
Sanguine: From Rock to Paint
At first, it’s just a chunk of stubborn red stone. But with a hammer, some oil, and old patience—it slowly turns into buttery Renaissance pigment, ready for the brush.
At first, it’s just a chunk of stubborn red stone. But with a hammer, some oil, and old patience—it slowly turns into buttery Renaissance pigment, ready for the brush.
How to make drawing charcoal like the old masters did? Here’s a 15th-century method from Cennino Cennini — willow twigs, a sealed pot, and a baker’s oven. No shortcuts.
Hi Michał, we’re in Novigrad, Croatia. Do you happen to know what that rusty-looking stuff is?– Yes. That’s terra rossa. A product of karst weathering, rich in iron and aluminum.
This is the moment when I squint my eyes, and through the narrow slits, the image comes in simplified, as if seen from a distance. Awkward, clumsy brushstrokes that up
We crawled underground, covered in clay, to find a cavity filled with black sand—natural pigment that dries faster than any store-bought medium I’ve used.
Black Sand and Manganese – A Cave Pigment Expedition – Were you scared?– Of course I was. But admitting it? That would be a shame.– What were you afraid of?