- 1). Spoon a small amount of metallic pigment onto a clean, flat surface, such as a pane of glass or enamel butcher's tray. Work carefully, since pigment can easily become airborne.
- 2). Use a palette knife to create a small crater or pit in the middle of the pile of pigment. Use an eye dropper or bottle to pour a small amount of water into this crater. Start with just a little. You can always add more water, but you can't take it away.
- 3). Create the pigment paste. Use the palette knife to fold the pigment into the water. Press gently to break up lumps. Fold the pigment and water together until you have created a smooth paste, about the consistency of cake frosting. You may wish to use a glass muller to disperse difficult pigments.
- 4). Add the binder. Choose a water based binder, such as acrylic medium, gum arabic (for watercolor) or even the yolk of an egg (for egg tempera). Combine equal parts of the binder with the gold pigment paste. Gold paint will be brighter in media that are completely transparent, such as acrylic, and dimmer in media like egg.
- 5). Adjust paint consistency. Add a few drops more water or medium until the paint is at your preferred consistency. Use it right away, like bottled paint, or scrape your gold paint into an air tight jar for later use.
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