Derived from milk, casein paint dates all the way back to ancient Asian cave paintings.Ā
Casein paint is durable, fast-drying, and water-soluble. It was also as widelyĀ used in ancient Egypt asĀ tempera paint, and popular among commercial illustrators and muralists in the twentieth century. Many oil painters also use it for underpainting. Learn how to make it for yourself below!
Supplies:
- Casein powder
- Borax
- Distilled water
- Earth & Mineral Pigments
- Palette knife
- Glass palette
- Double boiler
Instructions:Ā
Step 1: Mix 2 tablespoons of casein powder with 10 tablespoons of distilled water. Let the mixture sit overnight.
After sitting overnight, some of the water will have separated from the rest of the mixture.Ā
Step 2: Discard the liquid that accumulated on the surface.
Step 3: Mix 1Ā tablespoon borax with 8 tablespoons of hot water.
Stir until the borax is dissolved.
Step 4: Add the casein mixture to the borax water and stir until smooth.Ā
Step 5: Heat the resulting mixture in a double boiler on medium heat until it reaches about 180Ā ā, stirring continuously. This heating process will take about 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool.
Step 6: Measure out a spoonful ofĀ Earth & Mineral Pigment (we used Yellow Ochre!) onto yourĀ glass palette. At this stage, some artists "pre-wet" theirĀ pigment with waterāto do so, add a small amount of water to yourĀ pigment and mix with aĀ palette knife until it becomes a thick paste.Ā Ā
Step 7: Mix a spoonful of the casein binder with theĀ pigment on yourĀ palette. There is no exact ratio that works for everyĀ pigment; to test if your ratio is correct for theĀ pigment you're using, apply your mixed paint to a scrap piece of cardboard.Ā If some of theĀ pigment rubs off after an hour, you need to add more binder. If the paint cracks, adjust the binder-to-pigment ratio by adding moreĀ pigment and water.
Step 7:Ā Your paint is finished! Use this casein paint on wood, paper, or any rigid support, using water to thin the paint if needed. You can even prime your painting surface with "casein gesso" before using the casein paintābrush diluted casein binder onto your painting surface, then mixĀ Natural Impasto Medium andĀ Titanium White Earth & Mineral Pigment with the casein binder and apply.
Storage:Ā To store the paint, keep it in a cool, dry location. To store the binder, store it in your refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.Ā
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