Right you are TD, stay with the liquid/paste colorants made for coloring the materials you are using. I use pigments available from Surfsource(a surfing industry supply company), they are designed for use with polyester and epoxy resins. They carry transparents and opaques. However, the basic 8 or so available from US Composites are just as good. Surfsource just happens to be about a mile down the road and around the corner, so if I need some I can swing by and grab a bottle, plus they are a little cheaper without the S&H. Bear in mind a 4 oz bottle goes a long way. The liquids/pastes are mixable with each other so you can make custom colors, like light pink or dark pink, royal purple or plum, marigold or mint. While Alder (Teal )is available, it is not the same as a local football team(which can't seem to find their cumulative backsides with both hands) color Teal. So you have to mix your own to get a good base color.
Good luck and welcome to the madness. (insert maniacal, crazy laughter here)