Sept 13
If you, like this reviewer, have tried to paint using food coloring you will know that the results are not the same as painting on paper or fabric. If this effect is what you are trying to achieve it can be disappointing, but no longer. TV personality and all-round craftswoman Stephanie Weightman has discovered how to make real paints that you can use to decorate cakes in exactly the same way you use acrylics! Here's how it is done. You don't even need to buy a lot of new items to do it with which is always heartening. These are not paints you buy to add to what you already own, but ones you mix yourself using powder food colors and a couple of other things, then apply with bristle brushes. This is not a recipe book so you will have to look elsewhere for recipes for cakes, sugarpastes, frosting etc but this leaves more room for the lovely projects. Start by learning how to flat ice and otherwise provide a flat surface for painting on, and then practisepractice your brush strokes to paint leaves, petals and berries. There are several types of cake in here ranging from the ever-popular cupcakes to round cakes (mostly 10), a heart shaped cake and various tiered examples, including two unusual and very effective wedding cakes. Flowers range from lavender, a sunflower, roses, pansies, lilies plus dragonflies and three-dimensional butterflies. Each project is illustrated with a large photograph of the finished piece, plus steps with smaller photographs showing how it is done. This is a lovely and hands-on book that is sure to make painters and sugarcrafters alike race to the nearest kitchen to have a go.
* Myshelf.com *
Oct 13
Painted cakes are very much on trend at the moment and Stephanie Weightman's colourful, layered designs represent a different style to the usual folk art painting. She maintains that all you need is some creativity and an open mind in order to become proficient at this technique, which involves building up colour on a brush and applying it in a single sweep. Each project illustrates a certain technique and type of flower which can then be applied to cakes, cupcakes and cookies.
* Wedding Cakes *
Nov 13
Decorative painter Weightman (Decorative Painting; Stencilling on Cakes) here introduces readers to a unique technique for decorating cakes that she developed, which borrows heavily from acrylic painting and makes use of paintbrushes to apply edible food colors onto icing and other sugary surfaces. Readers need not have prior cake-decorating experience to try their hand at these projects; copious close-up photos detailing the process step-by-step will make this book accessible and easy to follow, even for beginners. VERDICT Good crossover potential among fans of art instruction, cooking, and crafts.
* Library Journal, USA *
