Wednesday 6 April 2011

How to paint a Spring cake

I often get asked how I paint my cakes.  So I thought, for this post, rather than just a picture of a finished cake I would show you a little of the process. That makes it sound rather grand when actually all it involves is me sitting and painting. (But incase you are curious I've included the finished cakes too.)


 I recently had two separate orders for Spring cakes.  You can see the original here.


I used The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady as my reference, you can see it just next to the cake.  I paint freehand. For this flower I just placed a light colour where I thought the flowers should be.  With plants it is easy to make a stem a bit longer or to add a leaf if it doesn't look quite right.


I use paste colours and sometimes powder colours, and I use boiled water, although you can use vodka.
I sometimes paint a rough out line of the object, this is helpful for birds as you want them to look correct.


I paint the lighter colours first adding three or four darker tones on top.  When you paint on fondant as opposed to paper it is harder to make tones by adding washes, you need to add darker colours to get the same effect.  You can see here that I wash away any guide lines that are excessive.


I hope in the future to write some blog posts with tutorials for you to try at home, but I would love to see pictures of any painted cakes you have already done.  Leave a link in the comments below.


xxx

26 comments:

  1. This is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen! I can't believe you can make that!
    Wow! I would feel sorry to eat it :)

    xx Viola

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  2. your paint is like heaven! i adore it, is so gentle, lovely... I try some painting on fondant too, i like it and I will certainly try it more. Here is my work: http://www.cccriscake.com/2011/03/top-gear.html , http://www.cccriscake.com/2011/01/for-lady-who-loves-green-colour-and.html , http://www.cccriscake.com/2010/11/sexy-world-of-warcraft.html , http://www.cccriscake.com/2010/05/primul-tort-pictat.html (This is a copy of a painting from high school). Thanks for watching!

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  3. Beautiful paintings :) If I received a cake decorated that brilliantly I wouldn't want to cut into it!

    :)

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  4. Your cakes are fabulous - would love to have a go - maybe one day.... I can't believe people eat the cake - they are so special I would want to keep mine forever!

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  5. Wow - I've never seen anything like this - painting on cakes. You make it all sound so easy too. Bet it isn't though.

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  6. After always admiring your work, I decided to have a go at hand painting some cookies myself. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=195090343863677&set=a.180952471944131.39851.178478105524901 I need a lot of practice but was happy with the end result.
    Can't to see some more tutorials!

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  7. This cake is really lovely. You're an artist. It's a grat job.
    Hugs!

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  8. Thanks for this post. I love your cakes.
    I´ve only painted two cakes so far. On the first one I wanted a black over white look, but it definitely needed more shadows and grayish tones... The second one is my first attempt on the "brush embroidery" technique, which I really liked!! (The technique, not so much my final result, I'll just keep on trying!)
    http://mentapanqueteria.tumblr.com/post/4399134070/pasteles-pintados-menta-panqueteria
    Greetings from Mexico :D

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  9. Your work is always so beautiful and refreshing...I am a big fan :)

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  10. So beautiful! You are truly an artist. Sorry I have no painted cakes to share:)

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  11. Thanks Natasha for this post. Your work is wonderful, so inspirational and I look forward to seeing your tutorials.

    Donatella

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  12. Natasha, I am always so happy to see a new photo from you on flickr; it really cheers up the day! I feel like your work is so charming and so British. I'm going to be in London for the first time next month, so I'll see if the storybook vision I have of England has any reality outside of your kitchen! I was painting on cakes for a while, then stopped; your work might encourage me to give it a go again. Here's a link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/babushkabakery/2891395680/in/set-72157604401719189/ and another;http://www.flickr.com/photos/babushkabakery/2890561259/in/set-72157604401719189/ Thanks!

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  13. Gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing your process.

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  14. Harika görünüyor.Ellerinize sağlık.

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  15. This is incredible! What a talented lady you are!

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  16. You are my ispiration behind the cake entered into a national competition. I won second in my division and was so hoping to take lessons or study tutorials from you in the future so I can improve. I am not a painter so I need help and lots of practice so thanks so much for adding tutorials to your website. I am thrilled. Here is the link.

    http://mybuttercream.blogspot.com/search/label/National%20Capital%20Area%20Cake%20Show%202011

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  17. Hi a little while ago but I painted a coat of arms on a cake http://mrsmulfordscakes.blogspot.com/p/past-cakes.html

    I really like your 'people' painting too on the cakes and cookies that is !

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  18. Gorgeous cake! I love the two birds, so perfect for Spring.
    Cristina @ Positively Beauty

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  19. I think it would be amazing if you did a stop animation short film of you decorating one of your wonderful cakes. What tune would you choose for the background music?

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  20. I love your site and your cakes! I've been an admirer for a while now :)

    Here's a link to a cake I painted, just this week: http://bittersweetlane-cherish.blogspot.com/2011/04/painted-cakes.html

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  21. Sigh. Just beautiful. Would love to see a tutorial also.

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  22. Лястовичката е прекрасна,докато и се радвах ми се струваше че ще отлетии :))

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  23. I love your work, so inspirational.

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  24. Hi, I tried painting a cake for the first time, and someone told me to use lemon juice if I make a mistake. I tried it with a tissue and a cotton bud (q-tip?) but it just smudged it around. Do you have any recommendations for erasing mistakes? X

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  25. Hi, I love your very pretty painted cakes. I have painted on cakes many times. Here are some examples, let me know of you like them.
    I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
    Gabriella xx

    http://www.facebook.com/sweetpassionaustralia#!/photo.php?fbid=373463906056267&set=a.373463889389602.80461.107830795952914&type=1&theater

    http://www.facebook.com/sweetpassionaustralia#!/photo.php?fbid=371955649540426&set=a.371955442873780.80009.107830795952914&type=1&theater

    http://www.facebook.com/sweetpassionaustralia#!/photo.php?fbid=335228033213188&set=a.110301409039186.9344.107830795952914&type=1&theater

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