PIGMENT MAKING WORKSHOP​

​

Festival of the Garden 

at

Charleston

Charleston Farmhouse, Lewes BN8 6LL, England

​

2pm - 4pm, 21st July 2024

​

Please book via:​

https://www.charleston.org.uk/event/natural-pigments/

​

Learn how to grind and purify natural pigment and turn the finished pigment into beautiful, planet friendly paint with environmental artist Polly Bennett. Discover the fascinating origins and different types of pigments, from mineral to metal, plant to animal. Polly will then guide you through the basics of pigment making, including binding, grinding, sieving and purifying. You will leave with a hand-painted colour wheel, watercolour paint and purified pigment that you can continue to purify more at home.

 

Please bring glass jar with lid.

 

On the workshop participants learn:

The historical origins of pigment

Responsibilities and health & safety of collecting natural materials and processing pigment

About different binders, specifically gum arabic and its history and sustainability

About different types of natural pigment: mineral (inc. shell - calcium carbonate), metal compound, animal, plant, charcoal

How to grind, sieve and purify mineral into pigment

To create watercolour paint with pigment

 

On the workshop participants take home:

Handout with notes and reading recommendations

Hand-painted colour wheel

Watercolour paint

Purified pigment that they can continue to purify more at home