What is Paint?

The most basic answer, to this question, holds the most important key to your understanding all of your paints, crayons, oil-bars, pastels, etc. Let’s do it one step at a time.

Without going any further, paint is: pigment (color) in a substance, generally of liquid or paste form (vehicle, binder, medium); that can be, picked up and placed on to a surface (support i.e. a canvas, paper, board, etc.); where it will stay in the position desired and dry there by affixing itself to the support.

But, as much could be said of “house” paint; so what separates or distinguishes, “Artist Paints” from house paint or children's paints or the rest?

“Art” denotes “Quality”, and there is where our distinction rests: artist paints are made with “quality substances” that have the characteristics necessary for them to maintain the desired effect or intention, of the artist. The color (pigment) needs to stay as the artist intended it (we say it must maintain it's: lightfastness) and the vehicle, that which holds and “binds” the pigment (referred, here after as “Binder”), must hold the pigments in place for a long time; allowing the image=artwork to be viewed from one generation to the next, hopefully longer.

If this appears hopelessly simplistic, then you are on your way to understanding.

'...Binders? Pigments? They are so numerous and mysterious!...'

There is no mystery and the process does not have to be confusing or complicated. It involves an understanding of what qualifies as a Binder and what characteristics one needs or is looking for in the pigments used in the various techniques he wishes to work. The easiest way to examine this subject, is to forget about the one “universal” ingredient, that is “Pigment” and make logical what binders determine the different techniques, i.e. watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, encaustic, inks, oil/dry pastel, etc. These are all techniques and the “paint” for each of them differs because the Binder is different. The one thing that remains constant is Pigment.Once you understand that and have pigments available in your studio, you are able to move from one technique (=medium) to another. This knowledge you gain, expands your ability to communicate in images because it opens the doors to all the potential techniques in which images can present themselves, without needing to duplicate, in purchase, a palette of colors for each and every technique. You simply join your pigment with the desired Binder (in the quantity you desire) and move on to that technique. Oil paint = pigment in linseed oil; I always say to my students....'Just remember that it is Pigment in Something!...And make the something, something that will dry and hold the Pigment in place...For a long long time!'

watercolor = pigment in a solution of Gum Arabic & water;(by the way, if you enjoy w/c or gouache you really should read about Dispersions)... gouache uses the same binder as watercolor, except it has the characteristic of being “opaque”( or if you are out of Gum Arabic, replace it with another water soluble binder, such as, Casein, Starch, Egg yolk...

...or for a less soluble binder, Acrylic).

For the encaustic enthusiast, move between hot and cold techniques easily;

 

for the print-maker, make the smallest quantity of an expensive colored ink, without buying a pound-can that will skin over before you ever touch it again.At today's prices for “Quality” materials, there is an endless list of reasons why an artist should take the time to understand the materials; and for those who would substitute, in favor of the “bargain brands”, remember that with the lowering of quality, you arrive with paints that do not work really well, nor carry with them the characteristics you may be looking for or expect. But that is going beyond our simple question and the article... ...as the 'painting' are finished for now. Keep it simple and grow in stages, lifes best results do as much... Back to Top

- by Terrance DePietro

Simply Ask for the Catalog!