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Soft Size-Base Paint


Soft Size-Base Paint

  • 2 1/4 cups (500 ml) water
  • 2 ounces (50g) rabbit-skin glue granules (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 14 pounds (i kg) prepared whiting
  • 2 ounces (50g) natural pigment (about 1/4 cup)
The amounts given should cover about 86 square feet (8 square meters)

This paint is suitable only for absorbant walls and is fairly delicate. Although it won't rub off it is not washable ans is easily marked by grease or water.

Slake the pigment. Heat the water in a double boler until warm and add the glue granules until disssolved - turn the heat down as soon as they are dissolved so as to not overheat it. Mix the whiting preferably with an electric mixer while gradually adding the warm glue and pigment until thoroughly mixed.

Try painting a sample are first - when dry if the paint powers off you need to add more binder (the rabbit skin glue). If it flakes off you need to add more whiting or pigment. Note that it will dry several shades lighter.

This paint should be the consistency of latex paint anc can be thinned with watere. The wall will need to be primed with a very thin wash of rabbit skin glue - 2 ounces (50g) to 4 cups (1 litre) of water. Let this dry then apply the paint on top. Note that brush strokes will be very evident.

This is a reversable paint, that is it can be washed off, which is good because it's nearly impsosible to paint over it. Historically this has been used on mouldings where a buildup paint would be undesirable and for authenticity to renovated rooms.