Colores suggestions?

Hi,

I just received my Colores kit from Rio and just don’t know where to
start. The whole concept of adding color to my fabricated silver
jewelry this way is very exciting however the product came with only
the most basic of instructions and no suggestion of beginning
projects. It certainly seems easy enough but I’d like input and
ideas such as mixing colors, creating cabs that can then be set like
regular carved ones, special effects etc.

Thanks much,
Cyndy Wolf

Cyndy,

From an Orchid posting in Sept 2008 the following may help.

Colores is sold in the Rio catalogue. Read the instructions very
carefully. The colors are wonderful! The application is
challenging. It takes time to stir the colors and to mix the color
and the hardner. It takes time to learn to use the bottles with the
syringes. The drying time is minimum 24 hours. On my last piece I
applied a second color after 23 hours and the colors ran together
on the sterling. I am in the process of removing two layers of
Colores and re-reading the instructions. I will be sure I allow 72
hours for drying when I re-apply the Colores. Now that I better
understand the process I like it. 

Rio teaches a Colores class occasionally. I took the class in Feb
2005 from Bruce and he was a good teacher. In the class, we
practiced on wax paper. After I bought the kit, Anne Larsen allowed
me to use her studio with five of her students and we “played” with
Colores. Everyone was trying something different. Ideas were flying
all over the room. Someone was always saying " Look at this!" and we
all learned significantly from working around the same table and
reviewing each others experiments.

The positives are fantastic color; non-toxic; clean-up with soap and
water then Goo Gone; you can drill with a flexshaft cleanly through
Colores on sterling; you can wipe the plastic cups clean and use
again; you can knock a mixing cup of Colores off the table onto the
floor and it stays in the cup when it hits the floor.

The negatives are difficult instructions; long drying time often
dependent on weather and humidity; it will finger print at 72 hours
under some conditions; Colores can spill during shipment even though
it appears very tightly closed; difficult to achieve hi lite effect
as it is not possible to duplicate “puffing”; you must work on a
completely level surface or your work can slide; if you use an oven
to dry the first color, you cannot use the oven for a second color
without damaging the color of the first layer; you need color mixing
skills.

However, even with these negatives I love it and will be using it
again later this month.

Good luck. It is a medium worth learning.
Mary A