Solid colors are out of the ordinary in nature. With that in mind, use a mixture of colors when you apply dust color to a gum paste flower. If used correctly, dusting powders can be a very sophisticated alternative to airbrushing.

First select the overall tone you wish to apply to the pre-made gum paste flower. You will then want to apply your base color over a majority of the flower. You can use a brush or foam wedge for this process. It’s not necessary to cover the entire flower with the base color; uncolored spots will give the gum paste flower a natural appearance.

Adding accents to the flower is the tricky part. Color the base or center of the flower with the darkest dusting powder using a more detail-oriented tool, such as a cotton swab. In addition, use the dark-toned dusting powder to highlight the edges of each petal. Remember, it does not have to be perfect if you are working towards a natural appearance.

As a finishing touch, add a shimmer dust to the completed flower.