Making My Own Lake Pigments From Foraged Plants

[@josephinenorman967]

as someone who has gone through similar struggles im obsessed with the drama of the music this is set to haha

[@anaani99999]

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful! We have so many colors from nature. This is amazing! Good choice and good option. I love what you are doing.

[@ChrisCarterArt]

Thank you, Ana.

[@AP-pk9gw]

keep on experimenting, i would love to see those pigments in action!

[@tinathaw739]

This video is gorgeous! Do you have any tips for someone who keeps getting gray? I'm trying to Lake Hopi Sunflower Seeds, and it shifts every time I add the washing soda. I'm wondering if I'm adding too much there or if it is something else. I would greatly appreciate your guidance. Thank you so very much.

[@ChrisCarterArt]

Hi Tina. I'm new too this, too. What I have discovered after also ending up with gray far too many times, that adding too much washing soda will definitely turn a lovely color gray. It is the result of adding too much alkaline. I have sometimes brought a bit more color back to the pigment by adding more alum (balancing the alkaline with acidic). What I now do is add the washing soda dilution VERY slowly to the mix and stir, stir, stir as it begins to foam, testing the solution multiple times between addition SMALL additions of the washing soda, erring on the side of too little soda rather an too much. I hope this helps. It s such a wonderful and magical process! Have fun!

[@tinathaw739]

@@ChrisCarterArt Thank you so very much, Chris, for taking the time to respond. I was guessing that had something to do with it because it does occur when adding the washing soda. I'm also going to get some fresh ph testing strips because I believe that these are too old and not giving me a proper ph reading. I'm guessing that is what you meant by "testing the solution multiple times". Thanks again, and yes! It is truly a wonderful and magical process for sure.