Coloring and drawing with milk paint

Did you know that milk can be used to make paint to paint objects and even surfaces? As incredible as it may seem, it is an ecological technique from ancient Egypt widely used in environments that have a low humidity rate.

If you are curious about this technique, although you can buy milk paint in specialized stores, the truth is that you can also prepare it comfortably at home.

Materials to make milk paint

If, before opting for commercial milk paint, you prefer to try making your own milk paint mixture because you love crafts, then you can't miss the following list where we have written down everything you will need.

• Firstly, you will need about 4 and a half liters of fresh skimmed milk with which to prepare the rennet at room temperature. To solidify the milk you can heat the milk over low heat for 5 minutes.
• You will also need two cups of white vinegar or lemon juice.
• About 3 or 4 cups of acrylic paint or plaster.
• About 200 grams of powder pigments.
• A mask to protect ourselves while we work with the paint.
• Enough hot water to achieve a creamy texture in the mixture, which should resemble yogurt.
• To increase the brightness of the milk paint color you will have to gather linseed oil although it is optional.
• As a final step, some wax lacquer for an extra layer of paint protection.

Steps to make milk paint step by step

Let's see, below, how you can create your own milk paint at home.

• First of all, to make homemade milk paint you will have to mix hot skimmed milk with vinegar or lemon juice. Then you will have to let the mixture rest in a dry, protected and warm place for a minimum of 12 hours.
• Next you will see how the rennet is separated from the most liquid part of the milk. Don't worry, you can strain it using a tool such as a strainer.
• Then add a splash of hot water to the rennet to give the mixture a creamy texture.
• The next step is to add acrylic paint or gesso as well as powdered pigments to give color to the painting. Do this step little by little because both the plaster and the pigments tend to create lumps if they are mixed one at a time. Remember to mix slowly and with constant movement so that it is well integrated.
• Finally, allow the mixture to rest for a couple of hours. And ready! You would have already finished your homemade milk paint.

How to apply milk paint?

Depending on whether you want the grain to be seen or not, you have several ways to apply the milk paint. Below we are going to give you some tricks to be able to apply correctly and get the most out of milk paint, whether homemade or purchased.

Prepare the surface

Milk paint is a paint designed to paint on untreated wood. If the wood is varnished or painted, you will first have to remove the layers of that product so that the milk paint can grip better. If the wood is untreated, you will have to sand it to open the pore of the wood and thus improve its absorption and adhesion.

With this step you will ensure that the color is a homogeneous layer and you will not have variations in tone that lead to stains.

Whether or not to leave the grain visible?

Depending on whether you want the milk paint to cover more or less of the wood, you will have to apply more powder paint so that it covers more or add more water or milk to the mixture so that the grain can be seen more.

Make a stripper with milk paint

If you want to create a stripping with milk paint, the first thing you will have to do is give the wood a coat of pine-colored stain to highlight the grain. When it is dry you can apply the grout paint and with sandpaper you can remove part of the paint so that it shows the tone of the layer below.

A finish with milk paint

In order to protect the work or craft you have done with milk paint, a good idea is to use colorless wax. The wax can change the color of the milk paint a little but this is not a problem because if you want to modify it you can use dyed waxes and gradually reduce it with the help of a cloth until you achieve the desired result.

How to paint a box with milk paint?

• Once you have prepared the milk paint, take some sandpaper to file the surface of the wood and thus prepare the box. Sand superficially with the fine sanding block in favor of the grain of the wood because even if the wood is natural, it is advisable to do it this way for homogeneous adhesion.
• Next, remove the dust and take a fine damp cloth to wipe it over the surface of the box so that the paint flows through the natural wood.
• Next, place masking tape on the box to outline the areas you would like to cover with the milk paint.
• Then, apply several layers of paint over the layer until you achieve the density you want and let it come off.
• Once the paint is dry, remove the masking tapes and reapply them in the areas where you want to apply more layers of milk paint.
• If you want to add a decorative design, use a template of the model you want. For example, use the stencil technique, which consists of applying small touches on the perimeter to mark the drawing well while being able to give different tones and opacities with milk paint.
• After carefully removing the stencil, let the milk paint dry for a few hours and then fix the box with wax to give the whole a very beautiful satin finish and also great protection.