Making your own watercolour paint - the basics

Have you ever wanted to learn to make your own watercolour paints at home, but felt daunted by all the ingredients/tools needed to get started? This workshop will give you the basic information you need to find out if making paint is for you, and to make a start experimenting with your own paint. This class now includes a recipe for vegan binder using agave syrup, as well as more traditional honey binder.

We'll cover:

• What is a pigment, a binder, and a paint (vs. an ink or a dye)?
• Where can you get pigment safely?
• Binders; how they're made, what each ingredient does, honey vs. vegan binders
• Tools for mulling and how to mull paint by hand
• Filling pans, drying, and storing homemade watercolour paint
• Safety considerations when making paint and using pigments
• Tips for buying ingredients and tools
• How to forage/make your own pigments from scratch

Your host, Immy, will be bringing ingredients and equipment so we can see and get a feel for the process of making binder and paint. They'll be bringing a muller and grinding plate so at the end of the session, we'll have a go at mulling red & yellow ochre paint, and give everyone a chance to feel what mulling a pigment into binder is like.

The paint we make can be made into dot cards for you to take away - however, please be aware that this paint won't dry instantly and may remain soft for a while. Standard pans of paint need filling in 3-4 layers with drying time in between, so we won't be filling pans as part of this event. However, if you have a paint set you could add some of our paint to an empty pan if you're willing to dry it at home.

This is a 2 hour workshop that aims to give you basic knowledge of paint making; it's a whistle-stop tour of the process, designed to help you find out more. Therefore we won't be making pans of paint from start to finish. If everyone enjoys the workshop and would like to learn more, we'll consider running a more detailed workshop in future.

Book now via Eventbrite

Safety considerations

The ochre pigments we'll use aren't toxic, but regardless of which pigment you use in any project; never redecorate your lungs! Masks will be provided to protect you from inhaling pigment dust when we're using it; please be prepared to wear one if you wish to take part. Gloves will also be provided to protect your hands from sticky paint if you wish. Please wear clothes you wouldn't mind getting the odd splash of paint on. Red or yellow ochre isn't particularly staining, but you never know!

This event is suitable for participants aged 16 and over. By booking this event you confirm you are aged 16 or over, and that you agree to behave appropriately for an event where paint is used (no throwing things, licking things, or painting on skin/clothing, etc. I know it seems obvious... But you'd be amazed.)

Your host is Immy Smith, aka Lycomorpha/Moths in a Human Suit. Find out more about them here. They'll be available to chat for about half an hour after the workshop if you have any questions, or just want to talk about moths. (Moths are amazing by the way, and you can find out more here, here and here.)