What were Native American paints made of?

Answer 1

Aborigines were resourceful people who extracted a variety of colours from their natural environment.

They obtained red, orange, dark purple, brown and orange from grinding ochre to a powder. Ochre was found naturally in rock stained by iron, which would give it the reddish hues.

Yellow was obtained by mixing clay, or by collecting pebbles that contained a limonite-stained form of kaolin.

White also came from the kaolin, or even white clays. Calcite, a chalky mineral, as well as ash are used to make white pigments. Calcite occurs naturally in calcrete deposits.

Black was obtained from charcoal, and could be mixed with kaolin to make grey.

Dark green was made from plant colourings.

Tree bark, crushed shells and blood also gave variety of colour. The availability of some colours are peculiar to the area that the artist finds himself in.

These paint bases were mixed with fluids such as saliva, blood, tree sap or yolk of various birds' eggs to help them adhere.

Answer 2

he Indians originally used pigments made from clay and roots. The colors were very bright and became subdued after the pole had weathered several winters. The symbolism of the colors changed a little in different parts of the United States. Therefore we have attempted to give only a general meaning to the prevalent shades.

There are three primary colors--red, blue, and yellow. From these three colors any other colors may be created by the correct combination and mixing. However, nowadays colors come already mixed in practically any shade you desire, at a price that depends mainly on the quality.

HOPE THAT HELPED (:

Answer 3

Paint was generally made from mineral pigments (earth colours), but some plants were also used depending on what was available locally.

Reds were often based on crimson-coloured clay and a crushed reddish-yellow rock. A red-brown was made by baking yellow clay over ashes; in Spring the buds of pussy willow were picked, kept overnight and made into red paint.

When traders arrived they brought a natural pigment called vermilion with them, which became a very highly-prized trade item with all the tribes.

Pigments would be baked to a powder over a fire, ground in a stone mortar and mixed with tallow (animal fat) before being stored in small leather pouches. Some paints were then mixed with water or with beaver-tail glue.

Answer 4

Different minerals had different colors in the. For example red clay was commonly used for there rich color, or berry juices, ground up plants and such. Just think what a grass stain does to pants. They used colors available in nature.

Answer 5

There paint was made out of different types of berries.

Answer 6

They used bugs, plants and rocks