Tint melted white candy blue, black, pink, red, green and yellow. Mix red and yellow to make light skintone; mix white with light cocoa to make dark skintone.

Make mortarboards: Position square cutter on waxed paper-covered board and pour thin layer of melted candy inside. Refrigerate to set and unmold.

For faces, pour melted candy in treat pans, position sticks and refrigerate to set; unmold. Pipe facial features with melted candy in cut bag. Pipe base of cap on head and attach mortarboard at an angle.

For tassels, using rolling pin, roll out fruit slice candy on surface sprinkled with sugar. Cut thin slices and twist together for 4 in. rope. Cut 1 x 1 in. fruit slice square, cut fringe on one end, roll uncut end around rope. Attach tassel to mortarboard by piping a dot candy button with cut bag.