# airbrushing with luster dust



## rv1129 (Aug 21, 2007)

to airbrush with luster dust i've been told to mix it with alcohol, but i've also been told that the luster dust doesn't come through all the way when airbrushing and that it's a nightmare to clean out the airbrush because of it...help! is there a certain type of alcohol that i need to use to get the gold color on...when done for a competition it can't be all hand painted that would take forever...when filigrees are piped on a fondant cake what type of icing is used... royal icing? then brushed with gold or silver?


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## taptapper (Dec 23, 2006)

A cake decorating book will give you lots of ideas for piping over fondant. I don't do that myself (an aversion to fondant!), but even Wilton can help you in that regard. Check their website and call them; they are very helpful. Australian and British cake books are generally filled with fondant work (Mary Ford is a example of a fondant-crazy baker). 

However I have used luster dust. I don't think that the dust can be made into a suspension and still keep its airy quality, but I have only used luster dust about a dozen times so I don't know the tricks of the trade. To apply the luster I used horsetail brushes and various bird feathers. I also have fan-style brushes made for applying real gold leaf that are as light as possible and do a great job.

But IMHO luster dust is so expensive, and such a fine powder, that a delivery system designed for a powder should be used for a large area. Like some kind of squeeze-ball puffer? Along the lines of the old-fashioned perfume applicators. Or maybe an airbrush that can work with a powder. 

The dispersal patterns of a liquid are so different from a powder that the finished product would look sprayed instead of dusted. I think that if you want a liquid application you should start with a liquid: factories create much better suspensions than we do. I used to make miniature fake food colored with powdered pastels; there was no way to suspend that powder in a liquid and get the same effect.

--Pat


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## chefraz (May 10, 2007)

Ihope this is just for show and people are not eatting things made with the dust.
**Are not recommended for use on items intended for ingestion.*
*prolly already know this.*


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## taptapper (Dec 23, 2006)

Sorry, I assumed we were talking about edible decorations. RV1129? Are your products food grade?


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

You can't spray luster dust with an airbrush, but you can paint it on, let it dry, and brush on dry dust afterwards, which gives a really deep look. You can also buy the metallic sprays. I think Beryls sells them, and chefrubber too.


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## rv1129 (Aug 21, 2007)

no just for competition...not to eat...but there has to be an edible gold color airbrush out there...i was watching ace of cakes the other day and they airbrushed king tut's head with gold color?


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

Have a strong enough compressor, use vodka, you should be fine. 
I have not had a problem with luster dust or gold dust.
Cake Decorations & Bakery Supplies by Pfeil & Holing is where I bought mine, around $200.
:roll:


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## kbrewer (Mar 12, 2007)

chef rubber has it, there item number is #630213 for super gold liquid luster. Works Great!


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## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

Cal Java also sells a liquid gold, silver and pearl specifically for airbrushes. I'm not sure about whether this is made from the FDA-approved luster or not (they sell the FDA-approved powdered metallic pearl colors too).


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## chocolate earth (Nov 8, 2007)

There is a brand of gin that is about 70% alc that works well.
Be fast alc evaporates and your left with a watery liquid.
There are only 2 brands of metalic colours that I know of that are edible.
And they are both Italian. I paint these on with a 60% cointreau solution,as it's a bit thicker.
Also try a badger airbrush for your lusters, they have a different delivery system.


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## stir it up (Oct 15, 2007)

thanks brown! I use a compressor and small paint sprayers for chocolate and for egg wash, do you think it's likely to work for edible luster mixed with spirits or do I need some finer artist's airbrush tool. I've always hand painted luster, it would be nice to use this method instead on some things. I could see the possibility of a more even luster being produced from a compressor versus hand brushing, as well as the benefit of the speed/ease.

rv1129 maybe this helps you, I noticed pfeil and holing has AIRBRUSH shimmer specifically

Product Detail (Pink Shimmer Airbrush Color)

but I don't know if it's edible/food grade.

I use the powder from Sugarflair, which states that it is edible, so ChefRAZ there are apparently food grade/edible versions.


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## risque cakes (Apr 20, 2007)

Bakery Craft also sells Lustre Glazes that my friend just bought and she said they work great.

I use Everclear to paint my lustre dust onto my cakes, and yes, you pipe onto the fondant after.

But another friend of mine taught me to cover the same pan with parchment paper and pipe onto the parchment paper, and remove carefuly when dry. I find this works a great deal better for competition as there are spots you tend to miss when you paint the piping that's directly on the cake or you tend to smear the paint on the cake.

If that happens, I take a q-tip dipped in alcohol and "dab" at the "stain" to remove.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Wow! lots of ways to do different things. I usually prepare the intended area to be covered and use a simple atomizer to apply. This is my cheapest and most used tool in decorating.
Pan


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