Doing your own Paint/Materials

[Alex Sunder]

I started this thread here some time ago: http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=558049

Im still writing my essay, and the result of this poll will be attached to it. I would really appreciate if all of you could vote for this poll. The more people voting, the better. This is important for me, since it will give me a clear idea on whats the general opinion of contemporary painters.

Thank you very much indeed!
ALEX

[Addy]

I would definitely like to mull some of my own paints, if nothing else, to learn more about my materials. Having absolute control over what goes into my paint would be nice too, since I suppose that even the most expensive brands cut some corners here and there, not to mention other concerns that they need to have, like toxicity and shelf life.

However, making your own materials is time-consuming, and I can't allow it to cut into my painting time, which is already scarce. I do have enough trust in readymade paint that I'll continue using it until my situation changes, though. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to paint at all.

I voted for the fourth option, btw.

I don't think making your own paint is cheaper than buying it readymade. Maybe the materials are in fact cheaper, but when you factor in your time and effort, it goes way up. I value my time very much.

[Peter A Van Tassell]

I have made my own in years past simply because I ran out of some tube colors. I wouldn't mull my own paint unless I needed a very specific characteristic, in which case by all means I would make my own.
For every day use, a high quality commercial paint is sufficient, in my opinion. And the commercial paints are certainly more consistent.

I chose the third option.

[dcorc]

I wouldn't mull my own paint unless I needed a very specific characteristic, in which case by all means I would make my own.

Indeed - Alex, you haven't included the option which I suspect is true of quite a few people who do some hand-mulling (perhaps, dare I suggest, the majority who do?) - which is that, as Peter says, we use commercial paint where it suits our needs, and hand-mull where we want to make colours not readily commercially available (for example, I can easily get lead tin yellow pigment, but not made up paint), or where we want to make paints with specialised properties - mulled in different oils, or with additions - putty mediums, for example.

[Alex Sunder]

Dcorc, you are absolutly right. I could have added this option. Since I think it´s impossible to correct the poll, I suggest that the painters who mull SOME colors AND uses comercial colors as well should vote for option #03, and if possible, write down a note here...

Anyway, the poll would have too many options and variables if I would include a vast array of circunstances and procedures. I was trying to get just a general feeling of what most painters think about this issue.

But thanks for the helpful observation!
ALEX

[Alex Sunder]

Thanks for everyone who voted.

I still need more votes to include this poll on my article, so, please vote, you just have to click in one of the options and its done!

Thanks everyone!
ALEX

[rroberts]

Hi Alex:

I voted for the last 2 options, but as dcorc suggested, I actually devote hand-mulling to colors not commercially available, OR for a paint property that I don't get from commercial sources. For instance, there is a lovely blue-green earth from cypress, an english raw sienna that is more brown than yellow, etc. And hand-mulling lead carbonate makes for really ropey white, unlike anything commercially available (that I know of).

Hope this helps.

[JamieWG]

I wouldn't mull my own paint unless I needed a very specific characteristic, in which case by all means I would make my own.

I agree with this, and with Dave. I wish this option had been on the list. I only make my own ultramarine deep from time to time, since that is the commercially tubed color I am the least satisfied with.

Jamie

[Alex Sunder]

Robert and Jamie, thanks a lot for the contribution.

I need more Votes, if you´re reading this, please vote!
This is important for my article.

Thanks!!
ALEX

[LarrySeiler]

I have only a few times mulled my own, perhaps more out of curiosity or to touch upon the history, the "older" methods.

Jamie helped me see how I could make ultramarine blue a bit richer by doing so...and from time to time I've messed with that. I just wish I had a bit more time and money to invest...but for the most part, its taken me a good number of years to arrive at the pigments I use for what I do, and I'm not unhappy with the results to the point of feeling any major inadequacies.

Larry

[kazucks]

When I mull my own paint, I can control the quality and quantity of ingredients which are used. I trust George at Natural Pigments for the quality of oils and other ingredients that I use. His pale grinding oil is quite nice as well as his heat bodied oils (stand oils), walnut oils etc. His variety of pigments from 3 lead tin yellows, dutch stack process lead white, lead tin orange, lapis lazuli, malachite, and many many unusual earth pigments which I greatly enjoy making.

I buy Daniel Smith large size empty tubes and grind many varieties of earth colors which I enjoy making to my own taste-degree of oil use, sheen and other working qualities. Making your own paint can assure you that you have exactly the working properties that you desire.

[oneilltje79]

I only make a little bit of my paint myself. Just out of curiosity and tos add some special effects like glow in the dark.

[Alex Sunder]

Larry, Kazucks and Oneilltje: Thanks very much for the input!

Need more votes on this poll! If you´re reading this, please vote!

Thank you all!
ALEX

[karenlee]

I would like to grind my own just to get a black pigment that is reflective. I have no idea where to start-- do I just hammer a rock into smithereens and mull it with my litho levigator?? Any assistance appreciated.

[Alex Sunder]

Karen, heres a few links:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=561339

and this one:
www.paintmaking.com

Also, theres plenty more on this issue on old threads. You can find trough the search tool.

I hope this helps!
ALEX

[karenlee]

Thank you Alex! I remember someone posting that they collected minerals in Arizona I think it was, and ground their own pigments. I have been buying pigments for egg tempera, but using the pigments to make pastels instead. Now I am resolved to try to make my own earth colors. Along the same line, the Daniel Smith Primatek colors look so interesting!! I wonder what I will come up with using local finds.

[Alex Sunder]

Karen, this is a absolutly AMAZING article on collecting earth and making your own pigment:

http://naturalpigments.com/education/article.asp?ArticleID=2
http://naturalpigments.com/education/article.asp?ArticleID=3

Hope you like it, this article is really well done.

[cjorgensen]

For me, just learning how to use the oils and brushes is enough trouble. Mixing my own paints would be just another huge problem. It's enough work just finding the cheapest colors to practice with.

[rroberts]

Here's another interesting link about collecting earth and making pigments:

How To Paint A Mammoth (http://www.primitiveways.com/paint_a_mammoth.html)

[karenlee]

Thank you, Alex, for those excellent articles. Do you make your own paints? In the second article, the writer states she is grinding pigment with a muller. It was my understanding that the muller doesn't grind, it just evenly disperses the pigment into the medium. Maybe you could answer? P.S. Should I just go to a new thread??
Robert, thank you for the article on how to paint a mammoth. I have some excavations on my street (thanks to the gas company) that I can start collecting red earth from today! --Karen

[Peter A Van Tassell]

Alex, what a great idea! I was recently pondering upon this thread, and some local scenes come to mind. I thought, "Why not get my pigments from the landscape scene itself?" You see, I live in an area with many natural things available in the earth tones, such as umbers and ochres.

Just the other day, I got catalogs from Blick's and Cheap Joe's and Kama pigments. I was very excited, but zero money. I know that I'll need high-chroma pigments such as cadmiums on occasion, so I plan to buy in bulk form when I can. Mostly I'll just need the high-chroma items to complement the earth pigments and give it a bit of "zing".

That's the plan, anyway.

[sidbledsoe]

Peter, that is great, I would just start with one earth pigment and see how you like it. The things about it I like the most are, it is enjoyable, you use what oil you want, and you make it the consistency you want. Like doing your own cooking.
Karen, you are right, the muller is for dispersing the oil until each particle is well surrounded with the binding oil. It is called grinding but it doesn't mean you grind the particles finer, you just grind the oil into the pigment. At home you would use a mortar and pestle for grinding the pigment particles more.
Alex and others, here is another page you will like, http://www.marcdalessio.com/tag/grinding-colors/

[Alex Sunder]

Robert and Sid: Thanks for the useful link!!!

Peter: Im glad that we inspired you in some way to make your own earth pigments. It´s a lot of work, it´s true, but also, theres a lot of fun on it, and a great feeling of achievement when you got a nice home made pigment made it by your own hands!

Karen: Sid already answered your question! Yes, I do grind SOME of my paint, like the lead white and burnt umber, wich is the colors I use the most. But I never tryed to find and collect my own pigments, the area where I live it´s strictly urban, the few places where we have earth the colors are really dull and the acess is kinda difficult. I think this is a procedure that those who live by the country side can experience much more liberty and variation in color.

Cjorgensen: Thanks for voting and leaving your comments here!