Workshop: Pigment & Paint Making - Colours inspired by John Ruskin

Join artist and pigment specialist Lucy Mayes for a hands-on exploration of historical colour, inspired by John Ruskin’s 19th-century palette.  

This session introduces participants to the philosophy and materials behind Ruskin’s approach to colour and pigment usage. The session will begin with a brief discussion of Ruskin’s writings on art, nature, and truth to materials, followed by an introduction to historical pigments such as ultramarine (lapis lazuli), red ochre, verdigris, and lead white. 

Participants will learn to grind and wash natural mineral and earth pigments, before using traditional muller and slab tools to bind them with traditional media like gum arabic to create watercolours.  

The session emphasises tactile knowledge, historical context, and the sensory richness of handmade colour. Attendees leave with their own handmade paints and a deeper understanding of how pigments connect the artist to geology, history, and material truth. 

This event is part of the programme of events complementing The Ruskin Collection: Capturing Colour at Millennium Gallery until 30 Nov 2025.