Making a Gum Arabic Binder for Water Colour Paints

[@eileenhawkins1474]

Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Some of the of the other channels I’ve watched never give or tell us the ingredients they’re using. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge.

[@darcyfelker2361]

I watched many videos your is the best by far

[@inkmatetattoostudio1160]

Simple and short ❤

[@EliseMichaudimmigration]

Thank you for the recipe and video!

[@dorothyanntalbert7070]

How long will it be good for in the fridge? A week, a month, or a few days?

[@fireblazinstar]

I want t make my own watercolor-based loose glitter Gel paint. Would this be a binder I could just put glitter in and then use?

[@awatercolourist]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@yvonneventurelli2676]

Grazie x video..

[@verna0072001]

My gum Arabic powder was 25g but it doesn’t look like liquid after I put 50g water. It looked like corn starch lacking the water. I put about near 1 liter water. It didn’t look like liquid at all.

[@jaimezapataespinoza2302]

@verna0072001, Have you used HOT water??...

[@ianbowlerart]

The ratios/weights listed in the video are by volume not by weight - 50ml of water does weigh 50g however gum arabic has a different density to water so 25ml of gum arabic powder does not weigh 25g. The correct ratio would be 50ml of water to 25ml of gum arabic powder. So for example you could measure in tablespoons, e.g 1 spoon of glycerine, 2 spoons of Gum Arabic and 4 spoons of water. or 2, 4 and 8 spoons. etc

[@saeromhong5919]

Hello! How long in the fridge have you noticed this to last, once adding the clove oil? And how do you know when the binder is no longer "fresh" ?

[@IanBowlerartist]

I've had some in the fridge for more than 12 months. It will go mouldy eventually due to the sugars in the ingredients.

[@ianbowlerart]

There seems to be some confusion to the quantities required for this recipe. The correct ratio is noted in the video. 1 part glycerine, 2 parts gum Arabic powder and 4 parts hot water. I used a 50ml scoop so 1 scoop of glycerine, 2 scoops of gum Arabic powder and 4 scoops of water. I hope this clarifies the ml/mg question.

[@mayanlynch6123]

. What if you substute 20ml water (or more) for 20 ml Isopropyl Alcohol? This may stop it from going off. Thank you for this video.

[@ianbowlerart]

Not sure what the outcome would be if you did this. You can mix pigments directly with Isopropyl Alcohol to make an ink. But a gum arabic solution needs to be water based especially if you want to make watercolour paints.

[@MarcelMalish]

Thank you very much, finally I understood the process of making watercolours. Video with a sense of beauty

[@nasampat]

Please advise gum arabic qty in Grams

[@sunnycharacter]

I don’t understand something. Liquid is measured as ml. But dry goods, the gum Arabic, wouldn’t it be measured in grams?

[@IanBowlerartist]

For this recipe, the mix ratios are all measured by volume so you don't need to weigh anything you can just use measuring cups for everything.

[@sunnycharacter]

@@IanBowlerartist cool! 😎

[@TheCuriousGreyHare]

1ml is the same weight as 1 gram

[@sunnycharacter]

@@TheCuriousGreyHare thank you!

[@IanBowlerartist]

@@TheCuriousGreyHare that only applies to water and liquids of a similar density. The gum arabic is less dense than water so 1 gram would be more than 1ml

[@absgames9425]

do you need to store the paints, once they are done, in the fridge too?

[@IanBowlerartist]

I haven't done any official testing, I add the clove oil to my gum arabic solution, and the watercolour paints I make seem to last OK - I haven't had any go moldy. I'm not storing them for long periods of time though I tend to make them as I use them.

[@ianbowlerart]

I think I may have just deleted somebodies comment by mistake. I’m really sorry it wasn’t intentional.

[@beverlyaten1775]

It appears to be mine. No problem. I responded to you about please posting more. I have lots of questions! So glad you are here. Here is my next question- where do original pigments come from, and what are the correct classifications/ nomenclatures? As in organic vs non, like iridescence from fish scale nacre or mica. I just read that recently. Is there another component that could be used instead, and how would they all be used/ stored differently?

[@ianbowlerart]

Thank you so much for reposting, I will definitely be posting more videos very soon. I’ve just finished tidying up my workshop to start filming some more how to videos starting with Watercolour inks / liquid watercolours. Hope to get it uploaded by the end of the week.

[@ianbowlerart]

@@beverlyaten1775 I will start planning an informative video about pigment types etc as you have requested.

[@triggersw3350]

Does the liquid darker with age?

[@ianbowlerart]

I don't think so. If it does it's not a noticeable amount.

[@peterplantec7911]

Warm water would help.

[@ekozoidmajiker6186]

I've seen other vids, but what is HONEY used for?

[@IanBowlerartist]

I find the glycerine helps to mix the gum arabic powder into the water. The addition of honey which is hygroscopic, draws water in which can stop the watercolour drying out too much and becoming brittle it also helps when rewetting watercolours. Each pigment reacts differently to the gum binder some pigments require more binder than others to get the correct consistency, similarly not all pigments need the addition of honey, I'm still experimenting with different pigments which is why I don't tend to add the honey to the gum solution. I add it when I'm actually making the watercolours. Honey also has preservative properties in the paint.

[@NikkieSamuels]

How long does the gum arabic last in refrigerator?

[@raisavaz]

Is it okay to replace clove oil with eucalyptus oil?

[@lindasodren2167]

Yes

[@peterplantec7911]

I assume you mean 100 gr of Arabic?

[@RusticandGreenLiving]

No not 100g, that would be too much, 100ml. All quantities in the recipe are by volume. So 1 part Glycerine, 2 parts Gum Arabic Powder and 4 parts water. As long as you stick to the 1:2:4 ratio it should be fine. So you could measure in tablespoons, e.g 1 spoon of glycerine, 2 spoons of Gum Arabic and 4 spoons of water. or 2, 4 and 8 spoons. etc