alt Hacker NewsCan anyone tell me how they would have made the paper and the pigments used in the drawings (or would these be called paintings)? Is this water colour? Is it reasonable for me to make my own paper and paints following the same receipts that would have been used to make this book and its contents?
Pigments are a rabbithole that will suck you in and spit you out 10 years later with arcane knowledge about grinding up various gemstones, drying plants and all manner of minerals such as clays and so on. You will also be exceptionally well traveled.
If you're ever in the Netherlands I can recommend a visit to the Zaanse Schans where they have a mill[1] from the days when pigments were ground with windpower. You can see the colors and you'll have a better understanding of why Royal Blue[2] was Royal (because it was incredibly expensive to make a lasting blue pigment).
Fascinating stuff.
[1] https://www.verfmolendekat.com/nl/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramarine