Piping is often functional: use a pastry bag to transfer the mousse to the serving bowls, place the glaze in a piping bag to cover the cake. Precision is nice, but not always necessary.
But if you are interested in creating detailed cakes, homemade chocolate bonbons, cute cookies, or delicate petit fours, then you will likely encounter piping that is more challenging, more focused, and most importantly, more practiced.
Here at the CIA, the most common homework for our baking and pastry students is piping practice. Less a natural skill and more muscle memory, even the most art-challenged of bakers can hone their technique and create symmetric borders, fine-lined decor, and yes, Happy Birthday with a flourish! 
Though any piping counts as practice, to truly perfect a movement and design, you may choose to do some homework of your own. We're sharing three of our standard piping templates (the same ones used in our classrooms for years, Xerox-marks and all!) so you can practice just like our students. Repetition and daily improvements will lead to confidence, as lines become less shaky and your hand becomes less cramped.
If you're ready to embark on your own adventure in piping practice, we recommend purchasing a container of piping gel. This clear gel is food-safe and edible, and you can color it with any number of items, like food coloring or even a little melted chocolate. The texture of the gel is smooth, easy to pipe but never runny, making it perfect for piping practice. As you become more comfortable with the piping bag (we recommend a parchment paper cone for detail work, but a bag with a small round tip will work, too), you can thicken the piping gel slightly by adding more melted chocolate to increase the viscosity. Look for piping gel online, at baking supply stores, or in chain arts and crafts stores with baking sections.
To avoid having to print weeks' worth of piping guides to trace, find a piece of cardboard or a cardboard cake circle. Tape the template to the cardboard, and then tightly cover the whole board with plastic wrap. Practice piping on the plastic wrap, tracing the designs below, and then wipe clean between uses with a damp towel.
Happy Homework!
