Specialization in design and chocolate sculpture: Modeling, textures and edible sculptures

Influences | Victoria Granof

From collaborations to major artists, these are some of the people and their work that have influenced my vision and inspired my own work.

Introducing Materials and Setting Up Your Cooking Space

Module 2

What if concrete, marble, and terrazzo could be eaten? Kia Utzon-Frank, creator of BRIK Chocolate, transforms the world of architecture into visual and edible delights. In this first stage, you'll discover how design and chocolate combine to create surprising pieces, exploring textures, colors, and flavors that awaken all the senses.

11 lessons (2h 26m)

Before we can start creating, it's important to have a properly set up workspace and all the ingredients ready. In this lesson, I'll explain what you need to get started.

Here I'll show you how to prepare different shapes of molds for pouring chocolates. We'll use household materials and your children's Lego bricks, as they are excellent for creating molds.

Making a Mold

15m

Chocolate Basics: Knowing Our Main Ingredient and Tempering the Chocolate

I'll show you how to temper chocolate, why it's important, what will happen if you don't temper chocolate properly, and why I think it's not necessarily a bad thing.

17m

How to Mix Colours and Textures and Colour Palette Overview

In this lesson, I'll explain how I approach color in my design. We'll also begin our first design: terrazzo.

20m

Making a Terrazzo Design Slab

In this lesson we will use the color chips we created in our color lesson and begin making terrazzo.

Making a Concrete Design Slab

Here, I'll show you how to create several different concrete designs using white chocolate and charcoal. We'll also look at how different textures will change the way the same flavors are perceived. We'll use the exact same flavors as when we created our marble tile.

Making a Marble Design Slab

In this lesson, I'll show you how to create a beautiful marbled chocolate tile by mixing different colored chocolates together before carefully pouring them into our mold.

How to Cast an Object in a Silicon Mold 1

In this lesson, I will show you how to start working with your chosen object and how to begin preparing and creating a mold around the object.

How to Cast an Object in a Silicon Mold 2

Now we'll complete our mold and learn how to work safely with silicone. We'll discover how to mix and pour it onto our chosen object, removing all air bubbles and imperfections.

How to Store, Transport and Package Your Work Sustainably

In this lesson, we'll look at what to consider once you've completed your chocolate. We'll discover different ways to present your work and the best way to store and transport it.

How to Pair and Taste Chocolate

There are many different ways to combine chocolate and enjoy its flavors. In this lesson, I'll recommend some pairings and how to consider different tastes and flavors.

Module 3

Get ready to transform chocolate into a work of art with Juan Gutiérrez. With an approach full of color, shine, and texture, you'll discover how to create chocolates that amaze the eye before conquering the palate. You'll learn how to work with cocoa butter, visual effects, and homemade tools to bring unique and dazzling pieces to life.

12 lessons (1h 44m)

Materials and work area

To begin, I'll talk to you about each of the equipment, materials, molds, and utensils. You'll learn the basic elements to consider regarding the work area, temperature, and humidity conditions. This is a very important point when creating quality products and will help you optimize time and resources when making chocolates.

The basics of chocolate

Next, you'll learn the basics of chocolate and its proper handling. I'll also teach you the reasons, the uses, and how of different chocolate melting techniques, and finally, how to temper it.

The color

One of the theories I use most when creating is the color theory applied to chocolate and cocoa butter, as it allows me to clearly understand the different points that affect a final product, such as: brightness, contrasts, shadows, lights, and thus create my own narratives through chocolate, which is why today I want to share it with you so you can begin to explore and create your own story.

The shine

It's time to talk about shine. I define it as beauty and technique. In this lesson, you'll learn the five steps you need to follow to achieve shine on your chocolates. Therefore, I'll also talk to you about the importance of molds, cleaning, and polishing. I'll also explain how working conditions and lighting affect the final product, along with other tips I'll share with you.

Using colors with cocoa butter

Finally, I'll show you how to start producing. You'll learn the differences between commercial cocoa butters to understand how they work with each type of chocolate, and thus be able to determine what to use each one for based on the final result you're looking for. The most important thing about this lesson is that you'll be able to create your own colors from cocoa butter—there's no excuse.

Create your chocolates with homemade tools: geometric shapes

In this lesson, I'll show you how to use household products or how to be inventive to create techniques and structures in chocolate making that are also unique and special. This lesson will be full of resourcefulness and creativity, as you'll use unusual materials like a straw and a toothbrush to create one-of-a-kind pieces. It's time to let your imagination run wild.

Create your chocolates with homemade tools: abstract shapes

It's time to use one of the best tools we have available: our hands. You'll also see how to use brushes to bring the canvas to life.

What is an airbrush?

I'll talk about using the air machine. You'll also learn what types of needles and air volume you need when telling a story through chocolate and the colors you've created to create unique and creative pieces. Remember that if you don't have an airbrush, you can use the air to your advantage. To do this, I'll show you several alternatives.

The use of the airbrush

You'll see how to put into practice everything you learned in the previous lessons. I'll show you in detail how to use the airbrush, and you'll begin telling your own stories. During the lesson, I'll show you how to use three techniques: the trio, the puff effect, and the spiderweb.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes when I work with chocolate it doesn't turn out like the pieces some people show on their social media? Well, that question will be answered in this lesson. Preservation is everything for our pieces. Here I'll talk about shelf life, fat bloom, and sugar bloom, determining factors when working with chocolate.

Conservation

Storage and packaging

It's time to share my best tips with you! I'll give you some advice on how to store and package your product. It's important and crucial to the experience of those who consume these items.

Specials

We're about to close the course. In this lesson, I'll show you the advanced techniques that have led me to create my own pieces.

Module 4

Ready to bring chocolate to life? Marc Suárez, an expert in edible sculptures, will teach you how to transform this delicious material into hyper-realistic figures full of character. You'll learn to create the structure of a four-legged animal, model its shapes, and apply textures and color with precision. A creative experience that unites sculpture, technique, and pure visual wonder.

14 lessons (2h 53m)

Introduction to chocolate modeling of toppers

Modeling chocolate is an ideal ingredient for modeling figures. In this lesson, I'll give you an introductory step-by-step guide that you'll follow throughout this course with me.

Materials

One of the keys to success is using the most appropriate materials for your work. Now I'm going to tell you all the materials involved in the process of creating a moldable chocolate topper.

Search for references and sketch

In order to develop a coherent, scaled project, it's necessary to go through the process of searching for references and inspiration. This will allow us to later create the sketch.

Creating the structure with wire

Creating the topper's structure is one of the most important steps. In this lesson, you'll learn how to make structures for any animal without dying in the process.

15m

How to give volume to the structure and insulate it

Before you begin modeling with chocolate, it's important to prepare the structure well so it adheres well. In this lesson, I'll explain how to do it correctly.

Body modeling with chocolate 1

Starting to model is always a moment of fear. In this lesson, discover how to overcome your fear of the "blank canvas" by starting to model your topper.

Body modeling with chocolate 2

We continue modeling the body. Now I'm going to finish the legs and continue defining other details of the body.

Chocolate modeling of the head

Modeling the head is the final step to bring your topper to life. I'll explain how to shape the head and model all its details. Let's get started!

Giving a hyper-realistic touch

In this lesson, I'll explain step by step how to turn your topper into a hyper-realistic animal by adding details and textures.

Animal textures in chocolate 1

The animal world is very extensive, so in this lesson I'm going to explain how to create different fur and skin textures so you can model and texture any animal.

Animal textures in chocolate 2

After showing you several ways to add textures, I'm now going to tell you how to apply them to an already modeled animal.

Coloring the moldable chocolate 1

Coloring modeling chocolate transforms the topper into a lively object. In this lesson, I'll explain everything you need to consider when painting on modeling chocolate.

Coloring the moldable chocolate 2

We continue applying color to the greyhound model, shading and adding detail to various areas of the body.

The final step to making your topper look amazing is placing it on a cake. I'll show you how to place it securely.

Final details

Before creating a carved cake, it's important to ask yourself if your idea is feasible with edible elements. In this lesson, I'll give you the keys to finding out. The fondant and sponge cakes will have to wait a little longer to get started. For this lesson, you'll only need a large piece of cardstock, a ruler, pencils, and markers to draw the structure.

Module 5

Open the doors to your imagination with Marc Suárez, the artist who turns cakes into amazing sculptures. With his creative and detailed approach, you'll discover how to carve, shape, and transform cakes into hyper-realistic figures full of texture, volume, and fantasy. From the cake to the final finish, you'll learn to shape the impossible... and it's delicious!

19 lessons (4h 15m)

Feasible Cake Ideas

Inspiration and Define Color Palette

A creator looks for references to draw on during their creative process. In this lesson, I'll teach you how to find inspiration and define the colors for your sculpture.

Sketch and Structure 1

Drawing the outline and considering the cake's structure are the most important steps in preparation. In this lesson, you'll learn the keys to creating a solid structure for your cake.

We continue to delve into the fundamental aspects of developing the sketch and structure of the cake.

Sketch and Structure 2

Assemble and Isolate the Structure

In this lesson you will see how to correctly assemble the pieces of the structure and how to make it food safe.

Now I'm going to show you the keys to a good cake and what ganache is. You'll learn how to correctly place the cakes and filling in a cake pan.

Assembling the Cake

Carving cakes to achieve a specific shape is often a daunting step. In this lesson, I'll give you all the guidelines for learning how to carve cakes using templates and guides.

Biscuit Carving

20m

Cover the Cake with Ganache 1

Next, I'll explain the importance of covering all your carved cakes with ganache. I'll show you what it's for, how to work with it, and what tools to use.

12m

Cover the Cake with Ganache 2

After correcting and smoothing part of the belly, we continue covering the tail area.

Modeling the Head and Tail 1

In this lesson, you'll discover all the key elements for learning how to model with moldable chocolate. I'll also tell you which tools to use when.

Modeling the Head and Tail 2

We continue to model the fish's head little by little, paying attention to the details.

Modeling the Head and Tail 3

Now we are going to finish outlining the head and we will get to work on the tail of the fish.

Next, I'll show you how to work with fondant, rolling it out to cover the larger parts of the cake and modeling some details.

Fondant and Details 1

15m

Fondant and Details 2

We continue working on the details and decorations.

17m

Painting 1

Coloring your cake is the crucial step to bringing your sculpture to life. In this lesson, I'll teach you how to paint fondant and chocolate using only edible coloring.

We continue painting our sculpture, applying the edible coloring.

Painting 2

12m

Make the Fins

Wafer paper is an edible material often used for cake details. In this lesson, you'll learn how to work with it and when to use it.

Cover the Rod and Finish the Base

The final details always count. Now I'll explain the final steps to make your creation look perfect.

Conservation and Transport

Edible materials often spoil over time. Below, you'll learn how to properly store your cake and how to transport it if necessary.

Elements and Principles of Design

Module 6

Discover how to transform food into an irresistible visual story with Victoria Granof, a culinary styling icon with over two decades of experience. You'll learn to imagine and compose photo campaigns that spark emotion, appetite, and inspiration. From concept to execution, you'll master the art of bringing ingredients, light, and your own style to every image.

12 lessons (1h 21m)

Let's start by learning about the elements and principles of design. These are the tools and rules that will help you create compelling images. They are the foundation of every project I work on.

Every Picture Tells a Story

This lesson will teach you how to compose your photographs. You'll learn about the six fundamental compositions and the style aesthetics I regularly use.

Working with Camera Angles

There are four fundamental camera angles in food photography. This lesson will teach you how to distinguish them and know when to use them.

The Power of Light

Light affects the mood of your images. It's important to understand light and how best to position any light source, even if you're not the one taking the photograph. Let me walk you through the basics of light and shadow.

The Narrative

To begin, I'll guide you through conceptualizing a story/narrative for your campaign. To do this, you'll need to consider your target audience and brand identity.

The Visual Identity

Now we'll look at how you can identify the overall look and feel of your campaign. This will involve defining the mood of your images, deciding on a color palette and photography style, and more.

The Mood Board and Brief

Whether you're presenting your ideas to a client or creating a reference for yourself and your team, creating a mood board for your visual references and a written brief outlining what you need to accomplish in your photoshoot will help meet everyone's expectations and help the session run smoothly.

The Kit

As a food photographer, you'll need to put together a complete food styling kit for your various projects. In this particular case, I'll show you the tools needed to style ice cream, which will be the centerpiece of my project.

Working with Ingredients

Finally, we'll start working with food. I'll show you how to make fake ice cream with powdered sugar, corn syrup, and shortening. This way, you'll begin to learn lots of tricks and tips on how to mix the ingredients you need to make everything look real.

Creating the Food

In this lesson, you'll learn how to create ice cream sundaes, sandwiches, and milkshakes. You'll see how to make everything look delicious and authentic.

Setting the Scene

Here you'll learn about set design and the different ways you can use props for your photoshoot. I'll give you some tips on how to set everything up so you can easily replicate it at home.

The Shoot!

In this lesson, we'll set up our shots, style them, and work with the photographer to capture the most compelling images possible. Along the way, we'll need to make sure we're following everything outlined in the brief.