Adding binder to foraged soil pigment drawing sticks, clip 2

[@jennw6809]

I'm so impressed. It's hard enough to make good pastels from commercial pigments! I have been experimenting with tragacanth and methylcellulose too. I understand the methylcellulose also dissolves in cold water, and it's harder when you do it in hot water, which is interesting so you can control the hardness of the finished product.

[@KJodiGear]

I’ve just made up a new batch of methylcellulose in cold water to use in the pastel pigment sticks made with some lake pigment (that I just made from plant dye) I’ll be putting a video up about the lake pigment experiment in a few days.

[@jennw6809]

@@KJodiGear Sounds amazing! I made some from commercial pigment without binder, but they definitely need some. They crumbled with any pressure.

[@KJodiGear]

@@jennw6809 The methylcellulose works, but I actually prefer the consistency of the sticks made with clay. If you don’t want super dark pastels, you can purchase kaolin clay, I have both a white and a rose color, and I add my pigments to them and they make a really nice soft pastel.