House paint

Acrylic Marbling
Post Reply
MarcH
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 6:58 am

House paint

Post by MarcH »

I didn't know where to post this question, so I hope you'll forgive me if you feel this is the wrong forum. I've marbled for years with Colophon water colors but was wondering if anyone has tried marbling with house paint, which I believe is latex based. This would no doubt have to be thinned, probably with water and a dispersant. Just curious. Thanks. --Marc
susanne
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue May 17, 2016 2:57 am

Re: House paint

Post by susanne »

Hi Marc,

in all probability house paint is not a good idea not only because of the additives but, most of all, because house paints are ground to a much coarser grade than artists's paints. That's just fine for walls as they, once put into place, will stay in place until the end but useless for decorated papers who require flexibility in wet as well as in dry state, an altogether different sort of visual depth and will usually be processed, meaning nothing must rub off first during processing the dampened paint layer during (for instance) the stretching and folding necessary for bookbinding and then when the object is handled during use.

I tested house paints with the idea of using them for teaching as they are considerably cheaper than the upper medium-quality acrylics I use for beginner' courses but dropped the matter immediately.

Susanne
http://www.hamburgerbuntpapier.de
MarcH
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 6:58 am

Re: House paint

Post by MarcH »

Excellent response Suzanne. Thanks. --Marc
jemiljan
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2013 3:02 pm

Re: House paint

Post by jemiljan »

I agree with Susanne, but I would only add that what many vendors sell as Thai Marbled Papers seem to me made with various types of oil and latex-based house paints.

Similarly, the incense packets and other marbled items manufactured by the Sri Auribindo Ashram in Pondicherry, India are made with similar colours (and according to someone I know who lives there, a lot of solvents).

Also about 20 years ago, I met a woman in Copley Square in Boston who was selling clothing from Bali that was also marbled with what appeared to be house paints. As Susanne noted, the feel of the paint on the fabric was hard, stiff, inflexible, and already peeling off from the surface.
Post Reply