How to become a sugar flower designer

Is becoming a sugar flower designer right for me?

The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:

Overview
What do sugar flower designers do?

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How to become a Sugar Flower Designer

Becoming a sugar flower designer requires a combination of creativity, skill, and practice. Here are some steps you can take to become a sugar flower designer:

  • Learn the basics of cake decorating: Before you can start making sugar flowers, it's important to have a solid foundation in cake decorating. This includes learning how to bake and decorate cakes, as well as mastering techniques such as piping, fondant, and gum paste.
  • Formal education: Many culinary schools, vocational schools, and community colleges offer programs relevant to cake and dessert design, ranging from certificates and diplomas to associate or bachelor's degrees in disciplines such as baking and pastry arts. These programs cover pastry techniques, ingredients, recipe development, and baking principles. Some aspiring sugar flower designers opt to earn a degree in fine arts or graphic design, which can be helpful in developing their artistic skills.
  • Workshops and courses: For individuals who choose not to pursue a formal education, taking vocational school workshops or standalone courses in baking, pastry arts, cake construction and decorating, and business management is another way to begin preparing for a career as a sugar flower designer. Courses that cover how to make gum paste, mold petals, and wire flowers* are particularly relevant.
  • Apprenticeship: Apprenticeships with specialty bakeries or pastry shops or catering companies are a traditional way to learn the art of sugar flower design, providing hands-on, practical training in a professional kitchen under the guidance of an experienced designers and bakers. Apprenticeships can take anywhere from one to three years to complete.
  • Practice, practice, practice: Making beautiful sugar flowers takes time and practice. Start with simple designs and work your way up to more complex creations. Take the time to perfect your technique and experiment with different colors and styles.
  • Attend workshops and events: Attending workshops and events is a great way to connect with other sugar flower designers and learn new techniques. Look for events in your area or consider traveling to attend a workshop or conference.
  • Build your portfolio: As you create more sugar flowers, build a portfolio of your work. Take high-quality photos and showcase your designs on social media, a personal website, or by attending cake shows.
  • Network with others in the industry: Networking with other cake decorators and sugar flower designers can lead to new opportunities and collaborations. Join online groups or attend local events to connect with others in the industry.

Certifications
There are several certifications available for sugar flower designers. While certifications can be helpful in demonstrating your expertise in sugar flower design, they are not necessarily required to work in the field. Many successful sugar flower designers have built their businesses through word of mouth and showcasing their work on social media or at cake shows. Ultimately, the most important thing is to have a strong portfolio of work that showcases your skill and creativity.

  • Wilton Method Certification: Wilton offers a series of courses that cover cake decorating, including sugar flower design. After completing the courses, you can become certified as a Wilton Method Instructor.
  • PME Professional Diploma: The PME Professional Diploma is a comprehensive program that covers a wide range of cake decorating skills, including sugar flower design. The program consists of three levels of certification: the PME Diploma, the PME Masters Certificate, and the PME Professional Diploma.
  • International Cake Exploration Societé (ICES) Certification: The ICES offers a certification program for sugar artists, which includes a variety of skills such as sugar flower design, royal icing work, and cake sculpting.

Online Resources
There are several online resources available for sugar flower designers. Here are a few:

  • YouTube: YouTube is a great resource for sugar flower designers, with a wealth of video tutorials on different techniques and designs. Some popular channels include Cake Style, Rosanna Pansino, and Global Sugar Art.
  • Craftsy: Craftsy is an online learning platform that offers courses on a variety of topics, including sugar flower design. They have several courses specifically focused on sugar flowers, such as "Wafer-Paper Flowers" and "The Ultimate Sugar Flower Course."
  • Sugar Flower Blog: The Sugar Flower Blog is a website that offers tutorials, articles, and resources for sugar flower designers. They have a section dedicated to specific types of flowers, as well as tips and techniques for making realistic sugar flowers.
  • Sugar Flower Studio: The Sugar Flower Studio is an online school that offers courses in sugar flower design. They have a variety of courses available, from beginner-level to advanced, covering a wide range of flower types and techniques.
  • Instagram: Instagram is a great platform for connecting with other sugar flower designers and getting inspiration for new designs. Search for hashtags such as #sugarflowers, #sugarflorist, and #gumpasteflowers to find examples of beautiful sugar flower designs.
  • Cake Masters Magazine Awards: Cake Masters Magazine holds an annual awards ceremony that recognizes excellence in cake decorating. One of the award categories is for Sugar Florist of the Year.