Get Inspired with Dolce Sentire: Handpainted Fabric

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Before we leap into another one of Aixa's wonderful tutorials, I wanted to announce that Aixa will be joining Cookie Connection as a regular contributor, as of this post! Her recent painting tutorials have been so exceptional that I had no choice but to twist her arm to come on board!  She'll be posting under our previous Get Inspired series, vacated not long ago by Pamoda Vanderwert, but she'll be posting in her very own uniquely Dolce Sentire-way! Anyway, I'm beyond thrilled to be making this announcement, as I know we're all going to learn tremendously from Aixa's now monthly contributions. Please say congrats to Cookie Connection's latest and finest! ~JMU]

My first days of school seem like only yesterday. Every August of my childhood as I was about to begin my next year of primary school, it was always the same story: like clockwork, my mum would take me to shop for new dresses.

I don’t completely understand the reasons for this ritual, but I guess I was kind of like Hulk’s daughter! I was growing up so quickly that my old clothes were always way too small and in rags!

Shopping always started the same way too - with mum urging me to make a reasonable choice: "Please, no, not the most ridiculous and colorful dress in the entire shop, and not combined with a pair of shoes that are way too big for you!"

And, of course, she wanted all that without my usual frequent tantrums. Poor mother! (I love her. )

Unfortunately (for her), her likes weren’t mine! But, unfortunately (for me), she was paying . . .

Now, although she isn't too pleased, I get to choose and buy my own flashy pink dresses, whenever I want. And I get to paint them on cookies!

• Cookie flooded with white royal icing
• An illustration (For this cookie, I used an original illustration by Mo Manning, found here on her Facebook fan page.)
• Parchment paper and non-toxic pencil, for transferring image
• Palette and assorted gel colors, dusting powders, and edible markers (See images below.)
• Paint brushes (See my favourites here.)
• Vodka, alcohol rejuvenator spirit (such as this brand), or alcohol-based extract
  
  

 
Original illustration by Mo Manning

Colors: 
My color formulas and brands are indicated below.

• Rainbow Dust Coffee
• Rainbow Dust Chocolate
• Rainbow Dust Jet Black

• You must first decide where the light source is coming from and then leave that side lighter. The other side of the fabric should be darker.
• You should paint light to dark, in order to create volume.
• The more you smooth and blend colors, the more realistic your fabric will look.

2. Please, repeat this basic mantra: “I will always color draped fabric along the wrinkles.” This approach helps to accent the layers of the clothes, and creates movement and a realistic effect. I think you'll see what I mean as we get further into the tutorial!

Okay, now that you know the essentials of this technique, you're ready to begin by putting the colors on the palette and mixing each with two to three drops of vodka (or other alcohol-based medium).

Done with that?!

Let’s move forward!

Step 1: Start by tracing the illustration on the cookie flooded with white icing. (Remember: The icing should be completely dry, and you can find the paper transfer technique in my previous handpainted rose tutorial.)

Step 2: Then base-coat the dress with the lightest tone of pink (image 2, color a).

Step 3: Once you've finished the base-coating, apply the colors in increasing darkness. When painting with darker colors, you should apply them in feathered brush strokes from the edges of the dress toward the middle, along the "wrinkle lines" of the clothes. That said, apply a layer of the mid-tone color (image 3, color b). But be careful, because the parts of the dress where there are no pleats/wrinkles must remain the lightest shade.

Step 4: Do the same with the next darkest color (image 4, color c) and lightly go back over with color b in order to blend toward the lighter shade of pink (color a).

Step 5: Go back once again and darken all of the shadows between wrinkles (image 5, color d). This approach helps to create a 3-D look.

Step 6: Add pale blue (color g) to the background. Complete your project by painting/coloring the little doll’s face, arms, and legs (with colors e and f); hair (with Jet Black edible marker); shoes and dress sash (with color d); and basket (with Chocolate and Coffee edible markers).

Finally, add delicate dark borders with a fine brush (image 6, color h) or black edible marker, and tiny fuchsia roses to the doll's hair and dress bodice. (The roses can be piped with thick royal icing or modeled with fondant. Your choice!)

Quick photo recap:

Okay, now our girl is ready to grab her last huge vanilla ice cream of the summer and go back to cookie school once again! And you? 

Cookie and photo credits: Aixa Zunino

Aixa Zunino is the soul of Dolce Sentire, a virtual corner of sweetness and creativity dedicated to cookie decorating. On her site, this garden engineer, self-taught decorator, and lover of flowers and animals lets her imagination fly, sharing everything she has learned since discovering the world of cookies in early 2012. She combines this activity with courses around Spain (her current home) where she teaches all the secrets to getting dreamy cookies. Meet her on Facebook or her website, and email her your cookie decorating questions or concerns at dolcesentiredolci@gmail.com.

Photo credit:  Aixa Zunino

Note: Get Inspired with Dolce Sentire is a monthly Cookie Connection blog feature written by Aixa Zunino, which, through eye-catching imagery and detailed step-by-step instructions, proves: if you can dream it, you can cookie it! Its content expresses the views of the author and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. To catch up on all of Aixa's past posts, click here.