Hi, Aixa! It is so wonderful to have you here and to finally chat with you myself, rather than going back and forth on email as we usually do! Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and talents with us here today!

Good morning, Julia, from the sunny and warm Spain. Thank you very much! I’m really happy to be here! Haha, yes, live chats are definitely more exciting than emails! I'm looking forward to chatting with everyone.

Hello as well to everyone else here today! Thanks for participating and making these chats such a productive forum. They wouldn't be without all of your great questions, so please be fearless about jumping in!

Before we jump into Q&A, just a few housekeeping notes for newbies to our chats: questions are answered in the order received, but they will not post to the public/viewable area of the chat until Aixa reads and answers them. We'll work through questions that were logged in advance first; then start working on questions asked live during the chat. That said, please be patient and do not re-post the same question. It may take some time to answer your question, depending on where it sits in the queue. But I will personally make sure every question gets answered before we're through!

Hi, Manu and GingerbreadGrandma! Welcome!

I just love your painted cookies; they are so beautiful! But no matter how hard I try, my colors just don't behave. I mainly have two (2) problems with painting on cookies. 1. When I mix gel colors with powder colors, as you explain in one of your tutorials, they separate within seconds. I never have a uniform consistency, which also shows on the cookie. 2. Even if I thin the colors to almost water consistency, they dry so quickly that I have only seconds to blend two colors together (at the same time they need ages to be dry enough to be packed . . . weird). Do you have any idea what I am doing wrong?

Hi LAEGWEN! Thanks I’m happy to know you like my handpainted cookies!  Regarding mixing colors (gel+powder) . . . well, to tell the truth, sometimes I have the same problem - they separate quickly. To avoid this, I hydrate with vodka, one colour at time, and mix them well before starting to paint. While you are painting, it’s a very common thing to see them separated in the palette, especially when you are using vodka to achieve the pasty (aka paste-like) consistency I always mention in my handpainting tutorials. I have noticed that some brands dry faster mixed with vodka and let you easily achieve the pasty consistency. That’s why most of the time I choose Rainbow Dust color or Sugarflair powdered color. In any case, keep in mind that the pasty consistency normally dries slower than water consistency (which you shouldn’t use to handpaint on royal icing).

Aixa - I'm not understanding your comment about "the pasty consistency normally dries slower than water consistency". Wouldn't food coloring blended with alcohol dry faster than the same food coloring blended with water, as the alcohol is faster to evaporate? Can you clarify what you mean by this? Thanks!

Hi!

Hi Manu! <3

Julia, I think I didn’t understand well when Laegwen said "water consistency". I thought she was talking about a very liquid consistency achieved with vodka or alcohol. Therefore, in response to your question, yes, food coloring blended with alcohol will dry faster than the same food coloring blended with water.

Hi, Mary H and carouselelsel. The chat as started and we are onto live questions already, so if you have any please post them! Thanks!

as = has

Sorry, new computer and I am just getting used to it!

Hi, Adriana Lora and SnSn!

Waiting for questions from you all! Please ask away - I only moderate these chats!

Hi, so happy I can attend the chat

Hi CAROUSELSELSEL! I'm happy to see you here! <3

Okay, so I will ask some questions while we wait to hear from the group.

Hola Adriana Lora! <3 Un placer verte aqui :*

You are a great handpainter, but handpainting can be intimidating to beginners. What are your top three tips for helping people get started with handpainting?

Un regalo tener a Aixa con nosotros!

In order to start hand painting on cookies it’s very important not to give up easily, to take time to assimilate all you have you been learning before, and enjoying decorating cookies (that’s the key!). In the end, it comes down to: passion, (tons of) patience, perseverance, and a good dose of practice and enjoyment!

It is a gift. I hope people take advantage of the opportunity by posting questions. Everyone knows how to do this, I hope . . . just scroll to the bottom and enter comments in the Post box that is there; then hit the blue "Post" button.

Hi! Handpainting is where I want to concentrate.... yes please share any/all tips!!

Ok, thanks - but can you provide some technical tips.

Un regalo tener a Aixa con nosotros!

Yes, Adriana - we received that comment already. It is a gift. Please note that comments go into a moderation queue, so it can take a few minutes for them to post. There is no need to enter them twice. Thanks!

Hi Maryh! Well first of all, is very important the consistency, you know I'm always talking about the pasty consistency. Next tip, could be paintbrushes, they must be hight quality ones

I am so happy to be here today.Hello to everyone. Having tried painting it also takes a good deal of natural talent. Like yours.

What makes for a high quality paintbrush? And what types of brushes do you use for certain tasks.

Hi Tina! Love to see you here! hahaha thanks! yes! it's a little help, but you know...I tell you a little secret (shhh ) I don't have any artistic study

Julia, I use to use Sable hair brushes and high quality synthetics (nylon)

You do have natural talent. That means more sometimes then studying.

And what types of brushes for different tasks? Liners? Round brushes, etc. When do you use each?

Tina, well to telll the truth I love learning

Julia, to big areas I use to use round synthetic brushes. For samll areas or make delicate lines sable ones

for*

Have you compared painting on RI versus Glaze?

I found very interesting the tip and the pic of paintbrushes you posted on one of your tutorial. A good paint brush is also the key for a good outcome

Maryth, waht is exactly glaze? here in spain we use royal icing and I'm not sure what it is...

Glaze is basically confectioners' icing - powdered sugar with water or some other liquid, sometimes with the addition of corn syrup.

It typically dries softer than royal icing, especially if there is corn syrup in it.

Thanks for the clarification Julia!

Questions, anyone? There must be!

So, in response to Maryth, I always use royal icing so I can compare them , sorry. Anyway, I guess is better RI since it dries harder than glaze

No egg whites in it, which is why it dries more slowly and spreads more than royal icing as well.

Back to paintbrush here's is the link: http://cookieconnection.juliau...dpainted-rose-cookie

Hi Manu, yes of course, a good paintbrush is very very helpful to achieve a good result

Thanks, Manu! I knew we had that link somewhere!

Where can we find your tutorials?

you can find my tutorials i english on Cookie Connection (of course! and also on my blos www.dolcesentire.com (in spanish only)

Mary H - You can find those she writes for Cookie Connection under the Blog section on this site, under the Blog Collection, "Get Inspired Tutorials": http://cookieconnection.juliau...t-inspired-tutorials

He pintado algunas galletas, pero el color no queda bien. Uso Wilton. Uso vodka, la glasa como que no agarra bien el color y se ven algunos puntos de pintura en ella.

Manu, yes I see this picture, There you can find all the types of paintbrushes I use on my cookies

Adriana, has probado a usar colorantes en polvo en vez de los de Wilton?

I am translating the above question to English for those of us (me) who don't understand Spanish. Please translate your questions to English before posting, please. Google Translate is great for that.

Dolce, please also answer in English.

Ok, Julia

So, this is roughly what Adriana said: I painted some cookies , but the color is not good. Wilton use . vodka use, not glasa as well grab the color and paint some points in it are .

Dolce, can you please tell us how you answered her in English (i.e., translate your comment above)? Thank you!

excellent! thanks!

Aixa, I love your tutorials here on CC, they are always very clear and it is a pleasure to follow them. There is always something new to learn. The sewing machine is one of the first on my "to do list". I like your style, what is your source of inspiration?

Adriana, porfi, prueba a traducir las preguntas en ingles (con Google Traductor), asi podremos entendernos todas

This is how Dolce answered Adriana's question about her trouble with Wilton colors: Adriana , you tried to use powder dyes instead of Wilton ?

Yes, everyone, PLEASE enter questions in English - it is too much for me to translate questions AND moderate the comments coming in. Thank you.

Thank you Many! Hearing this kind words is always very gratifying! well yu know...Everything can be a source of inspiration for a cookier! A beautiful shirt, the wallpaper of your living room, this old cameo...everything!

Aixa, Cuales son las mejores pinturas para pintar la glasa? Translation: Aixa, are the best paints to paint the glaze?

Manu- Moreover, in order to be a little more pragmatic I ususally search inspiration in the Internet or Pinterest

Aqui en México hay varias marcas de matizadores en polvo, ya he probado pero no quenadan Rough translation: Here in Mexico there are several brands of powdered matting, I've had but not quenadan (tried?)

Adriana- I love Rainbow Dust and Sugarflai powdered colors

Sugarflai = Sugarflair

Can you make royal icing with a sugar substitute, for those who can't have sugar

Julia- haha yes! sorry, I'm eating some letters!

Adriana - Please post your questions and comments in English; it is too much for me to translate them and manage the chat. Thanks!

Adriana - Please post your questions and comments in English; it is too much for me to translate them and manage the chat. Thanks!

Hello Aixa, just to say Hi and how much I admire you and your work. It was so nice meeting you last month with the other girls.

Mommab- well, I don't use to make RI with any substitute, even I don't use sugar processed. I achieve better results only using a very very fine icing sugar, for example I love Tate n' Lyle brand

I love all of your cookies, but I particularly like the ones you use stamps on. You do such a great job! I got myself some stamps recently and before I try them I wanted to ask you is there anything special I have to know/do before that? Any special tips from your experience for flawless results?

Thanks

Hello The Cookie Lab- Marta Love having you here! Oh thanks! you know how I admire you as well, You are a big reference for me! When will be our next meet?

CAROUSELSELSEL- Thanks!!!I love rubber stamps! what's your question?

She wanted to know if there was anything special she should know to ensure flawless results with stamps? You can see previously posted questions by just scrolling up.

No quedan bien con matizadores. Aqui no hay pinturas en polvo. Rough translation: Not fit with matting. (??) Here there is no powder paints.

Thanks, Julia!

CAROUSELSELSEL- yes the most important thing is choose the way you will ink your stamps. If they are samll, you can use your edible markers perfectly. if they are bigger, is better for you to use a sponge, dubber or paintbrush. Try to read first this tutorial I made some time ago :https://cookieconnection.juliausher.com/blog/get-inspired-with-dolce-sentire-vintage-sunflower-postcard

Why "Dolce Sentire"? I always ask about names, because it helps me to know more about the cookier.

Adriana- this kind of color don't work well

Manu- Dolce Sentire is the name of a very popular italian song. When I lived in Sardinia I use to sing in a church chorus when I learn this song. Is very sweet

@carouselelsel - My two cents on stamping: I love to use uninked stamp pads and to saturate them with food coloring; then blot off the excess coloring before stamping. This ensures even coverage every time. I also find that natural rubber (the reddish brown stamps) always take well to food coloring. Some of the clear ones repel it, causing the food coloring to bead up and the imprint not to be as crisp.

Nice story!

More questions, anyone?

Julia- haha yes!

If there are no more questions, then we can close the chat early, as I am sure Aixa has some cookie decorating (or relaxing) to do!

Last call for questions!

Thank you, Aixa! Thank you, Julia for the clarification!

Ok, then, well thank you ever so much to Aixa for being with us today and for contributing to our site in such a wonderful way each month!

Thank you to those who participated as well! Have a great weekend!

Thank you! Great info - and thanks Julia for everything!

Thank you so much Julia, and everyone who hass joined us today. This was such a nice chat! Sweet hugs to you all

Closing the chat now! Thanks again!