Binders provide a bond between the individual pigment particles and allow adhesion to the painting surface. We distinguish between organic and inorganic binders, as well as water-dilutable and solvent-soluble binders.
… Watercolor
Watercolor is usually bound with gum arabic since the binder can be easily dissolved with water. It is obtained from a North African acacia species. Most pigments can be processed easily with the gum arabic-based watercolor medium (#79260).
… Tempera
The word Tempera comes from the Latin word ”temperare,” which means to moderate, manage, or combine. This might allude to the fact that substances are brought together which usually do not mix easily. Mixing aids or emulsifiers enable the use of resins and oils in water-dilutable paint. The technique does not require the use of a solvent and is still waterproof when dry.
... Acrylic Color
Many acrylic dispersions are suitable binders for pigments. All polymer dispersions are mixtures / emulsions or dispersions of monomers and more or less long polymer chains in water. Kremer Pigmente offers acrylic dispersions and polyurethane dispersions for various applications: Dispersion K 52 (#75075), Primal® WS 24 (#75250), Dispersion K 19 Gloss & Matt (#75305 & #75355), Dispersion K 9 (#75367), Dispersion K 500 (#75600), Acrylic Dispersion 500 D (#75900), Dispersion K 498 (#76000), Dispersion K 360 (#76101), Polyurethane Dispersion PU 52 (#76805), Polyurethane Dispersion 61 PC (#76806).
... Wall Paint
Wall paint and color for applications on solid nonporous painting surfaces often need to fulfill certain adhesion requirements. The paint should bond extremely well with the ground and, when possible, improve the building’s physical properties.
Suitable binders are:
- Cellulose Glues (e.g. Tylose® MH 300 P2 (#63600)
or Klucel® E (#63700)) - Protein-containing glues (e.g. Hide Glue (#63021))
- Casein (#63200)
- Lime (e.g. Lime (#31800)
or Lime Water (#31808))
... Oils
Oil is the binder of choice for age resistant painting. The stability of the oil color is determined by its homogeneity. This is why the pigment needs to be thoroughly worked into the oil until all pigment particles are fully enveloped and a lump-free, stiff paste is achieved. We distinguish between drying and non-drying oils.
Linseed oil: Linseed oil is gained from egg-shaped green or brownish seeds inside the flax fruit. The pure oil is light or dark yellow and turbid and therefore needs tob e filtered before use. (eg. Linseed oil swedish (#73020) or linseed oil varnish (#73100)).
Walnut oil: Walnut oil is less prone to yellow and dries slightly slower than linseed oil. Used on wood, walnut oil helps to preserve the original color (e.g. Walnut Oil, siccativated (#73510) or Walnut Oil, cold-pressed (#73550)).
Poppy oil (#73600): Poppy Oil: The lightest oil of all drying oils.
CAUTION! Poppy oil may re-fluidise in lower layers.
Non-drying oils: E.g. Claw oil (#73640)
Essential oils: E.g. Clove oil (#73700) or lavender oil (#73750). These oils evaporate without leaving residues and do not have any binding power.
Owatrol oil (#79071): Due to extremly low surface tension Owatrol Oil spreads easily in all pores of an object. Once hardened it forms a shield against humidity and corrosion. It also serves as a primer for linseed oil based ceiling coats.
