Creating Pigments and Paint with the Use of All-Natural Ingredients
By Hiba Yacob
Hiba Yacoub is an undergraduate student in her final semester at the University of Windsor, majoring in the interdisciplinary arts and science program, with a major concentration in visual arts and a minor concentration in biology. She has been conducting an ongoing capstone research project under the guidance of Dr. Jennifer Willet. As a student passionate about the intersection of biology and art, she has embarked on a capstone project that aims to delve into the world of bioart by creating paint pigments from natural/organic ingredients and using them to produce paintings.
Her paint-making process begins with an extensive literature search on the creation of natural pigments. With this, she formulated a recipe on how to create all-natural watercolor paint. The process begins by extracting the liquid pigment from natural materials such as beets, carrots, blueberries, spinach, parsley, and more, using various methods of blending or simply utilizing the object itself. Once the liquid or raw material is ready, she proceeds to dehydrate it until it reaches the consistency of a cracker. From here, Hiba grinds the natural pigment into a fine powder. This fine powder is then combined with egg yolk to create a thick paste. The paste is placed in a paint pan and further dehydrated, completing the paint-making process. To use it, simply add some water to your paintbrush, swirl it around in the paint, and apply as needed!
The entire process, from the literature search to the pigment-making process, painting process, and sample paintings, is showcased on Hiba Yacoub's website dedicated entirely to her capstone project. The website can be found at: https://hibayacoub24.wixsite.com/hiba-s-art-portfolio .
Image Credits
1-3) Hiba Yacob, 2024.
