Author Topic: primitive pigments  (Read 4745 times)

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Offline sadiejane

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primitive pigments
« on: May 22, 2012, 10:54:22 am »
good morning all-
have been studying primitive pigments for a bit now.
just received a copy of the book Earth Pigments and Paint of the California Indians, Meaning and Technology
by Paul Douglas Campbell
it came home late last nite so i have barely begun-but just the small amount i have been able to absorb(it was the first thing i did this am...)
it is highly recommended for anyone interested in natural pigments

anyways i was just wondering who else here has experience with gathering and making their own pigments
working with and trying different mediums to use the pigments etc
would you mind telling me about the minerals/colors you have found in yr area

i find this a fascinating subject and want to learn all i can
thanks

wild women don't get the blues

Offline cracker

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2012, 10:58:02 am »
I have just recently recieved a box of blood root on a trade I will be interested to see how this all turns out. Ronnie
If we can't help each other what is the point of being here?

Offline IsaacW

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2012, 01:18:02 pm »
Mainly been using pigments for painting leather and for dying porky quills.  Here is a list of some things I have used.  Most of the times I have used these for painting it was with hide glue or egg for a medium...

-have made verdigris from copper and painted and dyed with it. 

-have used bloodroot for dying quills

-have used a few different ochres for painting, some I processed myself from a site in Canada

-have used walnut ooze for dying and painting

-have used soot for painting black

Short list of things yet to try (this summer)...

-Algae for green stain/paint
-Bedstraw (Galium) for dying quills (red??)
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

Offline sadiejane

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2012, 02:34:16 pm »
I have just recently recieved a box of blood root on a trade I will be interested to see how this all turns out. Ronnie

cracker-very cool-please report when you work with it how it worked, color(s) etc, mediums use to make into paint, material painted and photos please!
wild women don't get the blues

Offline sadiejane

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2012, 02:43:56 pm »
Mainly been using pigments for painting leather and for dying porky quills.  Here is a list of some things I have used.  Most of the times I have used these for painting it was with hide glue or egg for a medium...

-have made verdigris from copper and painted and dyed with it. 

-have used bloodroot for dying quills

-have used a few different ochres for painting, some I processed myself from a site in Canada

-have used walnut ooze for dying and painting

-have used soot for painting black

Short list of things yet to try (this summer)...

-Algae for green stain/paint
-Bedstraw (Galium) for dying quills (red??)

wow isaac-you have much more experience than i do.

would ya mind posting some photos of things you have dyed and/or painted?
i did see the quill work you did on the pipe posted on gun docs pipe topic.
i have the utmost respect for those who quill-it is a much more difficult process than beading and is nearly becoming a "lost art"
there are much fewer folks practicing this than even 30 yrs ago when i first learned beading

in this  book i am now reading it talks about the southern ca peoples collecting algae or pond scum for blues and greens
camping this weekend on a farm with several ponds, one which tends to produce scum and algae. will have to gather some for drying.
have only worked with "store bought" earth pigments, walnut ink i boiled down and a bit of ochre from rocks i found and ground.
have used osage dust to dye once. used hide glue for painting on a bow and arrows.

need to get myself out doing some more collecting and reading and experimenting.

sure hope others will share their experiences

thanks guys

wild women don't get the blues

Offline cracker

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2012, 02:54:07 pm »
We have black walnuts all over the place around here if you would like to own some let me know this fall I can pick and ship. Ron
If we can't help each other what is the point of being here?

Offline IsaacW

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2012, 03:48:39 pm »
I have some digital images of stuff.  Most of my Better quillwork I don't have photos of handy. Lets see...

Here is a blog posting I did on the bloodroot....  http://frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/my-blog/quill-dying-fun

Here are my postings on Verdigris...  http://frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/my-blog/verdigris-fun
http://frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/my-blog/fun-with-verdigris-pt-ii
http://frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/my-blog/even-more-verdigris

Some quillwork...

This is a minkhide tobacco bag I made.  The mink is skinned through the neck, leaving the bottom intact as a bag.  Feet and skull are left in after being cleaned up.




A parafleche sheath, painted and with quillwork based on one in the Peabody...



A simple bag I just did...





Other random stuff I have made... http://frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/recent-projects.php
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

Offline cracker

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2012, 04:16:36 pm »
Very cool stuff Isacc. Ron
If we can't help each other what is the point of being here?

Offline IsaacW

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2012, 04:19:29 pm »
Very cool stuff Isacc. Ron

Thanks!  :)
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

Offline sadiejane

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2012, 05:12:45 pm »
wow isaac-great stuff
and cool blog
got lost over there reading and reading...
wild women don't get the blues

Offline IsaacW

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2012, 05:44:13 pm »
Glad you like it.  The history stuff is sort of an obsession of mine  :o  ???
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

Offline Pappy

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Re: primitive pigments
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2012, 08:25:15 am »
Beautiful stuff Isaac.  :)
   Pappy
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