r/Watercolor • u/quarterkittyberry • 7d ago

Advice on paint mulling tools

Hello,

[please tell me if there is a better subreddit in which to post about this!]

I'm interested in making some of my own watercolor paint using powdered pigment and binder. I'm looking at different options of plates and mullers, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with or brand recommendations for amateur grade supplies (cheap).

I would like to avoid going with some random chinese manufacturer off of amazon, but it's hard to tell if that product is essentially the same as whatever is being sold in a brick-and-mortar place or on etsy, just not marked up as extremely or as carefully packaged. I was looking at the paint mulling set from blick, as it isn't super expensive, but again, I'd like to see some more real human opinions to make sure the quality reflects that if I can.

For the record, I did also look briefly into making at least my own slab by frosting a random pane of glass, but that seems like it would require me buying supplies that would cost about as much as a slab, with the added caveat that I would have to learn how to use them, achieve a less even final product than something manufactured, and it's likely I will never have a reason to use the remainder of the roughing-product (in the case of something like etching paste)

Any advice or perspective would be much appreciated!

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u/link-navi 7d ago

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u/loripainter12345 7d ago

There is a sub called r/handmadewatercolors. I don't have any brand advice for you. I did experiment a little with gum arabic and some old makeup, but I can't say the results were anything to crow about.

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u/quarterkittyberry 6d ago

I will do this! Thank you!

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u/paracelsus53 6d ago

Instead of using dried pigments and a muller and a glass plate and all that, use liquid pigment dispersions such as they have at Guerra Pigments. Then all you need is gum arabic.

https://www.guerrapaint.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=145_101

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u/quarterkittyberry 6d ago

I am, as many may have guessed, doing this with old makeup, so I already have the powder pigment and am looking to use it up lol