SMF February 2022 Challenge - Ocean-Inspired
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Catscankim
Well-Known Member
1. dibbles - 
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay- got the bug now
8. Heather McClain- 🏝
9. glendam
I have been toying with an idea
10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim 🏖
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay- got the bug now
8. Heather McClain- 🏝
9. glendam
I have been toying with an idea 10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim 🏖
Sign up list:
1. dibbles -
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay- got the bug now
8. Heather McClain- 🏝
9. glendam I have been toying with an idea
10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim 🏖
12. melonpan - going with the emoji bonanza
1. dibbles -
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay- got the bug now
8. Heather McClain- 🏝
9. glendam
I have been toying with an idea10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim 🏖
12. melonpan - going with the emoji bonanza
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
1. dibbles -
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours -
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay - got the bug now
8. Heather McClain - 🏝
9. glendam - I have been toying with an idea
10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim - 🏖
12. melonpan - going with the emoji bonanza
13. ResolvableOwl -
14.
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours -
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay - got the bug now
8. Heather McClain - 🏝
9. glendam -
I have been toying with an idea10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim - 🏖
12. melonpan - going with the emoji bonanza
13. ResolvableOwl -
14.
Already made my soap this weekend! Hoping I was finally able to execute this technique correctly, can’t wait to see the results!
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Which blue pigment(s) is everyone using?
I'd LOVE to use indigo, likely as vat (because I enjoy the messy clean-up afterwards so much? Or the uncertainty? Or the cumbersome preparation?). But then there is also the mind-blowing (and instantly rewarding, and non-fading, and generally less labour-intensive) palette of ultramarine pigments! And hey, they carry the ocean reference in their name already!
I'd LOVE to use indigo, likely as vat (because I enjoy the messy clean-up afterwards so much? Or the uncertainty? Or the cumbersome preparation?). But then there is also the mind-blowing (and instantly rewarding, and non-fading, and generally less labour-intensive) palette of ultramarine pigments! And hey, they carry the ocean reference in their name already!
Good point! I'm also curious to read what everyone else is using.
I'll be using up some micas leftover from previous soaps (but I just checked the label on my deep blue mica and it has some oxides in it!). I'd love to try with indigo the next time
I'll be using up some micas leftover from previous soaps (but I just checked the label on my deep blue mica and it has some oxides in it!). I'd love to try with indigo the next time
I made my challenge soap last Saturday, but I just used micas and TD, no pigments. Sorry to be so boring 
I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with for this challenge.
I didn’t mention the colorants I used for the soaps in post #1, but here are the details. The first set was colored with ultramarine blue and oxides, the whale soap with ultramarine blue and AC and the coastal ocean with micas (as I recall since I can’t seem to locate my worksheet at the moment). In case anyone is concerned about staining with ultramarine blue, the whale soap releases color onto a white washcloth, but it easily rinses out. I think at least a few of the inspiration soaps in post #2 were made with indigo. I haven’t had problems with indigo staining even when I make solid dark blue soap, but it’s good to keep in mind because YMMV.
I didn’t mention the colorants I used for the soaps in post #1, but here are the details. The first set was colored with ultramarine blue and oxides, the whale soap with ultramarine blue and AC and the coastal ocean with micas (as I recall since I can’t seem to locate my worksheet at the moment). In case anyone is concerned about staining with ultramarine blue, the whale soap releases color onto a white washcloth, but it easily rinses out. I think at least a few of the inspiration soaps in post #2 were made with indigo. I haven’t had problems with indigo staining even when I make solid dark blue soap, but it’s good to keep in mind because YMMV.
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ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Right now, I have a challenge-unrelated batch CPOP'ing in the oven. Well, not really unrelated: I used it to try out some ultramarine pigments. The “original” ultramarine blue disappointed me a bit, it looked pale and greyish and not very appealing in the batter. My winner was the bluish violet, with a much “thicker” look. But I'll better wait until they're through gel phase, cooled off and a few days into cure for a definite judgment.
It’s probably a good time for a reminder that February is a short month, which means the entry thread opens in 1 week!
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Grotta Azzurra
(I have just squeezed the remainders of the differently coloured batters into a silicone mould, didn't even bother to give them a mix previously, nor avoid bubbles.)
I'm seriously in love with that dark ultramarine violet (around the “grotta” at the front side of this cube). It doesn't fit into my challenge idea, but I'll revisit it some time later for sure.
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Chromium oxide green | Ultramarine green | Ultamarine blue | Ultamarine violet (light)
The third one was the one poured at the thinnest trace, and the one that caught the most soda ash. So much that I rubbed it off, hence the smoother surface.
I have no idea who has let a colourblind choose the name “ultramarine green” (second soap), because that is most definitely not green, but rather the most beautiful aqua-blue colour I can imagine.
Decided for the pigments now, I'm positive that today or tomorrow will be “the” day for my challenge submission.
@ResolvableOwl
I’ve seen ultramarine blue (green shade), but not straight green. As a result of one of your earlier posts, I’ve been down a pigment rabbit hole that started with the Kremer website, then on to a US source for natural pigments where I stumbled across Maya Blue, which reminded me that I wanted to try making it using this seemingly easy method, link. If only I would remember to order the right kind of clay! Also wondering now if I can reduce my carbon footprint by foraging and grinding my own pigments (website), but then what to do about a trip to Turkey (ultra marinus) for lapis lazuli?
I’ve seen ultramarine blue (green shade), but not straight green. As a result of one of your earlier posts, I’ve been down a pigment rabbit hole that started with the Kremer website, then on to a US source for natural pigments where I stumbled across Maya Blue, which reminded me that I wanted to try making it using this seemingly easy method, link. If only I would remember to order the right kind of clay! Also wondering now if I can reduce my carbon footprint by foraging and grinding my own pigments (website), but then what to do about a trip to Turkey (ultra marinus) for lapis lazuli?
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
This stuff (C.I. 77007) apparently has hardly anything to do with what I have (most likely C.I. 77013).
The Color of Art Pigment Database: Pigment Green - PG writes:
(likely referring to Kremer Aquarell - Ultramaringrün, echt Gebrauchsfertige Farben | Kremer Pigmente Online Shop ). Seems like I'm in incredible luck to have a jar of this stuff still sitting around, from liquidation of a painter's workshop.
ETA: That maya blue aka indigo-into-clay stuff sounds and looks really compelling too! I wonder if the clay can help with the weird chemical reactivity of indigo.
1. dibbles -
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours -
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay - got the bug now
8. Heather McClain - 🏝
9. glendam - I have been toying with an idea
10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim - 🏖
12. melonpan - going with the emoji bonanza
13. ResolvableOwl -
14. @Zing , going to my happy place on the sands of Hawai'i on this sub-zero degree F day in Minnesota.
2. AliOop - yay
3. The_Emerald_Chicken -
4. Scentimentally Yours -
5. Vicki C -
6. Misschief - I'll give it another go (no maritime emoji for me)
7. Kaymay - got the bug now
8. Heather McClain - 🏝
9. glendam -
I have been toying with an idea10. peachymoon - Whale, here goes nothin'!
11. Catscankim - 🏖
12. melonpan - going with the emoji bonanza
13. ResolvableOwl -
14. @Zing , going to my happy place on the sands of Hawai'i on this sub-zero degree F day in Minnesota.
I unmolded and cut my challenge soap today and breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, I have my quibbles, but given that I used a new technique and poured at barely an emulsion, I am pleased beyond all get out. Good luck, everyone!
For those using essential oils, just a caution that colored eos (lemongrass, bergamot) can turn blue colorants greenish which may or may not be what you want.
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Salt bar time yesterday. Learned the hard way that you shall put in the salt NO EARLER than obvious trace. After over half an hour of constant stirring, I resorted to the stick blender. Still it took another 20 minutes + two more SB pulses to reach a point where the salt didn't just sink to the bottom within mere seconds.
But actually I liked what the SB torture did to the salt. A smoother, more transparent and less “scratchy” look (didn't like so much the extra air bubbles). Let's see how it turns out.
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Sorry for nitpicking, but no matter how carefully a rule is written, it isn't safe from ambiguous interpretation by “creative minds”.
Submission photograph of exactly one, or at least one bar?
My original design idea works best with three bars or more. I could pick one for the official submission, but I'd really prefer to have this extra flexibility here.
ETA: No fear, it won't be the manta ray (mirror symmetry as a design element).
ETA²:
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