Suggestions for Selecting your First Enamels

It is not necessary to buy a lot of colours when you are just starting to learn how to enamel. I usually advise people to buy a limited number of colours to start with, and to really get to know how to work with them.

Start by making colour samples on the metal for which the colours you bought are meant. For copper, silver and gold you should buy enamels from the 1000-series (opaques) or the 2000-series (transparents). Practise how to sift or wet-pack them onto the metal you are using.

Start by making samples on small pieces of metal. Keep the samples with your notes. (Remember: the colours of enamels may differ from batch to batch. So, if you buy a new quantity of an enamel you think you know well, you should make a new sample. It takes little time but it will safeguard you from unwelcome surprises.)
Make sure you know how to fire the enamels. Consult a book if you don't already know this, or ask other enamellers for help.
Find out how thick you should apply the enamel, how long you should leave your work in the kiln, what happens if you put one or more layers of enamel over the first coat.
Make notes of everything you do: the make and number of the enamels, how you applied them, how long you fired them, and at what temperatures. Also make notes if things do not work out the way you hoped. 

Possible first selection:

There are many leadbearing enamels on the market. However, the fumes of leadbearing enamels may be dangerous and I strongly advise using leadfree products. I myself have always used the leadfree enamels from the Thompson Enamel plant in the USA. These may be bought from Tom Lundsten, Denmark. 

If you decide to follow my example, here is a suggestion for a possible first selection of colours.

For opaque colours I suggest #1020 titanium white; a bright Buttercup yellow #1810; Jungle green #1360; Cobalt blue #1685; Flame red #1880 and black #1995. For transparents I suggest a flux (#2030 if you will work on copper or #2020 if you will work on silver); Soft yellow #2210; Prussian blue #2680 and Woodrow red #2880.
You may also like to order another white colour to put your transparents on: #1010, Undercoat white. Please note: this white is not acid-resistant. It is made as a base-coat for transparent enamels.
If you put transparent colours on top of other enamel colours, opaque or transparent, you will get a large scala of new shades.