How to Make Gold Paint
Many commercial gold paints don't have that truly metallic appearance. They're shiny, but not realistic. While nothing short of leafing with real gold will create a truly real look, making your own gold paint can improve things. All you need is gold pigment and a binder. Gold paint can be used to create theater props, mock illuminated manuscripts, and many other arts and crafts projects.
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Things You'll Need
- Metallic powder pigment
- Spoon
- Palette knife
- Water
- Water based binder such as acrylic medium or liquid gum arabic
- Flat surface, such as a butcher's tray
- Muller (optional)
- Jar (optional)
Instructions
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1
Spoon a small amount of metallic pigment onto a clean, flat surface, such as a pane of glass or enamel butcher's tray. Work carefully, since pigment can easily become airborne.
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2
Use a palette knife to create a small crater or pit in the middle of the pile of pigment. Use an eye dropper or bottle to pour a small amount of water into this crater. Start with just a little. You can always add more water, but you can't take it away.
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3
Create the pigment paste. Use the palette knife to fold the pigment into the water. Press gently to break up lumps. Fold the pigment and water together until you have created a smooth paste, about the consistency of cake frosting. You may wish to use a glass muller to disperse difficult pigments.
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4
Add the binder. Choose a water based binder, such as acrylic medium, gum arabic (for watercolor) or even the yolk of an egg (for egg tempera). Combine equal parts of the binder with the gold pigment paste. Gold paint will be brighter in media that are completely transparent, such as acrylic, and dimmer in media like egg.
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5
Adjust paint consistency. Add a few drops more water or medium until the paint is at your preferred consistency. Use it right away, like bottled paint, or scrape your gold paint into an air tight jar for later use.
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Tips & Warnings
A very real, but expensive paint can be made with 22kt powdered gold.
Use the same technique to make silver paint or colored metallics with mica powder.
Make your paint fresh for each session to get the brightest effect.
Wear a dust mask or particle respirator when handling powdered pigments
Homemade gold paint may spoil or mold over time.
