Most are from lake pigments, with a few earth pigments in the mix.

From the top left, reading right:

Top row: Red roses, iron oxide, greens from florist waste, cranberries

Middle row: Red roses (again,) red cabbage, kyanite, lemons

Botton row: Spinach and corriander, just spinach, beets, agate grindings (from my rock tumbler)

These are just the ones I managed to get potted and dried, I have a whole box of mixed paints waiting on another order of watercolour pots.

They all look a bit different in consistency in part because I’ve tried a few different formulas of watercolour mix, and because they’re made from different things. Cranberries and red cabbage always end up a bit “sticky.”

My latest formula for watercolours is:

  • 300g Gum Arabic Solution (gum arabic powder and water)
  • 280g Glycerine
  • 20g Clear honey
  • 20 Drops clove oil (antibacterial - paints will mold)

I mix into pigment at a 1:1 ratio by weight.

  • GrantUsEyes@lemmy.zipEnglish
    4·
    2 days ago

    Ooh I’m saving this. Years ago I made watercolors (with comercial pigments though) that were so incredibly high quality, better than high tier windsor and newton. I miss them so much. I will try again following this recipie.

    • Wren@lemmy.todayOPMEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      Nice! I know quite a few older artists from remote areas who only painted with their own mixes. When I think about it, it makes way more sense to just have pigments and medium on hand rather than a whole bottle of acrylic that’ll dry up before you use it.

      But take that recipe with a huge salt block, I’m still in the experimental phase. My original had the same amount of glycerine and honey, but I found it cracked more when it dried — the red, green and yellow were made with that one.

      Good luck!

      • GrantUsEyes@lemmy.zipEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        take that recipe with a huge salt block.

        I will, thanks. I know what I lost when I forgot the og recipie. ;c It came from a very reputable and now inaccessible source.

        Alas, good quality watercolor is expensive as heck, and even tho I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of a mid tier portable set, I’m craving the good shit. So it’s worth a try.