The Alchemy of Colour
The earth is the natural apothecary of the arts; hidden within its depths are all the variety of pigments as seen in the great paintings and galleries of the world. During this workshop, students will explore the traditional processes by which these pure pigments are extracted from their natural sources in the form of earth, rocks, roots and berries, and how these are transformed into pure pigments.
The traditional methods used to transform these raw materials were, in earlier times, a natural part of the traditional training of the artist; the process of preparing these natural materials was seen as an integral part of the painting process and was not separate from the painting. These craft practices are a journey into the very heart of the creative process, preparing the artist both outwardly and inwardly.
Working with the semi-precious rocks malachite, azurite, cinnabar and chrysocolla, as well as certain plant colours (Madder roots and Persian berries), students will discover first-hand the miraculous processes by which these raw materials are ground, washed, purified and, in some cases, heated and precipitated, and slowly transformed into luminous jewel-like pigments.
In the second part of this five-day workshop, students will be taught about traditional recipes and how these pure pigments can be made into handmade paints using gum arabic, egg tempera and oil. As well as producing pigments from plant dyes, students will also have the opportunity to experiment with tie-dying techniques on silk using gardenia and Brazil wood dyes.
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The earth is the natural apothecary of the arts; hidden within its depths are all the variety of pigments as seen in the great paintings and galleries of the world. During this workshop, students will explore the traditional processes by which these pure pigments are extracted from their natural sources in the form of earth, rocks, roots and berries, and how these are transformed into pure pigments.
The traditional methods used to transform these raw materials were, in earlier times, a natural part of the traditional training of the artist; the process of preparing these natural materials was seen as an integral part of the painting process and was not separate from the painting. These craft practices are a journey into the very heart of the creative process, preparing the artist both outwardly and inwardly.
Working with the semi-precious rocks malachite, azurite, cinnabar and chrysocolla, as well as certain plant colours (Madder roots and Persian berries), students will discover first-hand the miraculous processes by which these raw materials are ground, washed, purified and, in some cases, heated and precipitated, and slowly transformed into luminous jewel-like pigments.
In the second part of this five-day workshop, students will be taught about traditional recipes and how these pure pigments can be made into handmade paints using gum arabic, egg tempera and oil. As well as producing pigments from plant dyes, students will also have the opportunity to experiment with tie-dying techniques on silk using gardenia and Brazil wood dyes.
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