At the Sign of The Black Hound

 Natural Pigments is a wonderful website that sells historic pigments and ready made colors for watercolor, oil, and tempura work. The site also has instructions on how to mull your own colors.

It’s pretty much one stop shopping for historic painters.

*shops*

How to make ink.

Terrific article from the Library of Congress that explains the how’s and why’s of historic inks as well as giving complete instructions from period sources so that you can make your own.

Portrait done for a rifleman of the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, Rifle Coy.

Or those who pass themselves off as same.

Smoke and Fire carries Oak gall ink. Made from walnut hulls. Nice brownish black color.

You can also get pens, quills, a chandlers box, and a proper 18th century journal with laid paper from them as well.

Dick Blick is the Mack Daddy of modern art supplies, but you can also find some good stuff in their massive catalog for 18th century demonstrations. Tons and tons of paper choices including some beautiful French handmade papers. But what really caught my eye was Sinopia’s Historic Pigment Set. From the catalog:

These sets are a superb introduction into the historical world of genuine earth tones, and ancient and contemporary pigments, such as Hansa Yellow, which are no longer being utilized by most major artist paint manufacturers.

At the Sign of the Black Hound is where you can follow my adventures, or lack thereof, during the reenacting season while I ply my trade as a limner at various 18th century venues.