Let’s Talk About Pigments!
A major part of my creative process is creating watercolor paints from plants. Learning the processes and techniques to accomplish this was an obstacle and filled with lots of research… (AKA I may have fallen down a TikTok rabbit hole or two). Not many people make their own pigments anymore, therefore it started to feel like a lot of the information was being gatekept. With Anywhere Aesthetic, I want to try to make art more accessible and easily available for anyone who may be curious. In this blog, I am going to share my personal experiences with the first step of creating watercolors from plants, the collecting of natural pigments.
Pigment Collecting
A pigment is what gives paint its unique coloring and opacity. Historically, pigments were mainly created from organic materials. In the caveman days, this would be ground-up minerals such as iron oxide for red, or charcoal for black. Fast forward to the Renaissance era, painters still took on the responsibility of creating their own personal pigment mixes because of their fear of pigment falsification from con colorman. (To read more about the history of pigments, read this article by Rebbeca Sobbi). As much as I wish I could be an art historian, let’s focus more on present-day pigment collection practices.
Step 1: Choosing the Right Plant
To maintain my health during this process, I stick to a rule of only creating pigments from plants that are edible and nontoxic to humans. Know what plants you are foraging!!! In complete transparency, most of my pigments are created from food scraps, such as onion skins, zucchini peels, water from soaking dried black beans, espresso grounds, ect. The point is, you don’t need to even leave the kitchen to start making pigments! That being said, it is an amazing feeling to make pigments from plants you found on a grand and beautiful adventure. I recommend simply searching “non-toxic plants in (state/region).” Here in Kansas, we have quite a few plants to forage such as dandelions, henbit, plains coreopsis, sunflowers, and goldenrod. Once again, please keep your personal health in mind during this step!
Step 2: Releasing the Natural Dye
Now we start to enter the realm of experimentation! Different plants can require different ways of releasing their natural dye. The dye is what will turn into a pigment in the following steps. I would say that 99% of the time, I simply simmer the plant in a pot of water for 30 minutes to an hour and a half. The other 1% of the time, I soak the plant in water for 24-48 hours. Dry black beans is a great example of what type of organic material may require the latter method of releasing its natural dye.
It is important to note the amount of water you use! In the next step, we will create a precipitation chemical reaction using alum and washing soda; therefore, maintaining the correct ratio is crucial. Your collected organic material must be completely submerged in the water to collect all of the available dye/pigment. To maintain the correct ratio for the chemical reaction to occur, I start with 2 cups of water and then double the amounts from there. For example, if 2 cups of water does not fully submerge your organic material, double it and try 4 cups. If that is still not enough water, double it again and use 8 cups. Make sure to take note of how much water you used to help you create the chemical reaction in ‘Step 3: Lake Pigment Method.
Alright, now that you have taken note of how much water you’re using, let's release this dye! I always add my plants to the pot of water before turning on the stovetop. You do not want to boil the water, instead lightly simmer. Set the timer for 30 minutes. If the water has not changed color, continue for another 30 min. Depending on the organic material, this step can take up to an hour and a half. For the no-heat method, wait at least 24 hours for the water to change color.
Strain the organic material by placing a cheesecloth over a stainless-steel mesh strainer. This will ensure that all pieces of organic material are removed and you are only left with the dyed water. *For step 3, it is important for the dyed water to be warm to the touch, but not stupid hot where you’ll burn yourself*
Step 3: Lake Pigment Method
Alrighty y’all, it is now time for the magic to happen! In this step, we are going to go over the “golden” ratio to invoke the precipitate chemical reaction.
I always stick to this ratio:
2 cups of water
5 grams alum
2.5 grams washing soda
4 cups of water
10 grams alum
5 grams washing soda
8 cups of water
20 grams alum
10 grams washing soda
*Pro-tip: during the chemical reaction, the solution is going to fizz up! It is similar to a baking soda & vinegar volcano, not explosive like putting Mentos into a Coke bottle. Make sure your glass container has lots of extra room at the top. I use a very large mason jar*
Directions:
Make sure your solution is strained into a large mason jar with lots of extra room near the top, all organic plant matter is removed, and it is warm to the touch (again not hot, but warm)
Depending on how many cups of water are used, weigh out your alum and washing soda separately
Add your alum and stir with a wood stick until dissolved. The color may change a bit.
Just another reminder to have extra space in your glass, at least 3 inches! Better to be safe than sorry. Add in the washing soda and marvel at the amazing chemical reaction taking place. You will start to see the pigment solidify and fall to the bottom
Wait at least 2 hours for the pigment to entirely separate from the water.
Pour your solution through a coffee filter. I like to use a rubber band and a second mason jar to secure the coffee filter.
Be patient and wait overnight for the coffee filter to catch and capture all of the pigment
Gently remove the coffee filter from the rubberband and mason jar with the collected pigment. Place on to a cheap plastic plate (this plate should no longer be used to eat off of). I like to take a plastic knife and spread the collected pigment out, making it thinner on the coffee filter. This will allow for faster drying times and decrease the chance of mold.
Time to be patient again. It can take up to 3 days for the pigment to entirely dry out. It is crucial for the pigment to not contain any moisture
WEAR A MASK! The pigment is now a powder and a mask should be worn to protect your beautiful lungs and health!! Scrape the dried pigment off and into a mortar. Use a pestle to grind the pigment into a fine powder. Then funnel powder into a small glass jar. I purchase mine from the dollar store! Then label your pigment. I purchase blank shipping labels from the dollar store and cut them down to the size of the jar
Now imagine all the things you can make with your pigments! They work great for watercolor paints ;) I am also planning to try to make oil-based etching inks for printmaking.
Let’s Talk About Colors!
First and foremost: reds, pinks, & purples are going to be the HARDEST pigments to collect. This is due to the sensitivity caused by PH levels. I truly wish I had a better understanding of chemistry so I could better explain this, but 99.9% of the time, you cannot find a natural red, pink, or purple from plants. If you do, please send me a message! Peach pits are the only pink pigment that I have found. Alright, now lets get into the colors I have discovered:
Pink:
Peach Pit
Colorado peaches give a nicer pink hue than Idaho! I found that interesting.
Orange:
Yellow Onion Skins
Plains Coreopsis Flowers & Stems
Yellow:
Sunflower Petals
Goldenrod
Dandelion Petals
Zucchini Peels
Cherry Tomato Stems
Green:
Henbit
Dandelion leaves
Sunflower Heads
Sunflower Stems
Brown:
Basil
Nice light brown with green undertones
Coffee
I like to still use the Lake Pigment Method! Makes a smoother watercolor paint
Black
Black Beans
This will not work with canned beans. Buy them dry and soak them for 24-48 hours in room temp water. The water will turn a bright purple! Strain out the beans and warm the dyed water. Next, start the Lake Pigment Method
I hope this blog has helped you start your pigment-collecting journey!! I will start writing about how to turn the pigments into watercolor paint soon! xoxo
Keynotes:
Please keep your health in mind!!
Work with non-toxic plants
Keep your pets in mind when trying this process!
Work in a well-ventilated environment
WEAR YOUR MASK! PLEASE!
When in doubt, stop and research what you are doing! There are many YouTube videos about the Lake Pigment Method
*This blog is written for the purpose of sharing the creative process behind my work. Anywhere Aesthetic is not responsible for any mishaps that may occur from trying the lake pigment method.*