Grinding pigments and oil separation

[Ramesh Vyaghrapuri]

Thank you Richard and Julie for you responses, I have sufficient information now for the next round of paint-making.

I do realise I am never going to make as good paints as the name brand paint makers do, let alone boutique paint makers. I am mostly driven to learn new things and making paints is one of those.

As I learn to paint in oils, it seems like having a large amount of cheap paint helps me to try to get the right color mixture without worrying about how much paint I am wasting. So, making my own would let me reduce the cost without reducing the quality too much (actually, the paints I made last round already seem to handle nicer than the student-grade paints but this might just be wishful thinking justifying the hours put into each tube) -- plus I currently have more time on my hands than I am used to, so spending an afternoon mulling a couple of tubes of paint doesnt seem so bad.

I am looking forward to improving my painting skills enough to justify investing in professional paints..

Thanks again.

[Richard Bingham]

Originally Posted by Ramesh Vyaghrapuri

. . . I am mostly driven to learn new things . . . (actually, the paints I made last round already seem to handle nicer than the student-grade paints . . . I currently have more time on my hands than I am used to . . .

You're on solid ground, Ramesh. Any road, no one ever got rich by saving on paint. Having an abundance of materials at hand so that you can concentrate freely on your painting without scrimping, is definitely the right thing to do.

Hand-mulling paint is not exactly rocket-science. What you have just learned is that "real" paint, (i.e., all pigment, quality vehicle, no inert fillers) bears little resemblance to "student grade" colors, which would drive a master into frustration. Invariably, they entail questionable vehicles (safflower oil) and are largely inert fillers (clay, chalk and stearates) which are much, much cheaper than pigments.

Time is luxury, and using it to learn in depth about your materials will repay you very well in the long run. Good on ya !

[Claudemir Bonfim]

Originally Posted by Richard Bingham

You're on solid ground, Ramesh. Any road, no one ever got rich by saving on paint. Having an abundance of materials at hand so that you can concentrate freely on your painting without scrimping, is definitely the right thing to do.

Hand-mulling paint is not exactly rocket-science. What you have just learned is that "real" paint, (i.e., all pigment, quality vehicle, no inert fillers) bears little resemblance to "student grade" colors, which would drive a master into frustration. Invariably, they entail questionable vehicles (safflower oil) and are largely inert fillers (clay, chalk and stearates) which are much, much cheaper than pigments.

Time is luxury, and using it to learn in depth about your materials will repay you very well in the long run. Good on ya !

I second Richard's words. Avoid low quality materials.