Coloring the Fondant

1. Break up your rolled fondant into five pieces, each the size of your fist. The pencil consists of five parts, each of which will need to be colored separately. If you will be making a large pencil prop, increase the size of your fondant pieces as necessary.

2. Apply three to five drops of yellow icing coloring to one piece, and the same amount of pink or red coloring to a second piece. Knead these pieces thoroughly on top of a cutting board until the colors spread evenly throughout the fondant. These will form the yellow shaft and pink eraser of the pencil.

3. Squirt two drops of brown coloring onto the third piece of fondant, two drops of black coloring onto the fourth and five drops onto the fifth. Knead thoroughly as above. These will form the pencil's head, lead point and silver eraser cup.

Shaping and Assembling the Pencil

1. Roll the yellow fondant into a long, thin tube of the desired size. Cut off the very tips of the tube using a plastic knife so that the edges are flat and smooth.

2. Shape the pink fondant into the shape of a pencil eraser, rolling it back and forth to smooth out any imperfections. It should be the same size as the yellow pencil shaft. Push the eraser against one end of the pencil.

3. Flatten the gray fondant into a thin strip roughly 1 inch wide, or relative to the size of your pencil. Wrap this around the seam between the eraser and the pencil, smoothing out any imperfections with your fingers.

4. Roll the brown fondant into a conical shape roughly the size of the eraser and eraser cup combined. The base of the cone should match the circumference of the pencil's flat edge. Stick this onto the opposite end of the pencil.

5. Make the pencil's lead out of the black fondant. Roll it into a conical shape with a point. Push the shape onto the top of the brown fondant.

6. Smooth the seams between each piece with your fingers. Allow the fondant to dry for the time suggested on the container before placing it atop your cake or pastry.