Create your own paint colors from minerals like ochre.
In its most basic form, all paint is made up of pigment, which is its color, and the substance that holds it together, known as binder. Pigment on its own is a solid, most often found in powdered form. It usually comes from minerals such as titanium, gypsum, and semi-precious stones, although synthetic pigments are now available. The binder in paint is a liquid or gel that holds the particulates of the pigment together and makes them stick to a surface. Additional ingredients are added to paint to improve adhesion (stickiness) and make it less prone to fading over time.
Instructions
1. Find or purchase pigment solids, such as clay for reds or powdered malachite and lapis for green and blue, respectively. The stones can be purchased as inlay stones from jewelry supply shops.
2. Pour one of your pigment solids into a mortar and pestle and press and twist against it with the pestle until it is as fine a powder as you can make it.
3. Measure 2 tsp. of your powder into a container and add 1/4 tsp. of your binder. Choose linseed oil for oil paints or a clear gel medium, available at art stores, for acrylics. If you simply want to experiment with colors and aren't as interested in quality paint, you can use diluted white glue with a ratio of 3 parts glue to 1 part water.
4. Add more binder, 1/4 tsp. at a time, and stir well after each addition, until the paint is the consistency you want it. Write down the ratio of how much binder you used for the 2 tsp. pigment.
5. Make several basic colors, including white (made from gypsum powder, which you may find at home improvement stores). Then try mixing the individual colors to create new colors, using the white gypsum paint to lighten them.
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