Borax Casein Recipe

ingredients by weight:

2 1/2 oz. (80g) Casein

Powder 1. Soak Casein powder in cold water in a covered container
overnight.
9 fl. oz. (apr. 250ml) 2. Dissolve Borax Powder in hot water.
cold water 3. Add Borax Solution to the Casein Solution and stir.
4. Hydrolysis will start right away and must be completed
1 oz. (32g)Crystalline before the next step (wait approx. 2 hours until no more
Borax swelled casein particles can be seen and the yellowish mass is
evenly translucent)
9 fl. oz. (apr. 250ml) 5. Heat the solution in a double boiler until it becomes liquid
hot water (140° F).
6. Once the solution has cooled, it will return to a syrupy
...by volume consistency and is ready to be used as a pigment binder.
7. Important: thin resulting mixture with water in a 1:1 ratio.
The full strength glue is too strong and will crack after
5 Parts of Casein w/ 9 application.
Parts Cold Water

2 Parts Crystalline
Borax w/ 9 Parts Hot
Water

As with all water-based media, the chosen pigment has to be wetted first. This is achieved
by adding small amounts of water to the dry pigment. Then using a palette knife or spatula,
the water is worked into the pigment until it retains a paste consistency. The casein solution
is then added TO the color paste sparingly. The casein to pigment ratio can not be
described in exact proportions. The amount of pigment varies according to desired opacity.
The amount of binder (casein solution) varies according to pigment. Before use, apply
small amounts to a piece of cardboard to make sure that there is a sufficient amount of
binder. If the pigment comes off after a gentle rubbing, add more casein solution. Once
pigment and binder have been combined to desired consistency, the resulting paint can be
thinned with water.

Borax Casein Gesso Recipe

ingredients: 1. Combine Chalk and Pigment.
Casein Glue (see 2. Slowly add mixture to Casein Glue.
above): 9 Parts 3. Mix until smooth.
4. Strain gesso through cheese cloth to ensure that there are no
Chalk (French lumps. (optional)
Chalk): 4 Parts 5. Apply in thin layers to a panel that has been sized with
Casein Glue.
Zinc White (or
Titanium) Pigment: 4
Parts

Applications
Casein Gesso makes an excellent ground to use for any type of paint; it is particularly good
for Casein paints.

Lime Casein Recipe

1. Soak Casein Powder in cold water in a covered container
overnight.
2. Remove excess water from casein by squeezing the soaked
ingredients casein through a cloth.
3. Thoroughly mix Casein and Slaked Lime together in a mortar
and pestle.
40 Grams of Casein 4. To prevent lumps, grind the soaked casein prior to being
Powder added to the lime. (optional)
5. Within a minute the hydrolyzation will be complete.
125cc. Cold Water 6. Immediately following hydrolyzation, dilute mixture with
water to a brushable consistency. The volume of water should
33 grams Slaked not exceed the volume of the casein-lime mixture. This
Lime Putty binder is then ready to use with alkali fast (see fresco
pigments) pigments.