Research Process:
Literature Search

Welcome to the literature search segment of the capstone project, where I delve into an in-depth exploration of the art of paint-making. This page unfolds the findings of a comprehensive search, offering insights into the various types of paints, their processes, methods of natural paint making, and some historical overview.

Before beginning my official extensive research on the process of paint making with natural pigments, I had informed a friend of mine about the research I was planning to conduct with Dr. Jennifer Willet. I had mentioned to them my plans and goals of the capstone class, and being the great friend that they are, they had sent me a particular video from TikTok that they found relatable to me. They had messaged me a short video made by a TikTok creator with the username @joanne_green_art (video available on the right).

What this nearly 2-minute video encompassed was an individual producing their own water-colored paint out of random natural materials as a solution to their island lacking a paint store. The materials incorporated in the paint that was made had all-natural substances from dandelions and leaves/grass from their garden, paprika and turmeric from their kitchen, flowers from their vase, and charcoal from their fireplaces. The process of the paint making comprised of firstly picking the natural material and then crushing it with a mortar and pestle. From here, I believe water was added and further crushed to extract the pigments out of the object.

It was this part that I found especially fascinating; the TikToker then used a paper towel to filter out that water and pigment mixture to wring out all the juices into a separate container. This step was repeated for each chosen object. I am unsure of how the result of the painting application of these pigment soups performed on paper, but this was a pleasant introduction into the process of paint making with organic materials, in particular, the production of watercolor paints.

Although I was very grateful for this video being sent to me and I was able to get an idea of the basic process, it caused me to start thinking quite critically about what kind of paint I wanted to create. What interesting points I personally took away from the video were the use of the mortar and pestle for grinding pigments and the paper towel method to filter the liquid out.

However, the end result of a pigmented liquid was definitely far from what I had envisioned for the paint I would make. This is because there was one major issue: the liquid would not preserve and eventually rot. I wanted to create a preservable and functional long-term paint. The words "long-term" and "short-term" paint began to marinate in my mind. Thanks to this video, I was given the first idea of what to research when it came to paint making, and this was long-term and short-term paint.

Long-term Vs. Short-term Paint

A key objective of my capstone project was to develop a paint with durability against spoilage (long-term paint), yet I faced uncertainty in differentiating it from paints created on the spot (like the one from tiktok as an example). To initiate my exploration into the distinctions between long-term and short-term paint, I turned to Google Scholar to find reliable sources.

However I was instantly met with unrelated results, from investments into painting markets to Nigerian chemical paints. Therefore, I opted for the regular google search engine. The results were still quite scarce, but then I came across the website called reddit where a user had asked “Adding powdered marble or cornstarch to acrylic, is it archival?”

I was struck by the word “archival” because I had not heard about it before. I made a quick search and realized that archival is related to preservation. Specifically in the context of painting, archival paint refers to elements purposely chosen and added to paint for their longevity and resistance to deterioration over time (Reyner, 2008) . This helped to advance my searching skills and exchange “short term vs long term paint” with “short term vs archival paint”. I still ran into an issue when it came down to my new search method. The word archival still wasn't describing what I had in mind when I wanted to learn more about long-term vs. short term paint. From the original reddit source It had mentioned an organic material which is cornstarch, and this could possibly add an archival element to your paints. This was one point I kept in mind for the possibility of making my own paints. The rest of my search results when searching about archival paints mentioned chemicals that could be mixed into paint to preserve it, but I did not pay any mind to these sources because my goal of this capstone project was to only use natural/organic materials. After multiple searches on this concept of short-term vs. long-term paint I eventually decided to jot down my own idea of the distinction between these two paints.

Short-term paint:

I already knew from the original tiktok video I saw, that this was a perfect example of short-term paint. Short-term paint is a more temporary pigment which is used for more intermediate art projects. This is the type of pigment produced that focuses heavily on the process of creating the paint rather than the preservation of the final painting. This is the type of process used for school settings for learning, temporary installations, or for personal creative uses. This type of paint is essentially for one-time use and not meant to withstand long-preservation as it would be very susceptible to mold. This contrasts quite strongly when compared to the type of paint used by traditional artists, which are made to uphold their art in museums. Some specific ingredients of these short-term paints are fresh materials such as berries, spices, or other perishable items.

Long-term paint:

The term “archival” was a great find for allowing me to express my understanding of this kind of paint. In my opinion, long-term paint refers to paints made with materials that are known for their stability and resistance to fading/deterioration/spoiling over time. This is a kind of paint that, unlike short-term paint, is intended for long-term display or preservation; oil paint is an example of this.

.....

By distincting these two types of paint I was able to get a clear path of what I wanted to incorporate into my own paint making process. I wanted to achieve long-term paint. Likely not one that was as long term as Picasso or Leonardo davinci, but a realistic and preservable paint not easily susceptible to molding.

One issue I was facing at this step was what kind of paint did I want to produce? An oil paint, a water-color, an acrylic? There were a lot of factors to think about….

I decided to officially begin searching reliable sources about different forms of paint, the natural creation process of them and see which one best aligns with my taste for my own paint- making.

Egg Tempura Paint

To begin my exploration, I first came across this peer-reviewed article by, author Jillian L. Blatti published in the journal of Chemical Education. The article discusses an activity for creating sustainable, nontoxic paints using natural pigments and binders from materials available at your local grocery store (Blatti, 2017). The goal of this activity was to teach chemistry concepts in a fun and creative way to students, emphasizing sustainability (Blatti, 2017). Pigments were extracted from fruits and vegetables like raspberries, blackberries, and spinach, and a nontraditional binder, egg yolk, is used to make egg tempera paints. The painting creation process of this experimentation begins with the gathering of materials, including a non-breakable glass bowl, garlic press, aluminum loaf pan, coffee filter, graduated cylinder, rubbing alcohol, natural pigments (such as raspberries), a hand-held fan, safety glasses, and egg yolk (Blatti, 2017). In the extraction phase, the chosen natural pigment, like raspberries, is crushed with using a garlic press. Following this they place these crushed material in the coffee filter and squeeze out the pigment juices into a foil pan. The next step involves pouring in alcohol (not specified the concentration) and then evaporating the alcohol with a hand-held fan, leaving behind a dried pigment. One-half of an egg yolk is then mixed with the dried pigment to create the paint, which can be optionally diluted with water (Blatti, 2017). They stated the reason they utilized egg yolk as the binder is because “it was the fastest drying, strongest binding substance tested, which explains its widespread historical use in paints.” (Blatti, 2017). This technique intrigued me, as I had not previously encountered the concept of using egg yolk in paint, let alone a binder with pigment. As an artist that heavily focuses on drawing rather than painting, it is articles like these while researching for this capstone project that expand my understanding of the intricacies of the painting world.

........

After reading the article by Jillian L. Blatt I was truly interested about what this egg tempura was, and its historical uses as mentioned by the author. I went on to find this article published by Koo Schadler which details a brief history of egg tempura. The author begins by discussing the prevalence of egg tempura in Greek and Roman art (wall murals). It highlights the preservation of egg tempera paintings, which can be seen in the well-preserved Fayum mummy portraits of the Roman era (Schadler, 2022). There was a rise of egg tempera in the medieval era as it was the most popular medium for Byzantine and Early Christian icon painters Renaissance was a significant period for egg tempera, because of notable artists like Fra Angelico, Mantegna, Ghirlandaio, and Botticelli (Schadler, 2022). The article highlights the shift during the Renaissance, when Northern European painters began exploring and leaning towards slow-drying oil painting. The article also discusses how artists sometimes combined egg tempera with oil or shifted entirely to oil painting. It acknowledges the complexity of distinguishing between egg tempera and oil paintings during this transitioning period. As oil paints became more dominant in the 16th century, later on in the 19th century a revival occurred in England, the Society of Tempera Painters (formed in 1977) aimed to exchange knowledge and experience among it's members, contributing to the ongoing interest and growth in egg tempera painting (Schadler, 2022). The author briefly mentions a quote that stood out to me, stating, "Museum and conservation communities generally define ‘tempera painting’ as pigments bound in a water-soluble emulsion." (Schadler, 2022). In the context of this article, they are implying that egg yolk serves as a water-soluble binder. When the egg yolk is mixed with water, it acts as a binder for the pigments, creating a water-soluble emulsion. This is a fact mentioned in the article above by Jillian L. Blatti. Therefore, the definition of "tempera painting" by museum and conservation communities, refers to pigments bound in a water-soluble emulsion, this includes egg tempera as one of the techniques that fall under this category. The mixture in egg tempera is made up of water and egg yolk, making this method historically significant. After reading this article and gaining insights into the historical prevalence of egg tempera paint and its pivotal role in introducing slow-drying oil paint, it has provided me a foundational understanding of this once unfamiliar artistic technique.

Although the method of egg tempura paint making was covered in the article by Jillian L. Blatt, I wanted to find ratios of the ingredients that can be followed incase I were to replicate it. I ended up finding a separate article by the same author Koo Schadler, where he goes onto provide information about the components of egg tempura. Schadler suggests that ratios for a medium egg yolk range from 1 part egg to 2-9 parts water, allowing flexibility based on the artist's preference and yolk richness (Schadler, n.d). The water in the medium evaporates and acts as a thinner, not the binder (Schadler, n.d). Artists can modify water to achieve the desired paint thickness. The author emphasizes that it's better to mix based on how it feels rather than exact measurements (Schadler, n.d). The “critical ratio” in egg tempera is approximately one part yolk to one part pigment, regardless of water adjustments (Schadler, n.d.).

.........

After researching about egg tempera paint, some recurring terminology struck my interest. The key words “pigment” and “binder” that were being implied in the articles by Koo Schadlerand and Jillian L. Blatti, were another painting concept that I was also unfamiliar with.

Pigment + Binder

Recognizing that I had a limited understanding of pigments and binders, I found it important to search further into this topic. I came across the publications of conservator Mathias, as he delves into these subject matters in detail. In the first article published in 2020, it explores pigments and binders and the relationship between them in the process of creating paint. In the following article from 2021, Mathias narrows the focus to explore binders alone, as they were not emphasized strongly in the first publication.

He notes that a pigment is the powdery substance component of paint that actually provides the color (Mathias, 2020). Pigment is not soluble in the binder, meaning it does not dissolve into it, rather it sticks to the surface of the binder (Mathias, 2020). The reason for this insolubility of pigments in the binder is because it ensures that the color remains stable and doesn't run or bleed (Mathias, 2020). The author briefly mentions some historical insights into the use of pigments, by highlighting the earliest uses of pigments were found in cave paintings. An intriguing fact is that these pigments were made from charcoal, ocher, lime, and ground bone (Mathias, 2020). The preservation of the cave paintings remarkably show how durable these natural materials are. In the 19th century a shift to synthetic pigments were made to replace the natural pigments as it was more affordable and could produce a more diverse color range (Mathias, 2020). The author details the specific pigment preparing processes for different desired paints. In the case of acrylic and watercolor paint, the “pigment is first soaked in water for a few hours and then the respective binder is mixed in” (Mathias, 2020). As for oil paint, these same steps are followed but a glass muller tool is used with linseed oil (Mathias, 2020).

In the subsequent article that focuses on binders, the author defines a binder to be “the component of the paint that physically holds the other components together” (Mathias, 2021). There is an array of binder types: water-soluble/fat-soluble, organic/inorganic, natural/synthetic. There are also different drying properties: Physical drying means the fluid of the binder evaporates leaving only the solid components behind (Mathias, 2021). Chemical drying means that "smaller molecules combine to form larger ones, making the mass as a whole more solid" (Mathias, 2021); The mixture of these two behaviors is exhibited in the egg tempura. It is noted that in the early stone age paintings, pigments were mixed with natural binder such as animal fat (Mathias, 2021). As for ancient Egyptians, binders such as resins and gums from trees were obtained for paint making (Mathias, 2021). Natural protein binders were sourced from from milk, eggs, hides, and bones. Additional animal glues were made by boiling skin, bone, or cartilage. However, the drawbacks of these natural materials were a short life-span. An interesting binder was the use of sturgeon bladder as a form of fish glue. During the stone age, the cave paintings were made of a mixture of coal powder and animal fat (Mathias, 2021). While searching to find other alternative binders I stumbled upon a different source that described the binders within each paint type. For the tempera paint section (not egg tempera) they highlighted an interesting binder which was cornstarch. In my personal knowledge I know this is used in cooking to thicken your food, however, in the case of tempera paints these binders are not water-resistant when dry, and can be rehydrated when needed (Blik, n.d). This is a fact I will keep in mind when I go onto making paints.

Going back to the articles by author Mathias, he goes on to introduce terminology that I was not familiar with, "drying oils". They are oils that don't technically dry physically like water-based binders, however, they harden over years as their fatty acids combine with air to create long-chain molecules through a process called polymerization (Mathias, 2021).

This was yet another concept that I had to further deepen my understanding on to better grasp how to approach the recipe making process of making paints.

In sum what I learned from this section is that Pigment + Binder = Paint

Oil paint - Drying Oils

In order to broaden my understanding of the production of oil painting, I needed to firstly comprehend the basic elements of its production, including drying oils.

In a web article by author Matsukawa (2002), they delve into what a drying oil is and the various types available. It is stated that drying oil is a type of vegetable oil that when exposed to room temperature air, it undergoes a chemical process called oxidation and forms a solid, protective film (Matsukawa, 2002). This film is what makes drying oils valuable in various applications, such as in oil painting, where they act as binders for the pigment, helping paint adhere to surfaces and dry into a hard finish (Matsukawa, 2002). It is a fundamental component of oil paints that can enhance the transparency and glossiness of pigments, as more is applied to the ratio (Matsukawa, 2002). The most common drying oils are Linseed oil, Poppy oil, Walnut oil, Sunflower oil and Safflower oil. The opposite of a drying oil would be for example olive oil, mineral oil, coconut oil etc. Non-drying oils would not be effective in paint production because of incomplete drying, art becomes more susceptible to damage (smudging), and color change of paint over time or yellowing (Team, 2023).

The production of oil paints is quite simple as the recipe consists of your pigment and a drying oil of choice; the process however requires some extra physical labor. To start, obtain a mulling plate which is simply a glass slab used for mixing the oil paint. To the plate, place a small amount of both drying oil of choice and pigment until the desired consistency is met and mix with a spatula (O’Hanlon, 2013). Once you have made a paste by folding with the spatula, use a glass muller to begin grinding the pigment into the glass slab (O’Hanlon, 2013). Continue to mix until all the paint has been blended into a smooth homogenous paste (O’Hanlon, 2013).

.......

After exploring the process of creating oil paint, the next step is to delve into the realm of acrylics and explore different alternative methods to producing natural paints.

Acrylic

Acrylic is one of the most common paints, but it was not the type of paint I immediately considered when it came down to brainstorming possible plans for this research project. I tend to link acrylics with industrial mass production, which is far from what I want to embody with the natural paints I plan to produce. However, by exploring potential natural methods for creating acrylic, I gain a broader perspective on paint making. This gives me the flexibility, after my research, to choose the most fitting approach when it's time to decide on the best paint making method for my project.

Following my search on potential natural acrylic paint, I browsed through several articles. Each one of them had the same format for making “natural” acrylic. The only natural aspect is that they all call for dry organic pigments (derived from natural materials like fruits and vegetables). When it comes to the binder, this is where the “natural” title diminishes. All journals manage to mention "acrylic medium" as the additive to the pigment in order to make the acrylic paint (Team, 2023; Lewis, 2023, Artists Network, 2018); This solidified my initial projections about acrylic paint being industrial and mass produced. I find the reason for the lack of natural substitutes for the binder in all of these acrylic recipes is attributed to the modern origins that acrylic paint has. It is commonly known that acrylic has emerged in recent times, therefore it lacks a historic precedent, this makes it challenging to find a fully natural/organic substitutes for the manufactured binders. Unlike oil or tempera paints, which historically had organic alternatives, from animal fat to eggs, acrylic faces a contemporary challenge as it was invented and produced in modern industrial times. This is why acrylic does not align with the idea of a fully natural formulation, and this in turn makes this paint not align with my project.

Lake pigment method

While conducting my research, I stumbled across this method, and I found it essential to highlight.

The "lake pigment" method of creating paint involves using alum (potassium aluminum sulfate) to capture the dye color, along with an alkali like washing soda (sodium carbonate) to precipitate the alum into an insoluble powder when mixed with water (Kebelmann, 2020). To begin, heat your pigment of choice in water, for example flower petals, not until boiling but rather until smoke is produced. From here let the dye extract from the pigment, this is noticeable when the color of the water fully changes. Sieve the mixture through a strainer, separating the solid materials out from the colored water. To the liquid, add in aluminum potassium sulfate powder (alum) and sodium carbonate (washing soda); the mixture should fizz up (Kebelmann, 2020). Filter the mixture through a coffee filter, the remaining substance stuck to the coffee filter is the pigment. Once the substance on the coffee filter undergoes drying, after which this dried material is ground into a fine powder (Kebelmann, 2020). This is officially the pigment used for the paint. To this pigment, any sort of binder can be mixed with it from water to any oil of choice. While this method extracts natural color, the reliance on two commercially available compounds like alum and washing soda doesn't fully resonate with my objective of creating a homemade and organic paint. However, this method does have a great dye extraction process!

(‌Palepu, 2021)

After completing this in-depth research process and gaining a more profound understanding of the paint-making techniques, I am now able to formulate a plan for executing the creation of my paints. The choice of oil paint did not align with my vision, as I aimed to incorporate a natural binder as opposed to a pre-manufactured bottled drying-oil. Acrylic paint, too, was unsuitable for my purposes, given that every source that provided recipes all called for an acrylic medium as the paint binder. This again contradicts my objective of an entirely natural and organic paint.The method that resonated most with my project goals is the egg tempera paint. I appreciate this approach because both the pigment and the binder are derived from natural ingredients, this aligns perfectly with the goals of my capstone research project. However, a challenge presents itself in the preservation of this type of paint. It is common knowledge that mold thrives in damp and humid conditions, especially in an egg-based paint. It is evident that If I were to follow the exact egg tempera paint method that the paint will have a short life-span even if I were to attempt to preserve it. After careful and extensive consideration on how to approach making the paint, I've concluded that a dehydrated paint is the most logical solution for achieving a long-term, all-natural paint. Just how those children's art sets have those hardened small watercolor pans, that are rehydrated by adding water, I want to embody a similar concept. In this final plan, I aim to create a dehydrated block of tempera paint. When the paint is needed, a simple rehydration process for the tempera block is anticipated to create a viable paint whenever needed. This strategic decision is the product of my literature research findings, and this will be the plan I will put to the test in the physical paint making process.

References

Artists Network. (2018, April 19). Make Your Own Paint. Artists Network; Artists Network. https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-techniques/make-your-own-paint/

‌Blatti. L. J. (2017). Colorful and Creative Chemistry: Making Simple Sustainable Paints with Natural Pigments and Binders. ACS Publications. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00591?casa_token=hycdHakR-zsAAAAA%3AoOT4YDNDn_0-z41AUaMdcw17F-JzMk7iQsfB3ic4qtbkJx2XGHP9tJsIBIs5RJP6ARGACOpHSwT-Kg

Blik. (n.d) Learn About Paint Binders. BLICK Art Materials. https://www.dickblick.com/learning-resources/buying-guides/paint/paint-binders/

Lewis, C. (2023, May 22). How to Make Acrylic Paint - Learn to Make Acrylic Paint at Home. Art in Context. https://artincontext.org/how-to-make-acrylic-paint/

Mathias. (2020, October 3). Pigments and binders in painting. Romoe Conservators Network..https://www.romoe.com/en/conservation/pigments/#:~:text=In%20a%20broader%20sense%2C%20a,merely%20adheres%20to%20its%20surface

Mathias. (2021, March 26). Production, processing and use of binders. Romoe Conservators Network. https://www.romoe.com/en/conservation/binder/

N.Matsukawa. (n.d). Drying oils - Linseed oil, Poppy oil, Walnuts oil, etc. Encyclopedia of Painting Materials. http://www.cad-red.com/mt2/oil.html

O’Hanlon, G. (2013, June 10). How to Make Your Own Oil Paint. Natural Pigments. https://www.naturalpigments.com/artist-materials/tutorial-how-make-paint

IMAGE: Palepu. S. (2021, December 23). Hibiscus flower Dye and Lake Pigment. Pans & Spaces. https://pansandspaces.com/2021/12/23/hibiscus-flower-dye-and-lake-pigment/

Reyner, N. (November 30, 2008). Making Your Artwork Last. NancyReyner. https://nancyreyner.com/2008/11/30/making-your-artwork-last/

Schadler. K. (2022). HISTORY OF EGG TEMPERA PAINTING. Kooschadler. https://www.kooschadler.com/techniques/history-egg-tempera-2022.pdf

‌Schadler. K. (n.d). EGG TEMPERA MISCONCEPTIONS. Kooschadler. https://www.artcons.udel.edu/mitra/Documents/Misconceptions_EggTempera.pdf

Team, Rmpc. (2023, November 6). Difference Between Drying and Non-Drying Oil | RMP. Realmilkpaint.com. https://www.realmilkpaint.com/blog/tips/drying-oil-vs-nondrying-oil-which-is-right-for-you/

Kebelmann. J. (2020, July 17). Making lake pigments. Rebecca Desnos. https://rebeccadesnos.com/blogs/journal/making-lake-pigments/

‌

Research Process: Literature Search

Research Process:
Literature Search