Ancient pigments...

[egstonvonbrick]

Now... i've just finished a Molly and not usually being one for any unecessary frills have strange thoughts popping in to my head about decorating an ancient bow with period pigments...

Thinking; red oxide (red oxide?), black (charcoal?) and white (chalk?)...

Now i could trawl around for ever getting confused and grumpy but i'm hoping you chaps with all your vast expereince can quickly put me on the striaght and narrow...

I shall be in Woad... but any thoughts?

Also what mediums to use and 'fixers' else i'll be leaving a grubby trail throughout the woods and the Megatron won't be happy when the sofa turns a rusty orange colour!

Will dig out my Bibles... but any thoughts much appreciated.

Cheers
Ev
p.s. I know an artist chappy, but getting any sense out of him... well it will be easier to teach a cat to ride a bicycle!

[Del the cat]

Blackberries, beetroot?
Mow the lawn and put the cuttings in the Megatron's food processor , prob give you a nice green bow. (and a sore head)
Del

[sadiejane]

when i use natural earth pigments i use hide glue as the medium. have read that egg whites work well too but have not tried that yet.
the egg white, if it works as well, would be much simpler since it would not need to be kept warm like the hide glue.
heres a great article regarding north american sources for pigments.
http://www.womenofthefurtrade.com/wst_page18.html
you may or may not have access to some of the same plants but it may give you some more ideas. making pigments is relatively simple. and well worth the time invested for me at least.
look forward to seeing what you come up with. so please keep us posted.

[egstonvonbrick]

>>Blackberry and beetroot...

Del, yep in the good ole southcoast of Blighty... these may be my only options!

>>SadieJane
Many thanks for the link... will look in to this and will report back... but me being a bit rubbish... i doubt it will be soon!

That group looks great, my Brother is in a Tudor 'living history' group and i'm starting to get involved making some bows and arrows for them. Like your group they are very strict (rightly so - in my opinion) on the materials and process that are 'allowed' to be used... and which i'm tring to follow... but it sometimes takes great willpower... and i had to hide my electric plane in the boot of the car the other day!

http://www.tudorgroup.co.uk/Galleries/Military/Military_1.html

Your re-enactments tho seem to be at a level we in the UK can only dream of... i'd quite like to see a display of hunting but for some reason don't think they'd allow them to buthcher a cow at Hampton Court!

Cheers
Ev