The art of painting in and of itself is rewarding in many ways.

From therapeutic to profitable and just generally fulfilling, painting provides numerous outlets for an artist. Beyond the actual craft of painting lies an artist's ability to make their own paint.

Composing your own paint is a gratifying task that demonstrates appreciation for the entire painting process from beginning to end.

As an artist, making your own paint allows you to become more invested and fulfilled with the complete creative process. By putting such effort into every step, you'll gain greater appreciation for your finished work.

Making acrylic paint helps you save money while creating the exact paint you want to work with. Buying powdered pigments and a large container of acrylic medium—rather than pre-made paint in tubes or jars—lets you produce much more paint at a lower cost.

You'll get the same high-quality acrylic paint in the end, for less money. What more could you ask for?

DIY Acrylic Means Full Control

Another advantage of making your own acrylic paint is having complete control over its composition. You can reduce or eliminate toxic ingredients if desired, ensuring the paint won't cause any harsh reactions.

Types of Pigments

There are many types of pigments to choose from when gathering supplies. Historically, pigments were made naturally from environmental materials. Today there are three main types:

Organic
Inorganic
Lake

Organic Pigments

Organic pigments consist of carbon compounds that are chemically synthesized. They're not found in nature. Despite being artificial, they typically have lower toxicity levels than natural pigments because they contain carbon and pose minimal environmental concerns.

Organic pigments are stable and cost-effective. They produce bright, pure, and rich colors with excellent resistance to solvents, light, heat, and weathering. Examples include:

Alizarin
Azo pigments (yellow to red range)
Phthalocyanine (blue to green range)
Quinacridone (violet-red)

Inorganic Pigments

Inorganic pigments are mineral-based and considered more natural. They have simpler chemical structures than organic pigments and form through natural processes. Preparation is less complex than with organic pigments. Examples include:

Lead oxide
Cobalt blue
Chromium oxide
Cadmium yellow
Molybdate orange
Nickel titanate

Lake Pigments

Lake pigments are created by combining organic dyes with inert binders or mordants, usually metallic salts. While technically dyes, they function as pigments. They don't work well with certain liquid binders or thinners. Lake pigments provide a wide color range for paint production.

How to Make Acrylic Paint

Supplies Needed:

Pigments
Water or clear alcohol
Steel spatula or glass muller
Binder or medium
Glass mixing surface

Step 1: Disperse the Pigments

Mix pigments with water or alcohol on your glass surface using a 50/50 ratio. Alcohol often works better than water because its lower density helps pigments disperse more easily. Earth Pigments offers excellent non-toxic kits, with their introductory pigment set starting at $34. Dick Blick also carries a set of 15 colors by Sinopia.

Step 2: Grind the Pigment

Once wet, grind the pigment with your muller or spatula until evenly dispersed. Apply pressure until no hard areas or lumps remain. You may need to adjust the mixture by adding more pigment or liquid—an eyedropper helps add small amounts of liquid precisely.

Step 3: Mix

When the pigment is evenly dispersed, add your chosen medium. The medium determines whether the paint dries matte or glossy. Liquitex offers an affordable matte medium that creates a non-reflective finish.

Step 4: Store

Store finished paint in tubes or glass containers. Dick Blick offers various storage options. Seal containers tightly, as acrylic paint dries faster than other types.

Safety Reminders

Exercise caution when making acrylic paint, especially if unfamiliar with your pigments' ingredients. Work in a ventilated area like a garage, away from people and pets. Wear a breathing mask to avoid inhaling pigment dust and protective glasses to shield your eyes.

One of the best aspects of creating your own acrylic paint is mixing pigments to produce custom colors. The resulting paint will be unique—something you can't buy in stores. In an artist's world, such originality is priceless!