Leveling research. (wiz)

[Xaks]

OK, so maybe I'm a retard.

I read the page on research skill. I spent a good chunk of the day today running all over hell and back (and spending plat to buy stuff) to work on my research, as my training points only got me to skill 45 (level 24) ...and for some reason, the skill number is in red on my skill window display?

Anyhow, I burnt through a STACK each of parchment, bloodstones, & zombie skins in the practice rune thingey (with the quill of course) and didn't get a single skillup. Just a stack of completed practice runes.

I tried one combine in my Elemental Grimoire on my new 24 spells, and of course I 'lack the skills to combine these' and all my mats vanished.

I don't understand? If my level appropriate spells aren't trivial until skill 62 according to the page here, how can doing 20 combines with that set of runes not get a single skillup at 45?