing figures, work with the legs first. I craft the legs and then run a cocktail stick through each one so that the pointed tip comes out at the bottom of the foot and leaving some exposed stick jutting up through the thigh area (sounds painful.) I then pose my feet and legs how I want them and insert them into styrofoam to dry. Next, I work the torso and insert it into the exposed upper thigh sticks. Arms, neck, head come last with each being allowed to dry in between. The torso gets a central support system as well which is also how the neck is secured.
Here are some of my standing figures:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1374694
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1344548
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1225274
Hope that gives you some help!
edited to add to remember to make them from 50/50 gumpaste and fondant or you will have issues with sagging uncles! 
Win - I appreciate the step-by-step! Before I found your post, I was trying to make a standing figure on my own and pretty much had the right idea, but I was having trouble with my legs sliding down the bamboo skewer, particularly when I pushed them into the torso or put the slightest bit of downward pressure on them.
Do you have any handy tips that would help? For example, do you also use a little water between the joints to hold the figure together and help the surfaces stick? I tried this, but it didn't really do the trick ...
In the end, it wasn't a complete disaster; I just had my figure sit instead of stand. 
But I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong!
Thanks!
[quote="karicroop"]Win - I appreciate the step-by-step! Before I found your post, I was trying to make a standing figure on my own and pretty much had the right idea, but I was having trouble with my legs sliding down the bamboo skewer, particularly when I pushed them into the torso or put the slightest bit of downward pressure on them.
Do you have any handy tips that would help? For example, do you also use a little water between the joints to hold the figure together and help the surfaces stick? I tried this, but it didn't really do the trick ...
In the end, it wasn't a complete disaster; I just had my figure sit instead of stand. But I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong!
Thanks
Blessings,
Win
Wow, Win, that is great info! I love doing figures but always do them sitting because I didn't know how to make them stand. Thanks so much for the instructions!!
I definitely must save this thread. I have not made standing figures yet. Thanks Win!
I have only made one standing figure but not a person and I used a wire and a bamboo skewer through one leg for support. But then, the legs were thicker because I made the kung fu panda. I also let the legs dry before I added too much weight on the figure. The reason I tried with the skewer is because I saw the decorators at Charmcity Cake (on the Food Networks Ace of Cake) put a toothpick-like stick through one leg (that also gets inserted in the cake later on).
I use 1/16th metal rods from the hardware department. By using the rods I can bend them if I wish & yet they are very strong. I always leave legs to dry before attaching them to the body, I leave a bit of rod sticking out at the top to insert into the body part, also leave a bit sticking out at the bottom to attach a shoe or foot. I always dip the rod in vodka before inserting it. I am not very good at explaining how I do things but I hope this helps.
I use 1/16th metal rods from the hardware department. By using the rods I can bend them if I wish & yet they are very strong. I always leave legs to dry before attaching them to the body, I leave a bit of rod sticking out at the top to insert into the body part, also leave a bit sticking out at the bottom to attach a shoe or foot. I always dip the rod in vodka before inserting it. I am not very good at explaining how I do things but I hope this helps.
This is a sure-fire method of stability, but I try to stay away from metal if at all possible... it's the same rules for sticking wire into cake --you run the risk of allowing lead to contaminate the edible materials. I have yet to see someone NOT eat part of a figure. It never fails, someone (and it's usually a child) wants to bite the head off. For that reason, I stay away from metal products in figures if at all possible.
win, thanks for all the info. I was asked to make an Elvis Presley figure and my question is when do you put the clothes on the figures? Is it hard to make pants?
nancysmom, I don't put pants on a person in the traditional sense. The legs are the pants. Here is a recent example:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1479913&sub=1479916
When I started this figure, the "pants" (legs) were what I started first. Once I craft the pants, I hollow out a bit at the bottom with a ball tool. This is when I insert the cocktail stick and allow it to stick out at the bottom about 3/4". I then craft a tiny ankle and foot/shoe to insert into the hollowed out area. I arrange the foot as to how I want the figure to stand, then I place the leg down over it into the styrofoam. This secures the leg in an upright position to dry as well as sets up the stability for display later as the cocktail stick has protruded into the styrofoam about 1/2".
HTH!
I make figures all the time that stand up, every one of them has a soft wire armature inside. I know I know "thats not edible" but people wire flowers all the time. and anyway... Is anyone going to go king kong on your uncles and chew into them with no regard?? I doubt it! After making something like that you'd probably prefer to keep em anyway??
My armatures look like stick figures with one long leg (to stick into the cake)
Hope that helps
MIKE
I make figures all the time that stand up, every one of them has a soft wire armature inside. I know I know "thats not edible" but people wire flowers all the time. and anyway... Is anyone going to go king kong on your uncles and chew into them with no regard?? I doubt it! After making something like that you'd probably prefer to keep em anyway??
My armatures look like stick figures with one long leg (to stick into the cake)
Hope that helps
MIKE
Wire flowers, yes, but it is a big NO NO to stick the wires into cake/edible portions. Researching the forums here will come up with multiple discussions as to alternatives. Yes, I have had many uncles "king konged" and chewed on with no regard. It seems to be the nature of the beast, one wants to immediately bite the head off of a figure. I cracked up on the "Lost" episode of Charm City Cakes when multiple actors wanted to bite their likeness in half.
Edited to add: Welcome to CC, Mike. Your work is beautiful.
thanks for the information ladies.. I usually use a tooth pick or Spaghetti noodle for animals etc.. have not attempted a person as yet so this will be a great help. Thanks 
Hi Win,
Thank you for your helpful information! How do you attach the arms when the figurine is wearing a short sleeve shirt? Thanks!
Just wanted to say thanks for this thread! I'm about to attempt a figure and really found this so helpful in the structure
I have 2 figures to make for an October wedding: a chili pepper and a hammer. I've watched a couple youtube videos where they use lollipop sticks and some tylose added to the fondant to strengthen it and quicken the drying time. For me, and what I have to make, any other medium that I'm more used to, like modeling chocolate would have been too heavy. so I'm going with the fondant. regarding the poster who said to make the figure in a platform type thing to rest on the cake, that sounds ideal (especially for saving figurines) but how thick would the base be? I'm planning on 2+ inches of lollipop stick exposed to insert in cake. is that the wrong approach?
I need help.
Im doing a cake to do with minecraft and frozen, I've made some minecraft figures for the first time and I want them to stand up on the board. What can I use to make them stand up and my other bit of trouble is, is that the fondant haven't hardened. I haven't put anything in the fondant and it's not modelling fondant, it's just normal.
please can someone help.
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