rs79.vrx.palo-alto.ca.us

Quark and Borax Paint


Quark and Borax Paint

Mixing acidic quark with alkali borax makes it such a strong binder it can hold more pigment and some whiting yielding an opaque paint or a more strongly coor glaze if thinned.

  • 9 ounces (250g) Quark
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (10g) borax
  • 1/4 cup (50 ml) hot water
  • 1/2 cup (100ml) prepared whiting
  • 1 ounce natural pigment (about 25g or 1/4 cup)

Should cover 22 square feet or two square meters

The method for this is a bit more complicated that others. First slake the pigment. Next, dissolve the borax in the hot water in the top of a double boiler. When it's dissolved completely, let it cool. Place the quark in a bowl, add the borax, whick in pigment and/or whiting. For a glaze, add water.

Problems: if the paint is too dry and powders off, add borax. If it dried hard and glossy and cracks, add whiting and/or pigment.

Apply a thin coat to an absorbent wall and let this dry before applying the second coat with a large brush. You may need to add water - paint that is too thick or dried too quickly will powder off when it dries. Wash up in warm soapy water.