Ochre Info

Basically Clay.

If you want to find Ochre, it is a soft colourful rock, usually clay or kaolin sometimes volcanic...

This ochre has been collected from appropriate places.

In the old days we used Wattle tree sap, Fig tree sap, Eggs, Honey, Water,

Emu oil or goanna oil for binder. Nowadays I use pva glue (Craft or wood glue-dries clear.)

Crush it up to a fine powder and mix it with water and let it soak for a few minutes for the best economy.

It can be mixed with emu oil or goanna oil to make body paint that glistens in the moonlight.

Ochre is a natural Earth softish rock or clay

If you find colourful stones that are a bit soft, try grinding them with water 

Don't breathe it in be careful stone dust is harmful to your lungs, always grind it with a little water

Sometimes it is poured onto a flat rock and water and fig tree sap is mixed with it. Sometimes spit...!  

Most people use craft glue and water nowadays in a plastic resealable container.

Add enough liquid to make it the consistency of the paint you want to use..runny...or thick..

...Not a concrete mix.

A paint brush from the tip of a kangaroos tail or piece of bark, or feather or a few strands of hair are used to apply ochre.

For dots the tip of your finger is good, little finger for little dots, bigger fingers for bigger dots, or different size sticks.

Rub them on something like a hard flat stone and you will have natural Earth pigment...! 

Just add water

But not impossible... look around  for soft colourful rocks and stones.

 You will find them, open your eyes and go outside and have a look!

 My favourite

From experience a kilo will last years using it in every painting. 

Or as a solid it would cover about 5 square metres.

I have maybe 30 kilos left.

Amazing orange, it’s like the colour of Uluru 

and like Uluru, photos can’t do it justice. 

I only use it for special effects 

P.S. It doesn’t come from Uluru