The idea of this is that I wanted to source my own natural pigments locally, that’s what I started to explore in my negotiated project. However, I’ve been beset by health problems – nothing serious thankfully, just enough to make juggling everything around doctor and hospital appointments was hard.

So I compromised, I sourced natural pigment powders and made my own paints using linseed oil from these.

My inspiration was the landscape of Scotland as it’s the one place I really feel at peace and calm when I holiday there. I needed to use muted colours.

Using the powders was not without uts own challenges. I found red madder really difficult, almost impossible to mix and I will in future grind it down into an even finer powder to use. Woad was also hard and it was very gritty. However, on researching the use of pigments and directions on how to make your own paints, Jackson Art supplies was extremely helpful for this. I found that some pigments are known for being grittier in texture.

I feel that everytime I approach my art and making my own paints, I will be continually learning.