As I mentioned, I am terrible when it comes to mixing colors and knowing exactly how much color will achieve a desired result. In an effort to educate myself, I decided to purchase the Coloring Soap with Confidence E-Class offered by The Nova Studio. Below is my review of the course and some information about the author.Title: Coloring Soap with Confidence
Author: Lori Nova
Copyright: 2009
Price: $39.00
Format: 14 page PDF and 44 page slideshow PDF
Overview: The course is basically a color guide of just about every colorant that you could possibly consider using in cold process soap. The smaller of the two PDFs is an easy to understand guide in which the author has documented her tesing of soap colorants. The author explains what each colorant is, where to purchase, and its usage amounts to achieve a color. She itemizes all the colors that she has tested, which is actually quite comprehensive, 77 colorants in total. Colorants that were tested include oxides, ultramarines, Labcolor dyes, Soapalooza dyes, TKB Trading dyes, lakes, neons, micas, pop micas, natural clays, and natural herbs and spices. Although designed for cold process soap makers, there is a page for hot process soap making and one for melt and pour.
The 44 page slideshow has a soap made for every single color that the author tested. Not only are the photos grouped by type, they are also regrouped by color, so you can see the differences of all the colorants that come in a yellow shade, for example, or you can see all of the colors made by herbs and spices.
Also included: Besides photos of about 77 bars of soap in every color of the rainbow and a guide to using the colorants, is a page of links to further articles and resources on coloring soaps, an organized color list, and links to suppliers.
The course is very useful and easy to follow. The color guide is fantastic because you can see the shade of each color made by each type of colorant. If you are looking for a particular color for your soap, you can look at the photos, choose the shade you want, and know which colorant to use to acheive that color. I also appreciated the usage amounts. You know exactly how much color the author used and can do the math to get the same results in your own recipe. This is a very thorough collection of colorants and their resulting colors in cold process soaps, and a great resource for soapmakers to add to their library. In fact, I know of no other resource that gives such comprehensive information on colorants.
Did the course provide information on mixing colors? No it didn't, but it didn't advertise that it would either, so I can't complain. I would love it if Lori could design a program for the "color challenged soapmaker" that could perhaps give information on counteracting morphing caused by essential oils and fragrances. For example, I recently made a batch of soap and the eo was a little yellow. Well, when I added my purple it became greyish. A color guide on overcoming these issues with color would make a great course for The Nova Studio to teach. Hint, hint!!
About Lori Nova and The Nova Studio
Lori Nova started making soaps in 2000. She later began teaching and opened The Nova Studio in Point Richmond, CA. She has taught at a number of events, including the 2009 Handmade Soapmakers Guild's annual convention and conducts very popular soapmaking boot camps at her studio. Her studio also hosts courses taught by other leading instructors in the soap making industry. For a complete list of classes and more information about the Coloring Soap with Confidence E-Class, please visit The Nova Studio (click here).
Don't forget to subsrcibe to this blog for ongoing reviews, pictures of soaps and such, recipes, tutorials, contests, and more. Also, follow me on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Posts
