Beginner Art: How is Paint Made?

Beginner Art- How is Paint Made?

These outstanding picture of Indian pigments was uploaded to Flickr originally by givepeasachance and has been recognized as outstanding on Wikipedia.

All paint forms come from the same basic ingredient: pigment. In a dry form, these pigments are fine powder of colored substance that derive from minerals, plants ores, and even compounded chemicals.

The paints commonly used by artists today are categorized in three basic groups: oil, watercolor, and acrylic

Oil Paint

Oil paints are made from the pigments mixed with a vegetable oil.  The oil eventually evaporates and leaves the pigments for lasting memory. Typically linseed oil is used as the binder (or substance used to apply the pigment to the painting surface).

Watercolor Paint

Watercolors are made from the combination of the pigments and, well, you guessed it, water. However before the water is ever applied as a medium (substance used to apply the pigment to a surface, used interchangeably with "binder"), it is mixed with water soluble gum (acacia) for a binder.  (The terms are used interchangeably, so be advised).  

Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paints are made from the pigment suspended in a form of synthetic plastic or polymer.  There are a wide variety of choices for acrylic paint which we will discuss in other posts.  The various choices determine the complexity of the paint and the "flow" which is used in painting.