Making DIY watercolor paints is fun and incredibly satisfying!

Before mass-produced paints, artists made their own watercolours from scratch using pigments and binders.

Today, you can easily recreate that process at home! Making your own watercolor paints is a fun and affordable way to customise colours and connect with your materials.

Watch the video of the process here

What You’ll Need:

• Tools:
  • Glass muller (I got mine from Jackson’s Art)
  • Glass palette (mine was a lucky street find!)
  • Palette knife (at any art shop)
  • Empty half pans (of any small containers, like shells)
• Ingredients:
  • Gum Arabic & water (equal parts, e.g., 1 tbsp each)
  • Pigment (start with 1/4 tsp and adjust for intensity)
  • Honey (1/8 tsp per tbsp of gum Arabic solution)
  • Optional: Glycerin (1/16 tsp) & Essential oil (2-3 drops of clove oil)

Recipe for Handmade Watercolour:

1. Prepare the Binder:

   • Mix 1 tbsp gum Arabic and 1 tbsp distilled water in a container.
   • Add 1/8 tsp honey for moisture and flexibility.
   • Optionally, include 1/16 tsp glycerin and 2-3 drops of essential oil for preservation and smoothness.

2. Add Pigment:

   • On a glass palette, make a small well in the center of 1/4 tsp dry pigment.
   • Gradually mix in the prepared binder using a palette knife until the pigment is fully incorporated.

3. Mull the Paint:

   • Use a glass muller to grind the pigment into the binder in circular motions until you get a smooth, consistent texture. Adjust with more binder if the mixture is too thick.
   • Poor the mixture in the pans with the help of the palette knife and leave it to dry a few days.
   

Tips for Success:

• Start Small: Always begin with small amounts of pigment and binder and adjust as needed.
• Swatch Test: Test the paint on paper to check if it smudges (too little binder) or cracks (too much binder).
• Essential Oils: Use sparingly to avoid overpowering the paint’s natural scent.

The Magic of Handmade Watercolours

There’s something special about making your own watercolours.You get textures and qualities that you just can’t find in store-bought paints. Plus, it’s a personal way to control everything—consistency, colour depth, even the scent! It’s such a rewarding and mesmerizing process,

and it feels like you’re connecting with the artists who’ve done it for centuries.

Share your creations with me and let’s inspire each other along the way! 🌈

Happy painting!

Clémentine