The Early Colours
In September we ran a three day workshop studying and experiencing how colours were sourced and how they were used in Antiquity. It is a subject that is rarely considered and yet is really fascinating. Over the last few years I have been researching into what information there is and learning as much as is possible to know about colours from so long ago. Remarkably some manuscripts and other records have survived the many centuries and that coupled with modern analysis can provide a partial picture as to what some of the colours were made from and where they originated. A couple of remarkable artifacts that have survived are two paint palettes from Egypt dated to around 3,500 years ago. By analysing the colours it gives a wonderful direct insight to what pigments people were using at the time, orpiment, Egyptian blue and carbon black to name a few.
Some of these pigments have been lost to time but some continued to be used through the medieval era and some materials from ancient times as still in use in one form or another today. The aim of the workshop is to provide a learning experience in which to widen perspectives and knowledge of how paintings we achieved in places such as Egypt, Crete and Italy. Through directly experiencing making a preparing media from authentic pigments links are made connecting our contemporary world to the one of thousands of years ago through the medium of colour.
Over the course of the three days participants created their own art supplies inspired by ancient materials. This commenced with sculpting some clay vessels into paint holders based on an archaeological discovery in Sacra Brae on Orkney, a 5000 year old mortar with traces of red paint. Following on from this was the crafting of a paint brush using Wych Em and Birch wood for the handles. Following this everyone made a reed pen, a tool with origins back to Mesopotamia when they were used to create cuneiform clay tablets. Then it was time to introduce the most significant ancient colour of all, red iron oxide. From there the time unfolded into a rainbow spectrum of colour during which people worked onto a wooden board using authentic paints using source material from the ancient world as inspiration. This culminated in a finished piece which could then be taken home alongside all the various materials made over the course of the days.
A thoroughly enjoyable experience all round and a workshop we look forward to offering again next year.
