Wash your hands and work surface thoroughly. Rub your hands with the oil or shortening to make them smooth.
Carve out your shape with the carving tools and create details as you would if carving other materials. Your shavings and discards can be warmed in your hands and used to repair areas where you have carved too much off or don't like how an area came out. If your carving is kept warm (75 to 80 degrees) you can also sculpt and carve the tallow with your hands.
Add color to your sculpture by warming shavings and discards and then kneading the coloring gel into the tallow. Melt these pieces slightly with the hair dryer before adhering them back onto the main sculpture. Continue carving.
Smooth areas where your carving marks or fingerprints show by applying heat with the hair dryer on medium. Make quick passes over an area until the surface shines. You can also use this method to create an all-over shine on your finished sculpture.
Rinse the finished sculpture with warm (not hot) water to remove any dirt and shavings. Let it dry. Display it or store it in a plastic bag.