Kato Colour Chips

Now I have decided on a brand to use, Kato Clay I have started working my way through some of the exercises in Maggie Maggio and Lindly Haunani's book- Polymer Clay Color Inspirations . I am no colour expert having had no formal art training, I did a science degree and worked in scientific research for a while before retraining to teach in Primary Schools (4 to 11 year olds ). I do know the basics of colour mixing but I struggle a little with the polymer clay colours as I haven't mixed them much in the past and also I struggle combining colours in projects.

My kind neighbour took the kids out for a couple of hours and my lovely husband went to do the food shopping so I settled down (with my leg up) to make some colour chips. The recipes in the book aren't ideal for kato as they suggest using 2 different yellows and 2 different blues. These colours are available in Premo and Fimo but there is only 1 blue and 1 yellow for Kato. I played about with the quantities a bit to make some different colours.

I enjoyed fiddling around making new colours and I can see these chips will be useful in future as I can pick up the colours I want to use and then check the back for the recipe to mix.

 Tasting tiles or colour chips in Kato Polymer Clay. Blob on top is colour mixed 1:1 with white and there is a pie chart recipe on the back.

I spent the night dreaming of colours which was a new experience for me and I can't wait to try and mix some more.

My work from Polymer Clay Color Inspirations by Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio.

 Package Colour Testing

Made some with Premo then decided I was going to use Kato as my main clay so made some of those too. It was interesting to see how the colours changed when they were mixed with white and also how the baked colours compared. Useful knowledge so worth doing.

Value Sorting

I found this hard, to see the value of the colours. Then inspiration struck and I used my digital camera in black and white mode as my eye. Now I have got used to the idea I can see the value better myself without digital aids ;) Perhaps that turquiose is between the lighter and mid grey. I am not quite sure how to use value but I hope to work that out one day.

Seeing value through the camera

Tasting Tiles

Premo tasting tiles in green, they have the little pie chart recipe on the back. 

Found it hard to tell the yellows apart when baked so wrote on them to remind me.

I made some of these in Premo and now have to make some in Kato - post to follow soon.