Hi Lillian,

I learned how to make color samples from Joanne Conant; they're done on copper sheet, about 3" X 6" (I've posted a photo of one on my page).  I engrave a sample number on the back of the copper, then scribe horizontal and vertical lines on the front to divide the colors.  Then I engrave color numbers on the copper front: opaque and opalescent numbers in a horizontal row at the top of each vertical color strip, transparent numbers in a vertical row for each horizontal column. The 3 vertical columns on the far right are labeled "gold", "silver" and "copper".  The square in the lower left is engraved "ops on flux" (opaques on flux).  The square in the upper left corner is engraved "trans on flux 1005".  I clean the copper, then apply scalex to the back and wet pack the vertical column on the far right with transparents directly onto the copper. Let your transparents dry, then sift flux 1005 on the bare copper, leaving the silver column mostly bare so flux won't get on your transparents.  Use a dry brush and tiny sifter to flux that silver column without getting flux on the transparents.  Fire.  Counterenamel the back with flux so you can see your engraved sample number.  Wetpack your opaques and opalescents to their vertical columns and apply silver foil to that column with klyr fyr.  Dry, fire.  Apply gold foil to that column, sift flux over it so it won't oxidize, fire.   Wetpack transparent enamels in vertical rows on top of the horizontal rows of opaques and foils, dry, fire.  I like to watch it closely when firing so I can see which colors are hardest fusing, then I go back in with my engraver to mark next to each color number an "h" (hard-fusing), "m" (medium-fusing) or "s" (soft-fusing).  It helps to do a separate color chart for each family of colors if you have a lot of enamels, or you can do a separate chart for each brand.  It's time-consuming but gives you so much information!        

Yes, it really is a lot of work!  I've done quick color samples on mica if I just need a few colors tested.  But there's nothing like having those transparents on top of foils, bare copper and key opaques if you can find the time.

Wow!  Thanks for your extensive explanation.  I think I understand, the image on your pages is very small on my computer, but looks interesting.  You are testing transparent enamel over various opaque colors, as well as silver?  I never thought of that.  I wonder if you could also test transparents over other transparents over silver, too.  I love the nice abstract grid, so very mid-century modern, and useful.  I see a project in my future.

Lillian

Lillian, I thought I sent this message yesterday but my phone apparently never sent it.  Sorry about that image; I'm not sure why it won't open up bigger.  It's sideways, so the long side with flux and engraving is actually the top, and the other flux strip with engraving and no colors is the left side of the sampler.  

Yes, the transparents are over bare copper as well as over opaques, opalescence, gold and silver foil.  It's almost limitless, once you start putting transparents over other transparents, but I'm happy to play with the transparents on the piece because the transparency makes the changes fairly subtle.

Good luck with your samples!  

Hi

My colour samples are all one 1cm square sterling. Two coats, not stoned back. Then I use white postcard size cardboard and group all the shades of one colour group together, with the brand, number & name written on. Double sided sticky tape to fasten on the samples. I have about ten cards currently. It is easy to see which colours go well together. It's also easy to redo the cards if needed.

When I want to test colour layering, and for the colour test for each new range of pieces, I use offcuts of sterling and test the colours together in small stripes.

That way any differnence in firing times (or hard / soft) show up. These are then stuck in my record book, with any sketches, tech notes, firing notes etc. The finished books are quite heavy with silver!

Tamizan, I like the idea of putting the color samples in books with notes from the project.   Does the enamel chip off the silver when you close the book?  Maybe you don't stuff your bookshelves like I do!  I don't have much bookshelf space but plenty of studio wall space (the previous owner had a woodworking shop there so the walls are plywood).  I hang my color samples on the wall in the tiered plexiglass brochure racks from an office supply store.  Each rack has four slots and two screws hold it on the wall.  

Hi All, 

I have a general question for you other enamellists...how do you make your color samples for transparent enamel?  I've made mine in various ways over the years, and don't really like any of my strategies.

1) Use a copper rectangle with a hole in it, counter-enamel and flux it, apply silver foil and white enamel if the color is transparent and fire a couple of coats of color on the piece.  Hang it on the bottle with a string.  I don't know, just not elegant.

2) Use a small rectangle of fine silver, and just fire on the color. String and hang on bottle. 

3) Punch a small circle of silver, fire with color, and glue to the bottle lid.This was a good idea until they all popped off, or I got the lids mixed up, also no way to write the enamel number on it, overall not too smart.

4) Linda Darty had her colors all on one sheet of silver, and somehow she knew which was which.  It was a grid, with all the reds together, or all the blues together. But how do you use this to see if that orange looks good with that purple?

5) My friend Sandra McEwen makes her samples and keeps them together, separate from the jars, so she can better choose color combinations.

Anyone out there with a really favorite way to do this necessary task?  Maybe someone needs to go into business making color samples for the rest of us...

Lillian, ready to reinvent the wheel again.