|
| |
Paint Recipes
|
|
|
|
| |
Do you remember making paper mache at home or in school? What about homemade piñatas? The process of making flour paint isn’t much different, so grab a bag of flour from the kitchen cupboard and get ready!
You will need:
Natural pigment, like clay pigment
Fine sand, silica, quartz or marble dust
A friend
Paint brushes and buckets, and if you’re feeling especially creative, trowels, squeegees and any other improvised tool you think would leave a nice pattern on your walls.
First:
In a large bowl, mix 2 cups flour with 4 cups water, whisking out any lumps.
Then:
In a large saucepan, boil 3 cups water.
Slowly stir in the mixture from the first step.
Reduce heat and stir until the “sauce” thickens.
Finally:
Remove from heat and slowly stir in 2 or 3 more cups of water.
In a separate bowl, stir together dry fillers/pigments and add to the main flour paste. Add more water if needed, to make a paint-like consistency.
You can loosely mix 2 colors if you want to get a faux effect, but test an area first with a sample batch, to practice. You can also add mica, limestone, marble or chalk for different colors and effects. Make sure the colors you use will work together. Consult a color wheel or designer, or find something you like in a magazine!
The important thing is to have the right consistency of the paint. It should flow smoothly off the brush, but not sag or drip. I often use it while it’s still warm, but it will keep for a week or two if you seal the container tightly.
Flour paint is often too thick for use with a roller, but you can use a roller to spread it over the wall, then even it out with the trowel or brush. There are also special texture rollers that are stiff enough to use with flour paint.
After the first coat, the brush marks may be obvious, but you can smooth these out after it’s started to dry by using a clean, damp brush. Personally, I like the texture. After the second coat, troweling the surface when the paint has half-dried can reveal marble, mica or other colors underneath. You can also spot-sand when fully dry. Again, try a sample area first, and don’t worry; sometimes the best results come from happy accidents! Besides you can always add additional coats, which creates more texture, depth and opportunity to reveal underlying colors. If you’re feeling uncertain, just roll it out smooth and leave it solid. Happy painting!
top
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Limewash has been around for centuries. When you first apply it, you may be disappointed with the results, but the lime will change it’s “look” as it oxidizes, so be patient!
First decide what color of earth pigment you want, and mix some hot water into it, mashing to a thick paste and letting stand for a while to insure full absorption.
Separately, in a large bucket, mix some matured, slaked lime putty with water until it reaches the consistency of thin cream. Whisk in your pigments and begin! (If you blend the pigments in loosely, you can achieve a varied wash look, which can be very beautiful).
Limewash needs an absorbent surface to soak into, so you can’t apply it over existing painted surfaces or drywall. I have seen it applied to drywall, but cannot testify to the long-term effects, but it may prove to be OK, as drywall is absorbent. Traditionally it was applied to brick, plaster, stucco, wood, stone and other earth walls. It also works on concrete.
Exterior limewash
Prepare the same as interior limewash, then whisk raw Linseed oil into it; at the ratio of roughly 5ml to every litre of limewash, or 1/3 tablespoon to every quart.
Wear safety goggles and gloves, as lime irritates the skin and will burn your eyes.
Lightly dampen the surface, then work the limewash into the wall in a circular motion with a semi-stiff brush, spreading it out as thin as possible. If you don’t want any circular patterns, use smooth, vertical strokes to finish.
Let dry overnight, then; lightly dampen the walls with a sponge or rag before applying the second coat. Don’t apply it in direct sunlight, or it will crackle. (unless you want this effect. Or use a hairdryer to create a crackled effect) You can also add a little casein paste into the mix for a slightly different look and added durability. Happy painting!
top
|
|
| |
My Milk Paint |
|
| |
If you want great milk paint without the hassle, try The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company. They have nice colors with a soft, flat finish. On the other hand, if you're feeling creative and up to the challenge, these are 2 milk paint variations that have worked well for me:
Milk Paint with Ammonia:
In a large pot, add 200 ml of water to 100 grams of dry casein (or 200 grams of curd) and stir well. Then add 800 ml of hot, but not boiling, water.
Keep stirring and add 20 grams of powdered ammonia for each litre of the casein mix.
The mix will effervesce for a while. When it stops, add 5 ml of "Ata-mon" (anti-mold) per litre.
Next, prepare some pigment paste by slowly mixing pigment and water. Mix it well and keep the paste thick.
Add a little of the glue to the pigment, then add some more until it becomes something like the consistency of paint. You don’t want your ratio of pigment to glue too strong (at least 2 parts glue to one part pigment) Remember also that your color will be darker after the second coat.
Test the paint first; it should not drag or pull the brush, but not drip or sag on the wall either.
It should be dry in an hour; then recoat. The finished product will be durable but not washable, as milk paint will water stain. It is important to understand that milk paint has it’s own personality, and different drying conditions, as well as what surface you apply it to, will affect the final appearance. There is a certain amount of “winging it” involved here, but that’s part of the fun and uniqueness of milk paint!
If you are using milk paint over a previously painted wall (with conventional paint) it is important to sand the wall first. The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co. has a product called “Extra Bond” which helps this transition, and there is a link on this site you can follow. Otherwise a thorough sanding will do.
If you want the paint to crackle, apply it thickly. If you want a glaze, add less pigment and more water. Part of the fun is playing around, experimenting; so don’t get too frustrated if it doesn’t come out the way you imagined. You can always go over it!
Milk Paint with Lime:
Adding lime to milk paint increases it’s durability.
80 grams casein powder
150 cc. cold water
65 grams slaked lime putty
Mix the water and casein powder in a large pot and allow it to sit for several hours; this allows the powder to absorb all the water. If there is excess water, you can strain it through a paint strainer. It should be the consistency of warm pudding.
(Another way to do this is by simply adding vinegar to skim milk; it will curdle immediately, then pour it through a strainer and you’re left with a bag of curds.)
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix a third of the casein with the lime putty, blending thoroughly. Then add to the main mix of casein and blend thoroughly. Let sit a few minutes. In the separate bowl, combine your pigments with some water, allowing the powder to fully absorb the water before adding to the main mix. You can add more pigment if you want a deeper color, and add more water if the mix is too thick, but don’t overdo it. It should be the consistency of PAINT.
Happy painting!
top
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Oils used for painting are called drying oils, and are derived from different vegetables. The oils have different drying times and properties, so let’s focus on the classic linseed oil. You want linseed stand oil, which yellows less over time. Linseed oil, like all drying oils, dries through the process of oxidation, rather than evaporation. When an oil paint feels dry to the touch, it will often still be drying under the surface. Linseed oil takes a few days, though we can speed this up a bit by adding turpentine or a citris thinner. Some people don’t recommend this. I’m on the fence about it. I know I’ll get some arguments over this one, because many people say thinning the oil INCREASES dry time. Others say it changes little, but thinning the oil (for the application to raw wood) causes the oil to spread out in length and depth (penetration) and this will increase the oil’s exposure to oxygen. You should certainly thin the oil for the first, or priming coat, of paint.
There is an old saying in using oil paint, “fat over lean.” If you want to paint raw wood for example, mix about 30% turpentine or citris thinner into the oil. I prefer citris, as it has less VOC’s! As a thinner paint, it penetrates the wood deeper. This initial penetration will also help the durability and longevity of the paint. After the first coat is dry, lightly sand the wood with 150 grit sandpaper. You can sand again after subsequent coats with 220 for an extremely smooth finish. The more oil-to-pigment ratio, the more glossy the paint will be. You can also use pure, clear linseed stand oil for the finish coat (thin if needed) Although the rule is “fat over lean” you can put a thin coat of oil on the top if enough time has past that all the oil layers underneath are dry. The main benefit to thinning the oil is a smooth, fluid flow of paint off the brush, which makes for easier control and an assurance of no brushstrokes. The paint should not “pull” or “drag.”
Making oil paint is easy. First get your pigment and mix a little linseed oil into it, mashing and blending well, until you have a thick, tomato paste consistency. Let it stand a while to make sure all the pigment is saturated with oil. Because different pigments absorb oil differently, it’s hard to give you an exact recipe, so just add enough linseed oil so when you mash it, there is no sign of dry powder. Now add more oil until you get the color depth you want, testing on a piece of scrap wood. Add some thinner until the paint flows smoothly, not dragging the brush. Blend well and/or strain to remove lumps. Test again on the scrap wood.
More information:
A glaze is like paint, but with less pigment, and usually with more thinner. This can be ragged or sponged on for a faux effect.
Sometimes Manufacturers use strong chemicals to bleach linseed oil, which isn’t so good. Some experts believe this also decreases the integrity of the oil. Cold-pressed linseed oil is natural and dries slightly faster than refined linseed oil. It’s considered the best quality linseed oil and costs a little more.
Refined linseed oil dries within three to five days. Stand oil is thicker and dries slower (about a week, though it may remain tacky for a while). Mixed with turpentine or citrus thinner it can be used as a glaze. Although Stand oil and sun-thickened oil yellows very little, they tend to yellow some over time, so avoid it if you want a very pure whites or light blue. You can use poppyseed oil, which doesn’t yellow, but understand that poppyseed is not as durable.
Check with www.paintmaking.com if you are an artist looking to mix your own paints. Happy painting!
top
|
|
|
