How To Make Your Own Watercolor Paint 

Oh Marty, you are killing me. I already make soap, candles, and lotions - - in addition to sewing, knitting, dyeing yarn, and painting and drawing. Now you tempt my maker spirit with this! 😯

I can’t believe the markup on half pans. It’s insane. Since I discovered this I haven’t bought any paint. I just make it myself. I use honey mesquite gum instead of gum Arabic tho. Makes it smell smoky and is way more flexible. Activates way faster and counter intuitively layers better

You can save way more if you buy in bigger quantities and of the brand Kremer, and even more if you make the gum arabic solution yourself from lumps :) I think i paid about 30 dollars for a kilogram(!) of gum arabic (which is insane and will last me for a lifetime), and then earth-pigments costs about 18 dollars per kilogram, or around 6-7 dollars for a small pack of 100 grams. And these prices are btw the high-tax-prices of Norway - will probably cost even less in USA. I made a video about how i make my paints, if you are interested in watching :)

4 oz. of Gamblin Burnt Sienna pigment from Dick Blick is $5.97, so I think you did overspend on this project, but great video and it is something I want to try sometime.

Also making charcoal paint is really easy and Schminke Horadam almost got me on that one too! Making my own.

Awesome!! I totally agree with the know how, and money saved. Thank you and God Bless you

Very interesting. I'm trying this. Shocked when cost was figured. What talent he has!! I'm so glad you filmed him painting. I watched it several times. Intriguing to watch and makes me wonder about the process in his mind as he works..Thanks again, Marty! I always think I have a favorite of yours. Too many great videos

Great video Marty! 😆 You are definitely right, knowing the science behind our supplies is always good to know. Though for now, I have so many supplies I need to use up, I will keep this in mind on how to make my own paints in the future. 😃🖒Endo's work is beautiful...I love those black & whites. TFS! Stay warm my friend. 🤗 If your still cold I will send some warmth your way. Spring is trying to happen already here. 😲

Even though this is an old video I am glad you put it up. I'm wanting to make my own pastel and subtle neutr 11:18 al shades and I am using dry pigment and also Schminke Horadam in Chalk. Those Neuvo shades that are becoming popular are easy to make. I saw a 12 set of Pastel colors for 45.00 just last night, lol. I ordered a mulling kit and the binders and ox gall. QOR gloss medium even... 62.00 for up to 100 colors. All while learning and experimenting 🎉

Hi Marty, your content never disappoints my friend! We’ve been really interested in handmade watercolor lately and I was hoping you had covered it! I don’t know how we missed this one! Thanks for demystifying the whole topic and giving us the info we needed to jump in! You and Steve are our ‘go to’ guys! BTW really enjoyed your live RU-vid with Steve this week! Really interesting! Love the knowledge and advice you two generously share! Take care.

its a good idea to add oxgall to is as this will make the paint flow better and rewet. also a good tip is line the empty pan with greaseproof paper well above the pan height and fill well over the top as most paints shrink a lot. thank for the video

Awesome video Marty! I love this. I think I would choose either Corn Syrup or Honey over sugar because syrup will have a longer shelf life than products made with sugar. This is due to the fructose content of the syrup and honey, because fructose binds more water than sugar. Also, a drop of Glycerin will allow the paint to be rewet and dispersed easily once dried for reuse. Most paint companies use more of this now but Winser & Newton only add extra in their pan paint formula.

Wow, thank you for sharing. This is very inspirational and I've been toying with the idea of trying to make my own paints sometime, but I wasn't very sure where I could start from. Your video gives a very thorough explanation. I'd love to try this out sometime!

great video Marty, I love making paint. It's loads of fun! Endo's work is amazing too!! Thanks for making it. 😊

Thank you for working out the economics. I actually have three bottles of pigment that I've acquired over the years, and a bottle of gum arabic, and I'm sure going to make up some of my own pans now!

Thank you for this, I was looking for a simple recipe because I really just wanted to make a nice duochrome green/blue brown watercolour for a painting out of my loose pigment eyeshadow. I have actually a few different kinds of that colour as loose eyeshadow pigment because I love the colour so much. And all my pigments are all natural only pigment except maybe the MAC one, so I think they will work great. Thank you!!

WOW!! This is my first time visiting your site and I'm really excited about it so far. It has an upbeat happy feel. Love the skip-a-long music. Your voice is quick to the point but not too rapid that one can't keep up. Great visuals too. Overall interesting, informative, well made video. THANKYOU !! Looking forward to more. :-)

this was a super fun video! i've seen Lindsay make metallic watercolors with eyeshadow before. hahah, ive been wanting to try something like that ever since.

I think it's so cool that you feature other artists. 😊

Thanks Marty! I thought about making my own paints, but it seemed like such an ordeal. This is easy and it looks fun.

Hey Marty, how interesting! I always thought that it would be a long and difficult process to make your own watercolor paint but apparently it isn't. Plus I love the vibrancy of the burnt sienna and there's some lovely granulation too. I will check some art supply shop in here and seriously think about trying to make some paint ;) I love the work of the artist you featured, awesome job with the ink. Talk to you soon Marty and take care :)

This was eye-opening! I had no idea it was so easy and economical to make my own - and I could see me using 50 burnt siennas. I have to laugh though at your pronunciation of "egg tempura" because it's making me realise I forgot my lunch and now I'm hungry.

isnt it amazing how much cheaper it is to make your own?? its also addicting.lol i actually have been making my own cosmetics from eyeshadow to soaps and lotions amd now paints.lol i went on this crazy binge when i first started amd when i found out i could make my own paints as well, oh boy. my husband thinks i have a problem.lol but he loves the colors we can have custom to what we are needing/wanting. its just amazing. ive made so many colors of acrylic paints, and now in the process of watercolors as they are my favorite to paint with. ive been wondering about experimenting with some of my cosmetics binders to see how they compare to using the gum Arabic. we shall see. got yourself a new sub! loved your video!

thank you for this resource!!

This looks so easy...I have to try this when I have chance 😱

Thanks for the fab video, Marty! Was looking for exactly this, (watercolor paint recipe) and your link popped up. Fun. Thanks also for introducing Makoto Endo's work. Wonderful to see him at work. Wow. :->

Thank you so much for instructions on making your own watercolor! I have bought a glass muller and slab and are now thinking of which pigments to choose. Sennelier have a ready watercolor binder with honey and gum arabic so I thought to try that to begin with.

Love your tutorial, Marty! I have more paint than I could ever use in several lifetimes, but I think it would be fun to make 6 paint colors - warm and cool shades of yellow, red and blue! You can get the empty half pans for 25 cents each on Amazon and save even more! Paula in Florida

Marty, I got 48 half pans for $3.99 on Amazon. There are others with magnets for $7. Cheap! 😆. Thanks again for this video. I wasn't too happy with Daniel Smith watercolor iridescent line. They are very transparent with some metallics but are pigment weak. So I am mixing my own pigments to hybrid with the Daniel Smith to enrich the color. This video is so helpful! I also got 1 lb of powdered gum Arabic for $11 on Amazon. Just FYI.

Great video! I like to paint with aquarelle and one time I bought powder - which I have to use with water. I thought, it was liquid. But: put out powder + add water = no ... too much work for me. But then I questioned me, if a "normal" person (not a company) can produce her/his own watercolour. So I searched and found your great video! You cheer people up, to try it - because it looks like ... that the producing can be tricky or whatever (I thought). My gum arabicum (Winsor & Newton) arrived today and I will give it a try to get those powder aquarell-pigments into "pressed" one > to fill up in little boxes. Wish me luck and greetings from Austria, Europe!

Wow...that savings is amazing! It looks easy and I look forward to you sharing more colors etc. Something I might have to think about....there are hardly enough hours in the day as it is for all the things I love doing....! Sometimes I worry about running out of time...LOL...enjoyed this a lot and that artist is totally talented! TFS..ps ...almost time for a sketch or two from you my friend!

Great video Thankyou so much!

Marty, you never stop to surprise me! So interesting watching you making your own paint! The colour turned out fantastic! This will serve you for many many pieces of art! Pure pigments look so wonderful! Did you ever see pictures from the India Color Festival? Well, i've never made my own watercolour paints but watching your video made me think of an episode in my childhood. I was a scout and our super friendly and creative tutors went almost always outside in nature with us kids. One day we created pictures with 'natural paints', by squeezing out plants on the paper... a nice memory :-) I think it's a different experience when you create art with paints you also made by yourself. As it is much more satisfying to cook vegetables you grew in your own garden. The experience is more 'whole'. For this reason i would like to make my own paper... thank you, Marty.

Wow! Thanks for the lesson on mixing pigments - have you painted professional pieces with these mixes? I d be very interested to know because I'd like to make my own paint.

I can't believe I'm actually getting inspired by this stuff, and it's just for the fun of creating. To hear that it could save money, oh my!!

i enjoyed this video thank you marty . off to get my graphitint pencils tomorrow

I just grabbed a stash of metallics and earth tones from Designs By Rachelbeth. They come recommended. I thought of creating my own from cosmetic pigments, but not knowing if a lot of formulas would produce great results, I jumped in with my monthly allowance. Her prices are very fair IMO. I cannot wait to get them end of next week, I suppose. 58.00 for 8 or 9 half pans. Not too sure-she custom made one of the palettes for me. etsy seller you might know of. Pigments can be expensive as well. This princess thinks she needs Kramer-but they are all I have heard of as being amazing, lol. I still love the idea of hand crafted.

Hi Marty! Me again! Catching up on my viewing! See you a few visions I missed. I just saw a lady last night on utube make watercolors. Her name was Eve Bolt. You both were very interesting to watch. I'm still using Cotman's so I'm not ready for what you do but I sure had fun watching you! And your featured artist! Awesome! I always wonder how people can do something so awesome and make it look so effortless! Thanks so much for your videos! Always learn something and enjoy my visit each time! Thanks again and have a great week! On my way to watch your lecture! :)

Totally blew my mind how expensive the Schmincke paint is! I am glad to live in Germany so their products are available open stock everywhere and Burnt Sienna (since it is PG 1) costs around 4,20 US here. By the same token, it is pretty hard for me to get my hands on the Daniel Smith watercolours for a fair price.

Fascinating. Would love to see how you blend honey. I find it hard to make hot honey and lemon when I have a cold, it's so thick.

thanks for sharing

Thank you, it is wonderful. I was wondering if you have experience with oxgall and have found a natural and vegan replacement to it.

Thanks for the great video! I'm wondering how these hold up over time? Have they cracked or become too dry?

Hi Marty, This was interesting to watch. And I'll be keeping it in mind as something to try down the road. I've had a facination eith making paints since I was young. I think I may have mentioned my failed and very messy attempt at making paint with the walnut tree we had in our backyard when I was about 10. (a truly horrific mess when making from my head and what I remembered from snippets discussed on lovejoy and art shows as I couldn't find any books with info about it at the library! ... maybe I'll get a chance to successfully make some in the future) I always enjoy seeing the artist you share. The motorcycles really were beautiful. Must have been interesting to see him work :) I hope you're well, missed seeing you as often on here. But hope you're having a good week! 😊

Nice tip , very interesting !

Great! Thanks for sharing :)

Thanks so much for this info! I saved your video ;)

thanks a lot, great video..... I just ordered my gum arabic, can't wait to make my own watercolor paints...I saw in another video you can add a litttle thyme oil that will help preserve your paint from molding (I dont know if its true) throwing it out there

Could you do a video or give me your thoughts of what the pros and cons of buying vs making watercolors?

Good video!

Thank you.

very important how something is made or works. impressed with how to make watercolor. Any particular honey,organic?

Even better, add 1 to 3 drops of honey or glycerin to the mix and you actually get a pretty good paint.

Haha! Better start making those primary color pans now, 'cause I know what your friends will want as Christmas presents.

Great tutorial, but i would use a GLASS mixing area not a paper plate lol 😁

That was a lot of gum Arabic you used!! The recipe you mentioned is that by weight? I know you did it visually but powder weighs a lot less than liquid. I've never made paint and I'm not going to pretend I know anything about it so I'm just a student raising my hand to ask a question. I've been thinking about making paint for a long while and found a pretty cool pigment store in NYC that man I'd have to visit if I ever went to NYC. It was that cool just on the website and the few videos about them!! Thanks Marty I really enjoyed this video!

Watching you mix paint was mesmerizing . How fun. Did you, by chance, get your pigment at , wet paint? ;). Also, the artist you featured is amazing! I love learning about new artists from you. They are all so fantastic.

What would you recommend for an antifungal, where I live is very humid and all my paints go moldy really fast

You can also use pastels and water. If you want to make acrylic as well, you can mix the pastel-stained water and mix it with white or black paint to your desired paint.

can you please do DIY to make soft pastels out of dry pigments... waiting eagerly... thanks so much for this wonderful video... God bless you!

Hi there! Love this video, first of all. But, I was wondering how to preserve the pigment if I were to use things like flowers, food, etc. as the color. I want to dry and grind certain flowers into a pigment. I also want to “juice” certain plants for color. How would the “recipe” change if I were using a liquid pigment? And, how do I preserve that so it doesn’t mold? Thanks :)

The is one thing that I have found when maki g my paints for watercolour and that is the adition of gylerine, rather than suger water or honey.It does keep the paint for longer in the paste form that you get in a tube and rather than pay out for the little plasitc pans you find in some boxed painting kits, go to you local photo shop where they develope 35mm film And ask them to save you the plastic containers that the reels of film come in because usually they throw them away.These both seal very well and hold a fair amount of paint. Remember that in water colours, there is no such thing as a wasted tube of paint, water or oil. By yourself a muller, a glass flat bottomed handle with a round flat bottom base and a sheet of about one foot square of plate glass, regretfully there is not really anything that does the job so well. If possible, get the plate glass sand blasted just enough to make the glass semi see through. The only thing you then need to do it take note of the colour that has gone hard, even better keepthe label off the tube. Put the dry paint in a polly bag and smash it up into a powder then add the medium, for water colours its gum arabic for oils a good quality linseed oil the mix is usually one :three mix , put your powder on the glass, make sure the glass is clean and dry first, make a circle of the powder and pore the medium in the middle then just mix it up with a palet knife untill you have a reasonnable paste. The take the muller and mix the paint in a figure of eight, sto Ping every so often to clean the paint that collects on the side of the muller. When you have a paste that is smooth to the feel under the muller you can be fairly safe that your paint is ready to be stored in what ever container you have. I understand that you can buy empty tubes, still open at the bottom, but once you have put all your paint in this tube you really need to make sure thar the tube is folded twice and pinched tight.. All this is not being tight fisted, it is a question of just how much you get for your money and of course the fact that you are now painting with paints you made to suit you, but always remember to name the tube or container with the name if the colour. You can also make your own paint using gum arabic and P.V.A. glue, it behaves like water colour and oils in as much as you can thin it down with water, the results are very pleasing.

Hi Marty Loved the video and was curious about how to make my own watercolors ...soooo this was a great help and my question is where do I get pigments that are the safest to use...knowing I have to wear a mask and eye protection is something I expected to do ...where do you order pigments for watercolor painting? are they environmentally safe? I would love to save all the money I can by doing my own. Thanks Marty..

Great video Marty, great voice too! Have you ever made watercolor with powdered gum arabica?

Awesome share, nice to meet you my new friend ✨🌹✨

That was interesting. I've never made watercolor paints before; but, it sure looked easy the way you did it. Can you add glycerin to the mix if you live in an area with high humidity. I read something somewhere that glycerin has some anti-fungal properties.

I'm gonna try to mix my own shimmer watercolor. Like the ones in the beading jars from shimmerz? I bet I can make that using lose pigment from pastel sticks,gum a drop of glycerine and honey. I finally baught the gum in a small jar. If I like it I can allways buy a bigger brand jar,lol

Hi I don't know if you see messages on older videos. First I am not a trained artist, and have no techniques with painting. I accidentally found watercolors and fell in love with the way it plooms...if that us a word? Lol I journal and just like to see shimmery watercolorson tomoe river paper. It feels so neat when dry and the pages crinkle a bit when turning them. I just ordered some very cheap mica powders, 12 colors for about $4.00 *because you only get a tiny little pot. I also ordered Windsor and Newton Gum Arabic and pans. I am wondering if you tried honey or glycerin and if so how much did you put in. I am guessing a tiny amount. Lastly, I am from Ohio, I guess it is considered Midwestern... On the maps anyways. But as a kid I took it literally and would say we are nowhere near the middle of the U.S. but goodness I loved how polite you were with the mispronuciation. I would be slaughtered. My mom makes me crazy in messages correcting me. I proofread when it is official but she makes me crazy. That is until I say a work she says is made up and I prove her wrong. Wriggle was the most recent one she disputed. I am glad unmatched this because i just live art and color and if I had to would use crayola paint. I don't fully understand color theory and love many things. Polymer clay, making My own journal with old ephemera. It us all so fun. My son is 2 years out of college (Bowling Green State University) incase you know of it. He is a photographer and loves drawing and other arts. So when I saw this July in Toledo there is a Van Gogh exhibit I said let's go. Sorry to ramble you just made me so relaxed at mixing My own paint. Also I literally have pennies in mine. Take care whenever you are and stay safe.

Awesome

I've been mulling over the idea, (pun intended) of making my own oils and water color. Thanks.

can i use gum arabic powder and mix it with water?

How long will the colour last once you've finished your painting?

for all Dutch people or people from België. on www.ruan.nl there is a whole section that has all the different kind of paints including watercolor paint recipies to make your own paints. they also sell all the things needed to make them including all the pigment. in Holland we also have a windmill that sell all pigments that you could ever imagine. for others that might not be able to read Dutch. you can use google translate. If it is to difficult either you can ask me or other people that are Dutch or from België. or search for a english site that has the same options.

Hi Marty! Thanks for this great video and for the link to the handprint page (I somehow missed it even though I spend a lot of time on that website!). I've been playing with making my own paint and documenting it on my channel lately, and I agree that it saves a loooot of money. A small jor goes a really long way. I find making paint to be a really zen and calming thing to do :) I have access to good pigments for really cheap, IDK what their shipping to the US looks like but I recommend checking it out (www.kamapigment.com ). I was also interested in understanding how paint works, since I like knowing how my tools are made and how they work. Again, loved the featured artist! Amazing work :)

I know this is an old video, but I'm curious, do the pigments have a shelf life, especially when it makes so much?. I heard someone say watercolor and gouache have a shelf life, maybe loose its color? Thoughts?

Where would you suggest getting the best price and value of the pigments from?

I hear people say 1:1 for color and binder ratioso how did yours turn out? The color you chose is one i like to use for calligraphy

Can you use this the method to make cakes? If so how long does it take for the paint to harden?

how do you make sure that the pigments and the watercolor paint is lightfast? Also where do you buy your pigments from?

Thank you, this was great info! One question: why didn't you wear a glove on the hands with which you were actually mixing?

I only have gum Arabic powder. Would the ratio be the same in the recipe?

I'm curious, would it be possible to add Gum Arabic to a liquid pigment to make it more the consistency of pan/tube paint. Like adding this to strongly brewed tea/coffee, what are your thoughts on this? I think I read about it in a book on organic art supplies.

Hi, I'm wondering if you can use another material for the half pans that isn't plastic? Would metal interact with the dyes?

Great video Marty. I agree that it is a good idea to know how your color is made and playing around with it. However, I don't think your price comparison is totally fair. You compared your simple color to one of the most expensive and high quality colors on the market. With all due respect but your color probably won't be the same quality as Schmincke. If it were nobody would buy the expensive stuff. I think comparing your color to a student grade like Van Gogh would be fairer. Or at least compare it to cheaper options of Schmincke like tubes (they are usually about 50-60% cheaper per milliliter than half-pans). Still al lot of money to be saved but more realistic in my opinion. BTW, I was surprised how much you have to pay for a half-pan of Schmincke. Here in Germany they are expensive too. But for Burnt Sienna you pay less than 4 Euros per half-pan. This can't be more than 5 USD.

How do I make and store liquid watercolours?Such as you get in a tube but I have jars.I do large works so pans are not suitable.

I'm blending together spices and honey to ma,e colors. I'm so cheap.

I need to make black watercolor in volume for a class I am teaching. Would crushed charcoal work?

hello. what is the best way to store it?

Can I use my mica powder I use for soap? I also have mica powder for resin. Can I use that? I have tons of colors!

So, if you're selling handmade paints, do you buy pigment from the source or is it ok to use pigment from Gamblin, Schmincke, etc? Asking because a friend really loves to make watercolors

Quick question: When I created watercolor paint using pigments and gum arabic... they paint is really really runny and hasn't dried at all. What do you think I'm doing wrong?

How long can this be stored for without use??

I want to make my own watercolor paint so badly but pigment powder is not available where I live where do you get pigment powder from?

What binder would you use to make acrylic

Can i use gum arabic glue?

Do they ever dry down in the half pans so you can store them...

can I fill the paint in tubes and use it as wet paint instead of filling it in pans?

Can I use powder food colors for this project?

how do you store these

Can you use glycerin in place of the honey?