Casting color recipes

[RDHals]

Just for the fun of it.
I have a question for the casters out there. Do you have a list of color combos, a recipe book, or some way to keep track of your color combos? Successful and failed combos?
I myself have a color recipe spreadsheet that I keep with 90 color combos in it, and a log for the results of each cast. What about you?

 

[KMCloonan]

I keep records of each pour - I record the approximate amount of each color I mix up. I usually start with a master batch of Alumilite clear slow resin in a large plastic measuring cup, and once it has heated up to about 90F I begin pouring into smaller cups that have dyes/mica powder in them. I draw a line on each cup indicating the approximate volume I want (usually 2-3 ounces). I usually have the main color in the large cup (whatever is left after I pour the smaller cups.

After the pour, and time in the pressure pot, I cut the block into blanks, and make notes about what I like and don't like, and things to either keep doing, or stop doing. I give each pour a name, so I can more easily go back to that page, and try to recreate it.

When you mention color combos, do you mean which colors look good with the other colors? Or are you referring to blends (like blue + yellow = green)? I do the former. I actually try to avoid the latter. If I want green, I will use green dye rather than try to create green from blue & yellow resins.

 

[RDHals]

I keep records of each pour - I record the approximate amount of each color I mix up. I usually start with a master batch of Alumilite clear slow resin in a large plastic measuring cup, and once it has heated up to about 90F I begin pouring into smaller cups that have dyes/mica powder in them. I draw a line on each cup indicating the approximate volume I want (usually 2-3 ounces). I usually have the main color in the large cup (whatever is left after I pour the smaller cups.

After the pour, and time in the pressure pot, I cut the block into blanks, and make notes about what I like and don't like, and things to either keep doing, or stop doing. I give each pour a name, so I can more easily go back to that page, and try to recreate it.

When you mention color combos, do you mean which colors look good with the other colors? Or are you referring to blends (like blue + yellow = green)? I do the former. I actually try to avoid the latter. If I want green, I will use green dye rather than try to create green from blue & yellow resins.

I meant what color combos look good to together/bad. Like you, if I want a green color I will use a green dye or mica. There are way to many colors available to waste time mixing your own colors.
My process is similar, I keep a log of each pour as well but I've learned to keep a digital, my spreadsheet, copy as well. Sometimes paper logs get destroyed.
As well as the list of color combos I like, I also have a list of failed color combos. Thankfully it's a smaller list.

 

[Fred Bruche]

You could look up color harmonies, a pretty universal way of using colors and that's usually a good start to mix colors that work together or not in resin pours. After that, there are many ways to pour the resin to obtain different effects. You could also get inspiration from pen blank makers (Turnt pen co, Carolina pen company, Bob Dupras,...). Experimenting is key to getting to what you enjoy (and it doesn't have to be what other blank makers are doing).

 

[JohnU]

I keep a log book and pictures of everything so when I see what I like I can try to replicate it. For new ideas I look beyond what others are doing and try to find new combos in other places like Hawaiian shirts, swim trunks, flower gardens, and other places of color.