Gritty Pigments

I learnt about the natural environment while growing up in country Victoria. I started collecting rocks, bones, pieces of wood and feathers from around the farm because they were interesting or beautiful objects. Later the list of objects grew to include shells, crystals, grasses, seedpods and discarded human objects. Most finds were by chance as I roamed all over this continent during my many years of travel. I sketched and drew with charcoal and ink, but when I started using colour in my art my focus for foraging changed profoundly. I was no longer happy to find ochres and mineral rocks by chance. This needed a new focused approach to find the colours I needed.

How were traditional paints made and used by European and other artists? What pigments did they use and how were they made into such a long lasting and beautiful paint? I knew that many of those painters are known to have served long apprenticeships where they had lengthy training in the preparation of materials and then painting techniques. How on earth could I recreate those materials? And, there was also the exciting possibility of being able to capture some of the effects and feelings that can be achieved when carefully prepared natural materials are used.

Since the late 1800's making materials for professional art practice has not been considered important. After all, you can buy various paints and numerous types of mediums to achieve the desired effect in your painting. Mainstream 21st century art schools don't offer courses about materials. So I started searching libraries, bookshops and the internet for any credible information I could find to help me answer my question. This research journey took around four years! I was amazed. I found out that all historic materials used by artists and artisans in all cultural traditions around the world were sourced from nature and handmade into paint using the same or similar, simple techniques. Some of these paintings were over a one hundred thousand years old and still retained their original colours!

Researching, testing and writing the book

I decided to focus on materials used in the European art tradition because of my heritage and a particular interest I have in Dutch artists. I was able to find old writings and books that contained detailed information provided to alchemists, apprentices, and, in later times, to students in art academies. I investigated geology, botany and chemistry of the materials that were used, and also the safety and conservation implications. I sourced raw substances from the landscape, processed them, and put together recipes. There were magical moments when in collaboration with other artists we tested the recipes, experimented with techniques, and saw the different painting and drawing mediums work.

Gaining this knowledge provides a certain autonomy to painters, being no longer dependent on expensive commercial products and possible supply chain interruptions. With care and consideration, this could lead to a truly sustainable art practice!