Natural Clay Paint, homemade with soil and wheatpaste: A cinematic venture

This homemade clay paint is a great alternative to acrylic or latex paints. It is suitable for existing walls in conventional houses or over plaster in natural homes. This is a perfect for non-toxic paint, in fact everything in this recipe is edible! All the ingredients in this film can be food-grade and naturally sourced, making it a sustainable, healthy option for families.

The paint technique shown in the film is water soluble when it dries. This makes it unsuitable for wet conditions, unless sealed with linseed oil or another masonry sealer OR if an additive was included instead of the wheat paste, such as Caesin glue, acrylic, or soy resin.

This technique can be used on an existing acrylic wall. If using it on bare drywall, we recommend a conventional primer first.

In this film we collected soil as an example of the diversity of colors in the earth, but you can easily purchase white and/or grey clay and add pigments to achieve any color.

Ingredients:

Clay –
You either use bagged clay (which is a purer form of clay) from local ceramic suppliers or some hardware stores OR you can harvest your own soil as we did in this film.
Most soils have some clay content in it, but you will have to process it as we show in the video. We soaked our soil in water to screen it wet, however soil can still be screened dry. We used a windowscreen but you can use smaller mesh if you want your paint finer. If you sift your clay wet, you need to get rid of the excess moisture to make a clay putty. Here we achieved this by hanging it in cloth for a few days, allowing any excess water to drain. This resulted in a clay putty, which has a toothpaste-like consistency.

Wheat-Paste Concentrate –
This is your common glue to use paper mache and other craft projects. You need to use white flour as wholewheat is not sticky enough.

The recipe for the wheat-paste concentrate is:
1 cup Flour
Mixed with 2 cups cold water
Add mix to 1½ cups of boiling water
Cook until thick and translucent

Mica Powder –
We added Mica Powder as a paint thickener. You can use a very fine sand and marble powder but these can be very heavy. You might have luck with calcium carbonate or limestone powder if you can’t find Mica powder.

Pigment –
We did not use pigment in the video, I used a small amount of green pigment in one of my colors, otherwise all the colors were natural.
You can use any pigments from your hardware store that are dyes for cements, or from your ceramic stores. You can also get tints from paint counters at hardware stores. There are also a million places online.

Paint Recipe (using Clay Putty):
1-part Wheatpaste Concentrate
1-parts Water
1-part Clay Putty
1-part Mica powder
Mix all together and adjust to desired consistency.

Paint Recipe (using Dry Clay)
1-part Wheatpaste Concentrate
2-parts water
1-part clay
1-part Mica powder
Mix all together and adjust to desired consistency.

If you are not planning to use within 24 hours, store in the fridge, as the flour will begin to ferment.
Apply with a brush, roller or even spray.

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[lukemorris]

as a potter, a landscape designer and a drone pilot I can not express how much I love this short. thank you

[AnthonyNovellird]

It's hard to find words for the appreciation I have for this. The content is flawless, open source, and a breath of fresh air in its simplicity and utility. The aesthetics - my gosh. Every one of these tops the previous one, and that is no easy feat. These offerings just seep with care and respect - for the work - the craft, for nature, for the tradition embodied in your family, and the audience who are transported to a slightly altered timeline where joy, beauty, and spirit drive the making of things. Beautiful beyond words, and an honor to have the connections I do to that land and your generous spirits. Gracias amigos.

[Professorvapes]

it is not very often you come across pure artistry in both camera work and subject like this and this is why we need people like you and all who work with you on YOUTUBE and beyond I for one would like to say thankyou thankyou thankyou for sharing this fantastic piece of work and very interesting content you have inspired me to do better.

[nomagil]

I grew up in a mud house so for painting inside we use go and collect the soil different colours and add the moles soil for the color. We use a sheep skin as a brush this reminds of home

[infiniteadam]

I don't know how you got motivated to put so much work into this short video but I would like to know, I wish I had that life, I'm so tired of the normal American life. I want to wake up feeling like I live in my own version of paradise. I want to build and garden, I want to be around real people who are loving and humble, supportive and fun to be around. I feel im missing out on living. My life has become a trap, and I just want to break free of it. Im so tired, but I will keep clawing away at my cage until I am free.

[StoicObserverS]

Since I was a small children, I have longed to travel the world and collect soul samples to turn into art. This really inspires me.

[michaellukaniuk]

After 3 weeks of solo covid 19 lockdown this video was heaven sent....thank-you

[hadiyaahsan]

This deserves billions of views! Love everything : the art, the combinations, the ideation, the aesthetics, the work!

[Miley]

When this popped up in my feed i would have never expected it to be the best tutorial i‘ve ever seen. Wow

[createlovehappy]

I’m a potter so you had me at “clay” and I loved the video and how you shot it, with all the angles and cuts. Great job. It’s so satisfying to see clay squeezed in the hands.

[mariemyndala]

Oh my gosh, I'm going to watch all of your videos straight through some night! exciting this cinematic venture of your clay processes!

[masja]

Normally I would get scared if I saw a guy in the woods with a shovel....🤣
I love this. It is incredible and a bautiful result! Talk about earthy tones 😉 🙏🏻❤

[jaimuszunner]

That was an intensely stunning visual experience. Amazing.

[mamemckee]

As a potter I love seeing the clay honored in this way. As an artist I love the cinematography. Great project! Vermont subscribed.

[NeetuSinghBTSARMY]

i want this kind of house. made of sand, clay, mud & i want earthen pots & glasses to drink water. this is so close to nature.

[somi]

Uffff....Los amo, les extrañé mucho, gracias por el masaje visual y cerebral, como siempre hermosisimo!!!✨

[gracelaforge]

Besides learning a process I knew little about, it was just beautiful to watch - glad you gave a glimpse into the photography challenges...the music supported it - like in a meditation! My students who love dipping their hands into the slop bucket would find this satisfying!

[Smali]

I could feel the petrichor when he mixed the soil in water. Soooo satisfying ❤️

[vicd]

The ultimate in "earth tones". Thank you for sharing your techniques and artistry.

[stellieford]

Humbled, and inspired. Transported. Encouraged. Uplifted. Challenged blessed. Moved. Just wow