I don’t know what kind, specifically. Ochre covers a wide range of natural earth pigments with different compositions, but usually iron-rich.
I dig this stuff out of cracks in the Canadian Shield for paint pigments. It’s naturally colourfast and very close to, if not a little less pure than what’s used in commercial paint.
Do you make your own paint then? If so, what do you use for binder? Very cool.
I am not OP, I just think they’re cool (and have quiet enthusiasm for their project).
Oh hell yeah they do, they have a whole palette of handmade colors! It’s been really cool to watch on the art alchemist’s guild!
It’s been absolutely mind-blowing to see the progress.
Holy shit what a wonderful thing to hear on a monday. Thank you.
Genuinely my pleasure! Thank you for sharing your work and interests.
I hadn’t seen the blueberry paint yet (I forgot to subscribe on this account!) and it looks absolutely beautiful
Oh yeah, the blueberry is amazing, it ends up lavender on unbleached paper. I made so much I gave pans to a bunch of friends. Highly recommend.
I just want to inspire people to make more art.
You’re doing a wonderful job! I find you a pretty constant inspiration, I’m sure I’m not the only one.
I seriously love that community, it’s probably my favorite one on the fediverse. I love seeing people make and share art (and art supplies it seems!)
Well now I’m glowing. I hope you share anything you happen to make.
I was going to thank you for a new community, but I was already subscribed. I need to check my subscribed more often, that is an awesome community.
Thank you :)
Just realized I forgot to answer your question. I either use acrylic medium or I make a watercolour mix with gum arabic as the binder.
Oh wow, digging it out of the Canadian shield? I really want some geologist thoughts on that. The Canadian shield is one of the oldest hunks of rock on earth and it contains some banded iron formations - which are kinda records that help us understand what earth was like in the earliest stages. Very cool!
I’m no geologist but I live on the shield, and it’s extremely fascinating. It’s so tough that many house foundations are built around it rather than break through it, so I literally have some Precambrian rock sticking into my basement. I use it as a shelf.
The main site where I dig out ochre, which I’m assuming is an iron band, is just a few minutes walk from where I live.


