Recipe: Make your own Natural Earth Mural Paint
There are several natural paint options for indoor murals.
- If including children in the painting process: The Natural Earth Paint Kit is a wonderful natural craft paint that is easy for children to mix up and brush onto any dry wall surface. My son painted his room with balloons and stars at age 5 - and now, 10 years later, it still looks exactly the same and fabulous.
- For very durable and water-resistant mural paint: Natural Acrylik Paint (heavy body or fluid) is the most convenient and durable option with ready to use, professional grade paint made with non-toxic and plant-based ingredients.
- For a simple, hand-made, earth pigment paint recipe: The recipe below uses Earth & Mineral Pigments and works great on drywall and natural building surfaces (cob, straw bale, clay, plastered, etc.).
Ingredients:
Step 1: Create the Wheat Paste
- Use about 1 part flour to 6 parts water.
- Mix the flour with a small amount of water to make a smooth paste.
- Add hot water to make a thin consistency.
- Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens to an oatmeal-type consistency.
- Use immediately or refrigerate to preserve it for a few days.
Step 2: Mix the Paints
- Mix 1-2 parts water with 1 part wheat paste.
- Add natural pigments until the desired color is achieved, not exceeding a ratio of 20% by volume. Note: All pigments behave differently and require different amounts.
- Pro-tip: for large amounts, mix in a 5 gallon bucket with a paint mixer attachment on a drill. For small amounts mix by hand or with a hand-mixer.
- Paint away!
Note:
Wet paint is much darker when wet than when it's dry on the wall! Do a test mark on a wall and let dry before determining if you want to add more pigment.
