What’s in those colourful pastels? A pastel stick consists of powdered pigment ground into water. This formula is held together by a gum binder and pressed into sticks. Because of their powdery nature, pastels need to be applied to a rough surface that will hold the pigment, such as special types of drawing paper. When…
Supplies
Acrylic Paint – The Versatile Paint
The make-up of acrylic paint Acrylic paint is made of pigments suspended in a water based emulsion. This base allows acrylic paint to be diluted with water, which can create a wash similar to watercolours. However once the paint dries it becomes resistant to water. Acrylic paint has only been widely available since the 1950s…
Oil Paint – The Good Oil
What is oil paint? Without getting too technical, oil paint is made from pigment ground into a drying oil. The most popular forms of oil used in the manufacturing process are safflower and linseed, which have been used for generations. Because of its properties, oil paint is slow drying meaning an artist can work on…