Blog

Thanks so much, Marghanita, for taking the time to speak with us about your artistic journey!Where did you grow up and how did this place influence you and your art?I grew up in Scotland in a small rural village outside of Edinburgh surrounded by wild natural spaces. I was allowed to roam free and the natural world was a place I felt at home, safe, and protected from a very early age. Gaining a sense of connection with these living beings and the...

You can feel good about using acrylic paint with our first-of-its-kind, plant-based Natural Acrylik Medium. This product is made with naturally archival ingredients to provide a permanent, water-resistant and non-yellowing finish that dries crystal clear. This product is plant based as opposed to petroleum based and does not include all of the toxic additives commonly found in conventional acrylic medium. Just like conventional acrylic mediums, t...

Where do our pigments originate from? Our pigments originate from all around the world! Here are the stories of one of our natural Earth & Mineral Pigment, Venetian Red - also known as Red Ochre.Venetian Red has been in use since prehistoric times and is found and used around the world. It's a natural earthen clay that is tinted by iron oxide and is composed of a naturally calcined form of the mineral hematite - along with traces of gyps...

Where do our pigments originate from? Our pigments originate from all around the world! Here are the stories of three of our natural Earth & Mineral Pigments, Venetian Red, Yellow Ochre, and Terre Verte. Venetian RedVenetian Red has been in use since prehistoric times and is found and used around the world. It's a natural earthen clay that is tinted by iron oxide and is composed of a naturally calcined form of the mineral hematite -...

Looking for the perfect creative, unique, sustainable gift for your loved one this holiday season? Let us help you - check out this holiday gift guide we have created just for you! Stocking Stuffers Eco-Friendly Fine Art BrushesEarth & Mineral Pigment Sample PackPalette KnifeEco-GlitterGift CertificatesNatural Face Paint JarsFor The Kiddos Natural Earth Paint KitNatural Face Paint KitEarth Flags Craft KitWooden Egg Craft KitFor The Eco...

Supplies:  Earth & Mineral PigmentsWalnut OilGum Arabic PowderRice StarchPart 1: Making The InkStep 1: On a glass palette, mix 1 part pigment (e.g. 1 tsp) with 1 part walnut oil (e.g. 1 tsp) until you get a loose paste.Step 2: Gradually mix in 1 part rice starch (e.g. 1 tsp) a little bit at a time to stiffen the paste.Step 3: Sprinkle 1/4 part gum arabic powder (e.g. 1/4 tsp) and gently fold into paste with a pa...

All of our recipes to create your own art supplies break down into 2 main ingredients - pigments and binders.Creating your own art supplies can seem daunting and complicated at first. But don't fret- it is easy once you break the process down into 2 simple steps!Making your own art supplies requires 2 main categories of ingredients:1. Pigments2. BindersPigments give the art supply you're making color, and binders are the ingredients that cre...

This natural, non-toxic crayon recipe featuring our Earth & Mineral Pigments comes from lindsey marie page, focused on nature-based learning through the seasons!"I wanted to come up with various projects that could be made using the same ingredients, so that if anyone wanted to invest in these materials, there would be multiple things they could make with them. My husband and I both have a background working with various types of wa...

Natural Earth Paint was featured in the 10th volume of the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration, all about making Art Supplies! This edition details the provenance, lore, and enduring appeal of art-making supplies, lushly illustrated through photography and artwork. There are beautiful photo-filled articles about large and small art supplies makers around the world mixed in with colorful sections on artists who make their own supplies from...

Thank you so much, Leslie, for chatting with us about your sustainable creative practice and awesome upcycled artwork!First, could you tell us about your professional background and how it informs your art? A little birdie told us you’re a scientist at NASA! Thanks for the opportunity! I am an environmental scientist working at NASA. I spent years in labs developing environmental science tests and monitoring water and air quality for contaminatio...

Hi Kristen, thank you so much for chatting with us about your expressive and joyful creative practice!You describe yourself on your website as an “expressive art alchemist, author, designer, beading educator, painting facilitator, & certified creativity coach.” Is there one role that resonates most strongly with you, or one that sparked the rest?If there is one that I feel deep in my soul it’s an expressive art alchemist. That is the seed that al...

Our Natural Egg Dye Kit was featured on Good Morning America!"Here are the best egg-dyeing kits. With Easter just days away, consider The Wirecutter's top picks for dyeing eggs."Watch the full video here. Interested in what others have to say about Natural Earth Paint? Visit our News page!Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more natural inspiration....

When it comes to edible projects like dying Easter eggs, nothing is more important than food safety. Our Natural Egg Dye Kit uses natural, food-grade extracts made from spices and veggies, unlike many conventional egg dyes on the market that contain toxic chemicals that shouldn't be ingested. But what's so bad about those chemicals, anyway? In this post, we'll provide the facts about some of the most commonly used dy...

Around the Easter season, we often get the question, "what will your Natural Egg Dye look like on brown eggs, duck eggs, or blue eggs?" We've created a short egg color guide for our non-toxic, plant-based Natural Egg Dye Kit, not with typical white eggs, but with brown egg, duck eggs, and blue eggs, too!To try this at home, you'll need our Natural Egg Dye Kit, named NYT Wirecutter's best natural egg dye kit&nbsp...

Our Natural Egg Dye Kit was featured as the best natural egg dye in NYT Wirecutter's "The Best Easter Egg Dyeing Kits" article! We love the safety, quality, and vibrant colors that come with our egg dye, but don't take our word for it—here's what NYT had to say:"Why we like it: The powders included in [Natural Earth Paint’s Natural Egg Dye Kit] deliver all the natural beauty and dyeing power of fruits (blueberries!), vegetables (purple carrots!),...

Thank you so much, Morgan, for stopping by to chat with us about your amazing business, Open Hands Creative!For those in our audience you haven’t yet heard of your incredible sustainable small business, please introduce us to Open Hands Creative! What is your focus as an arts-centric business?Open Hands Creative is an art experience business based in Perth, Australia. We focus on running eco-friendly art workshops in person and selling DIY art ki...

When an artist receives a startling diagnosis caused by their beloved conventional art supplies, one of two things happen; they're forced to quit doing what they love, or they're lucky enough to find a safe, natural alternative like Natural Earth Paint. Christine Aspegren is one such artist; after developing a serious reaction to her conventional paints, she discovered Natural Earth Paint, and the rest is history! We spoke with Christine this mon...

Catalina Christensen, eco-artist and pigment collector from Columbia, shared her secrets on household hacks for pigment processing and paint making during the 2021 Pigments Revealed Symposium. We're sharing some of her insights here!1. Improvisation is Perfectly AcceptableWhen she was first inspired to process pigments while in the deserts of Columbia, Catalina didn't have access to traditional pigment processing tools. So, she imp...

Thanks so much, Rachel, for taking the time to speak with us about your eco-friendly painting journey! Let's get started!Could you please tell us about how your first got into painting?Thanks so much for having me! Yes, I’ve always been quite creative and artistic in a variety of ways, but I first began painting in my late teens. It all started very spontaneously and naturally, and I just immediately fell in love with it. I’ve always struggled wi...

Cover Photo by Sarah RauberNatural Earth Paint founder Leah Fanning had the chance to chat with dancer-turned-printmaker Marjorie Morgan this month; we hope you enjoy Marjorie's tips, recipes, and stories as much as Leah did!Leah: I’m a huge admirer of all of your work and the organic, flowing, yet rooted energy of it really pulls at my heart. When I learned that much of your life was spent as professional modern dancer and perform...

Artists around the world are digging into the science and history behind earth pigments and natural art. One such artist is Heidi Gustafson, founder of Early Futures, an artistic research site with a current focus on ochre, iron oxides, land pigments, and subtle earth activism. "Heidi Gustafson is an artist and ochre worker based in rainy, volcanic Cascade foothills of rural northern Washington," her site states. "Her intuitiv...

Real talk, Natural Earth Paint family: 2022 is the year of embracing imperfection. We've spent years perfecting our packaging aesthetics and eco-friendliness, and as a green business, we've come a long way (you can learn more about our eco-friendly packaging and practices here). But recently, we realized that many of our customers aren't actually looking for perfect packaging; they just want the quality of our pigments deliver...

Hi Micaela, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us about your incredible sustainable fashion design! So, let’s dive right in!Tell us a little about yourself; what was your first introduction to the art and design world?My mother is an artist, so I was introduced to art at a very early age. We had an art room in the house that I grew up in, so I was constantly working on some kind of art project, be it drawing, painting, clay, or se...

Natural Earth Paint was featured in Green America's Sustainable Alternatives to Amazon article this holiday season!"Below is a new and expanded version of our previous article "12 Greener Options than Amazon!" The updated list includes businesses selling clothing and accessories, personal care products, home products, toys and crafts, books and entertainment, pet supplies and toys, home cleaning products, and food and supplements.During the pande...

For an eco-friendly alternative to plastic Christmas ornaments, give these gorgeous handmade, DIY wooden ornaments (featuring our Earth & Mineral Pigments) a try this holiday season!Supplies: Earth & Mineral PigmentsBinder of choice (see Step 1)Paint brushesWood slices with holes for hanging (you can slice and drill your own or purchase them from your local craft store)Pencil (for sketching)Natural VarnishTwine or ribbonStep 1: Sket...

As the weather gets colder and the holiday season begins, you may find yourself spending extra time indoors with more time off than usual. To beat the winter blues and brighten someone's day, try our eco-friendly pine cone card tutorial, featuring our Earth & Mineral Pigments!Supplies: Earth & Mineral Pigments (we used Emerald Green, Ultramarine Blue, Venetian Red, Orange Ochre, and Natural Gold Mica)Paint binder of your c...

December 5th is World Soil Day! We celebrate this day annually to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soil and advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources. "Soil salinization and sodification are major soil degradation processes threatening ecosystem and are recognized as being among the most important problems at a global level for agricultural production, food security and sustainability in arid and semi-arid regi...

Looking for eco-friendly gifts for the littles in your life? Ahead of the holiday rush, we've rounded up our top 10 eco-favorites for kids of all ages. Get your holiday shopping done early and protect Mother Earth, too! Plus, our earth-conscious gift guide partners have graciously provided a few coupon codes for our Natural Earth Paint family–check them out below! Happy holidays!Christmas Stories Stamps by AilefoThis stamp set...

Thanksgiving is a beautiful time to gather with loved ones and share our gratitude over a delicious meal. Make your Thanksgiving table just as beautiful with this Painted Pumpkin Thanksgiving Centerpiece!Supplies:Natural Gouache Base or Natural Acrylic MediumEarth & Mineral Pigments (we used Orange Ochre, Yellow Ochre, Natural Gold Mica, and Emerald Green)Wooden boxPaintbrushes and paint palette *You can purchase your wood...

The Complete Eco-friendly Oil Paint Kit was featured in FiveADRIFT's Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for the Holidays blog post!Read the full blog post here. "The holiday season is a time when people express their joys, values, and aspirations with the people they care about most. But with an increasing awareness of the environmental damages caused by our consumerist culture, it can be hard to know the balance when fulfilling everyone’s holiday...

In an effort to spread the word about the incredible organizations we give back to and the work they're accomplishing, we're continuing our Giving Spotlight blog series. This month's spotlight is on the spectacular Prime Earth."By helping you develop personal habits for success & deepening your connection to the beautiful planet we share with others, our programs will transform your life to help you transform the world.We are anthropolog...

Looking for an eco-friendly way to make use of your old Halloween pumpkins, or craving a little crafting in your life? Look no further than The Barefoot Babies' Pumpkin Stamps, using out Natural Earth Paint Kit!"STOP!! Before you compost your pumpkins, turn them into stamps! I cut mine into geometric shapes for a bit of early math and pattern learning, but you could just as easily cut yours into letters or faces.What type of pumpkin stamps w...

Our friends at Wild Earth Babe created a lovely scented play dough recipe with our Natural Earth Paint, perfect for the oncoming autumn months!"This is such a quick and simple recipe to make and in no time you will have your own (large) batch of handmade playdough, using a few ingredients you can swap around to create different scents. This recipe has a beautiful orange and cinnamon scent, coloured with Natural Earth Paint, perfect...

So you've got your hands on some Earth & Mineral Pigments, or maybe even foraged your own. Congratulations! But how do you know which binder to use with them?There's a variety of natural binders and mediums out there, and so the real answer is, there is no single right answer––it all depends on context. We've outlined the details of our favorites below (in no particular order), so you can make the right choice for you!Gum ArabicOur ...

Earth pigments have been used around the world from the earliest cultures of India, Africa and Australia all the way up to the present day. The oldest human artworks we’ve discovered were made with earth pigments 250,000 years ago and the same materials have been used by every culture and on every continent since then. A recent discovery of an earth pigment paint making factory in a South African cave was dated at 100,000 years old.Call...

Thanks so much, Katie, for taking the time to speak with us about your sustainable painting journey!Could you please tell us a little bit about your personal history that led you to painting? How did you first learn to oil paint? I have been painting since I was a child. In fact, my aunt and uncle still have a painting from when I was eight years old hanging in their house, which warms my heart and fills me with embarrassment simultaneously. For...

Many artists will tell you that making and sharing art are good for your health, but these claims are also substantially backed by science. Art is proven to help us:relieve stress, develop critical thinking skills, improve our memory, and explore our identities (1). These benefits can be heightened when natural materials are incorporated into your practice (4). Earth-based materials are grounding for artists and their audiences and help individua...

In an effort to spread the word about the incredible organizations we give back to and the work they're accomplishing, we're continuing our Giving Spotlight blog series. This month's spotlight is on the extraordinary PSARTS."Our StoryP.S. ARTS was created in response to significant education budget cuts in the 1970s and 1980s, which cut local tax revenues for public schools and resulted in the systematic reduction and elimination of arts pro...

Our two-part blog series, Toxin-Free Tuesday, covers the parallel stories of our social platform manager Kate and our founder Leah, whose disappointing experiences with conventional paint companies inspired their work with Natural Earth Paint. Wrapping up this short series, we hear from Leah!Leah's Story"As a new mom of a toddler and a health-conscious artist, I went to a local toy store to buy my son his first art supplies. Every kit said “non-t...

The Complete Eco-friendly Oil Paint Kit was recently reviewed by Voiz, an online community of eco-conscious students!"Oil paint is most commonly sold in small non-recyclable tubes and is made up of extremely toxic materials. Oil painting normally has to be facilitated either outside or in very well-ventilated rooms due to the toxins it emits. I am a painter myself and know first hand the effects of working with paints and turpentine for exte...

Our two-part blog series, Toxin-Free Tuesday, covers the parallel stories of our social platform manager Kate and our founder Leah, whose disappointing experiences with conventional paint companies inspired their work with Natural Earth Paint. This week, we hear from Kate!Kate's Story"When I became a part of the Natural Earth Paint family, I didn't consider myself the sort of artist who needed to be careful about the art...

Through this year's Pigments Revealed Symposium, we had the wonderful opportunity to connect with earth artists around the world. Kristen Moffitt, Materials Analyst at Colonial Williamsburg, is an art conservator who studies the paints and pigments used for architectural coatings at Williamsburg.During her talk at the symposium, she shared her research on the natural ingredients used in Colonial Williamsburg. We're sharing some of her f...

Thanks so much, Lindsey, for taking the time to give us a glimpse into the world of your beautiful botanical art!Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself as an artist and nature-lover? How did you first fall in love with painting the natural world?Yes of course! Thank you for having me. I am a painter more than anything, with my preferred medium being natural watercolor. I love how watercolor is fluid and seems to have a mind of...

Our Earth & Mineral Pigments were featured in the Future Materials Bank!Future Materials Bank is a project initiated by the Nature Research department at the Jan van Eyck Academie, in collaboration with the MA Materials Futures at Central St. Martins in London that proposes non-toxic, biodegradable or otherwise sustainable alternative materials. Read the full article here.Interested in what others have to say about Natural...

One common misconception about natural fine arts supplies is that they cost more than toxic conventional paints. Fortunately for artists making an effort to clean up their creative practice, that's only a myth! If you're looking for quality, investing in Natural Earth Paint actually saves you money compared to using the conventional paints on the market today that have a comparable quality. Not convinced? Let's get technical:...

Gouache is a beautiful, water-based artist paint, similar to acrylic or an opaque watercolor. Learn how to make your own natural gouache paint below!Supplies:Earth & Mineral PigmentsGum Arabic PowderNatural Impasto MediumHoney (for a vegan version, use glycerin)Optional: clove or thyme essential oil (mild preservatives)Instructions:Part 1: Creating the Gouache BaseStep 1: Mix 1 cup hot water with ½...

Thank you so much, Cherith, for taking the time to speak with us about your eco-friendly, health- conscious painting journey. Let’s get started, shall we?Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself as an artist? How did you first get into painting? Of course! I’m a Montana artist who is passionate about nature. I paint primarily local plants and mountains. Drawing and painting have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Wher...

In an effort to spread the word about the incredible organizations we've given back to and the work they are accomplishing, we're continuing our Giving Spotlight blog series. This month's spotlight is on the wonderful Buffalo Field Campaign."Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) is the only group working both in the field and in the policy arenas to stop the harassment and slaughter of America’s last wild buffalo.Formalized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit i...

In an effort to spread the word about the incredible organizations we give back to and the work they're accomplishing, we're continuing our Giving Spotlight blog series. This month's spotlight is on Green America."Our MissionGreen America harnesses economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.Our VisionWe work for a world where all peopl...

It's the tutorial you've all been waiting for! Join us for our simple, easy, non-toxic fabric painting tutorial and enjoy a safer way to decorate all kinds of textiles with our Natural Acrylic Medium and our Earth & Mineral Pigments!Supplies:Earth & Mineral PigmentNatural Acrylic MediumAluminum Tubes or an airtight container for storagePalette KnifeFabric (natural fabrics such as cotton, rayon or linen work best)Step 1: Sco...