A digital offering for grades 1-5
Natural colours – Pigments from the rock
Painting with stones!
The annual exhibition »Im Steinbruch der Zeit« (In the Quarry of Time, 2020) provided an opportunity to take a closer look at rocks – not only from a geological point of view, but also as a medium for painting.
In addition to plants, sand, coloured earths and rocks have been used for centuries to extract colour pigments. With little effort, works of art can be created using natural colours.
These instructions will help you get started.
Instructions
Making and using your own paints opens up a whole new world of sensory painting experiences! The appeal lies in getting to know and experiencing natural materials and their properties, the joy of experimenting and the variety of results.
And the best thing is that you can find the raw materials for this in your immediate surroundings – whether on a trip into nature or a walk.
So, let's get started and keep your eyes open!
Which materials are suitable?
Bricks or old roof tiles (reddish-orange)
Shards of flower pots (orange)
Chalk (white)
Coloured sandstone (light brown, greyish, greenish)
Charcoal (black)
The pieces should not be too large so that they can be easily crushed.
What tools are needed?
Mortar and pestle
Graters
(Fine) sieves
Shallow bowls
Paintbrushes
Water cup
Binding agent (see below)
Which painting surface is suitable?
Absorbent paper, wood or stones can be used as painting surfaces. It is best to integrate experimentation with the surfaces into the work process!
To avoid exposure to dust, we recommend working outdoors. It may be advisable to wear a face mask.
Procedure
- The stones are crushed in a mortar with a pestle or grated finely with a grater.
- The resulting powder is sieved through a fine sieve and collected in small containers.
- To prevent the colour pigments from detaching from the surface after drying, they are mixed with a binding agent. This gives the paint more staying power.
- This mixture of pigment and binding agent can then be used for painting. Have fun!
The following binding agents have proven effective:
- Chicken egg
Place the chicken egg in a screw-top jar and shake, then add the same amount of (linseed) oil. After shaking again, add the same amount of water and mix well. This so-called egg tempera must be prepared fresh each time, as it spoils relatively quickly. Tempera paint is characterised by its high luminosity.
- Potassium water glass (available from specialist retailers)
- Casein binder (available from specialist retailers)
Tip: Try out the right ratio of paint and binder as you go along!
The instructions as a PDF for printing (in German).
Time required: at least 2 school lessons; no prior knowledge is required.
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