Painting: "Midsummer Moth" by Lynn Whitlark Pigment Grinding Vehicle/Binder is designed specifically for use by artists who grind their own pigments into a workable "paste" -- not unlike the paint sold in tubes by the "big guys" -- manufacturers of watercolor paints. Why go to this kind of trouble to make your own paints? Several reasons -- 1. You can gather your own earth pigments, grind them to whatever grain/particle size you need for a specific project, and make your own, unique paints. 2. With the daily invention and discovery of new pigments, and with most of the traditional manufacturers only introducing new paints once every year or even every 5 years -- grinding your own paints lets you take advantage of the newest pigments available. -- again, producing an absolutely unique palette of paints. 3. Many of the traditional manufacturers of watercolor paints have great storehouses of colors now known to be fugitive or to be health hazards -- and even where there are modern and newly invented pigments which are completely lightfast and non-toxic, some of the old paints are still being sold to artists who either don't know the difference, or who are convinced that "no other color will do." 4. Many of the big-guy manufacturers still produce watercolor paints restricted to the idea of "transparant watercolors" -- while so many of the new pigments broaden the artist's choices to include semi-transparant and opaque paints. 5. The variety of light-fast, chemically stable, and non-hazardous pigments available has climed into the 400+ range -- while most watercolor manufacturers have limited themselves to scant dozens -- and many of those are not single-pigment colors, but rather propriatary mixes/blends aimed at a specific color, rather than at specific pigment characteristics and behaviors. 6. Almost all the old-school paint manufacturers produce their watercolors as the "step-children" of "real" paint -- that is, oils and more recently, acrylics. Their paints are sold by color name -- and often by proprietary names like "Company X Red", or "Permanant Green" --names which tell you absolutely nothing about what pigments are used to produce the paint. As a result, there is no way to even guess the characteristics of their paints without first buying them -- an expensive way to learn something that should be obvious. There are even paint companies who fail to include pigment information on their literature and paint tubes/packaging. In our opinion, selling ignorance is not the way to do business. So -- at the very least, buy your manufactured paints from an information-age manufacturer who isn't obcessed with keeping his propriatary blends a secret at the expense of the customer-artist knowing what paints they are actually buying. 7. COST. In many cases, you can buy an entire pound of an earth color or common organic or inorganic pigment for the same cost as one (1 !!!!) 15ml tube of art-store paint! Even the most expensive pigments can be ground into paint for about 1/2 the price of art-store paints. Making your own paint will bring an entirely new understanding and appreciation for the raw source materials and modern pigments which are available to the water-media artist of the 21st Century. Watercolors, unlike any other artistic medium, allow the artist to use not only the color characterists, but ALL the characteristics of pigment to create -- including relative particle size, weight, transparancy/opacity, tinting strenght, staining/dying ability, granulation, and oxidation properties. To populate a palette with paints based only on color is to buy into that old "step-child" philosophy that watercolorists are little more than "Sunday Afternoon Hobbiests." The days of painting with a "limited palette" filled with fugitive paints guaranteed to fade if taken into the light of day (or a gallery or museum) are gone -- given way to the 21st Century Palette. Available in 4oz and 12oz jars. Purciful's Magical Pigment Grinding Vehicle/Binder - 8oz in Dropper Bottle This is the blend I use to grind my own pigments into paint -- Ingredients: gum arabic solution (gum arabic in solid form and distilled water), glycerin, local Texas honey, & traces of clove oil to preserve your paint and protect your finished works There are also a couple of trace ingredients common to all kitchens, non toxic, non staining, not known to be allergins etc an in all ways completely safe, which I add because of their own properties in conjunction with traditional gum arabic solutions and ingredients.) This blend is completely non toxic and contains no chemical preservatives. Shelf life of paints made with this binder is indefinate. Even in dry climates, if your paints begin to dry, just reconstitute them with a few drop of binder and water! Freshly ground paints keep best in completely sealed containers -- best to find containers that are exactly the size for the amount of paint you are grinding. (Between you and me, I stay in touch with people at Tupperware and buy dozens of their tiny promotional containers called "Smidgets" -- and almost as many of their "Midgets!) Yet another use for Tupperware that they never intended! There is also a product called the "Possum Palette" available in most art supply catalogs -- and tey sell "refill" containers which are a very good traveling size for pigment -- and unlike the Smidgets and Midgets, they are clear -- letting you see your paints as you choose them for a painting. *One of the things you'll start to notice when you begin making your own paints by hand is that different pigments absorb more or less binder; some pigments separate from their binder (this is completely normal); some pigments blend into the binder effortlessly and others require a great deal of patience.... no two pigments or families of pigments respond in the same way -- isn't is glorious! While every acrylic in the world acts the same way as it goes in the tube, goes onto the brush, and spreads across a canvas -- (and likewise with oils...)suddenly we have a traditional, and yet completely new water-based medium. It's a great time to be an artist! Availability: Usually ships the next business day. PMT8DBD$14.95 What Supplies Will I Need to Begin Making My Own Paints? Painting: "After the Fire" by Lynn Whitlark You can actually get started with a palette of many good colors for just about what it would cost you to buy an equal number of paint tubes from your local art store -- the difference being, your investment of an equal amount of money will yield not only 1 grinding of paint -- but many subsequent "refills" for your palette! Basic supply list: 1. A square of matt/frosted surface glass -- I suggest as heavy a weight as you can afford so it will be sturdy, and at least a 6" square. I use a 12" x 14" block of glass that is 1/2" thick -- but this size is very expensive if you are on a budget and just starting out. (Alternately, some people use a porcelain mortar and pestle. This will also work and can be found easily and inexpensively in many kitchen shops -- just don't use it in both your kitchen and your studio -- get a second if you need it for both chemistry and cooking!) 2. If you are using a grinding glass, you will also need a sturdy, straight blade palette knife. I use one that is 3" long and about 1/2" wide at the base where it joins to the handle. (If you are using a mortar/pestle, you won't necessarily have to have a palette knife.) 3. Pigments -- your choice. If you don't know where to find them, contact me and I can give you several sources. NEVER buy pigments by name -- choose by color number. If the identifying numbers are not given -- look elsewhere. (Of course, this means you have to do your homework and learn about the different properties of each pigment -- there are very few books around for this purpose -- so plan on learning a lot by trial and error -- though you can always paint with your "error" just as well as with those pigments which match your expectations!) 4. Binder 5. Containers for your paint. Tupperware Midgets and Smidgets; Possum Palette refill containers; used and washed prescription medicine bottles.... Use your imagination. Most important: small and with an air-tight seal. You can also purchase pans and half-pans from several suppliers, and turn your paints into solid form by letting them set and dry for 72+ hours. (The time required depends on the pigment in question.) 6. Labels. Cheap, white, stick-on lables that will fit your containers. Always identify your paints by color number, name, source, and the date it was ground. And that's about it. USEFUL BUT NOT NECESSARY TOOLS: 1. I also keep a tool called a "color shaper" -- available at most art supply stores or catalogs -- and use it like a tiny rubber spatula to gather up/move paint either from my grinding glass to container, or from container to workiong space where it can be mixed, diluted, or altered with one of my other mediums. 2. I also keep a glass eye-dropper handy to add binder by small increments as I am grinding. 3. If (when) you begin making custom blends -- blends you use often or that have characteristics you want to be able to duplicate -- get a spiral bound book of watercolor paper where you can write down your "recipes" and include a paint sample. ********************************************* REACH US BY EMAIL AT purcifuls@yahoo.com OR BY PHONE AT (806) 239 2927 during business hours. IF YOU DON'T GET A LIVE PERSON -- JUST KEEP TRYING! 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