WHAT I FOUND IN MAKING MY OWN WATERCOLOUR PAINT

Why I choose to make my own watercolour ?

I always blend my own colours using natural and synthetics pigments. 

Then, I fill them into the tubes.

It might seem unnecessary when you can purchase pre-mixed paint. 

But I believe the method allows more creative freedom and it brings immense pleasure to implement my own ideas.

What are hand-made watercolour made of ?

Watercolour consists of finely ground pigment suspended in a binder made from gum Arabic, distilled water, and various additives to help preserve the paint. To simplify things, I use ready made binder. Each pigment has its own distinct properties, including tinting strength, opacity or transparency, and granulation. The amount of binder needed to achieve the desired consistency varies for each pigment.

The tools I used to make watercolour tube paint include:

Dry Pigments

Pre-mixed binder from Schmincke, it contains oxgall which will help the pigments move into the water

Measuring spoon

Glass muller

Glass Palette

Palette Knives

Empty Tube

Tube Squeezer

Face Mask

Gloves

Consistency of hand-made watercolour

Handmade watercolours aren't as smooth and creamy as those made in factories, where machines are used to mill them, but each one has its own unique character.

The length of time the paint should be mulled depends on the pigment. Some pigments with larger particles require more time to be finely mulled compared to those with smaller particles. You often get the idea that the pigment is of the right consistency by the sound it makes when it is mullet, so instead of having that sandpaper sound you end up with just a whisper sort of a swish.

I feel very authentic when I am working with pigments there is something immensely satisfying about getting into that visceral involvement with the entire process.

I will continue the process of creating with simple ingredients, where mess is often made, but in the end, a beautiful result comes up.