Q&A for How to Make Gum Paste

You can use agar-agar as a substitute or a mixture of egg whites, tylose, and powdered sugar.

No. The gum base is essentially what makes it gum.

Depending on how the flower is stored, it could last for several months. However, the flower must be placed in a container that allows it to "breathe," like a cardboard box. Otherwise the flower may become soft, sticky, or shiny.

Use cornstarch. Tylose added to fondant makes it into sugarpaste or gumpaste, which dries hard. Meringue powder is dried egg white, usually used instead of fresh egg white when making royal icing or gumpaste from scratch. Gum tragacanth or tylose or cmc powder or Wilton brand is gum and are all the same thing.