Custom paint mixes never match on the first try

I've been getting paint from the same place for years, but lately every mix is a bit off. It adds so much time to each job when I have to tweak it myself. Is this just a problem with modern pigments or what?

4 comments

4 Comments

juliaprice2mo ago

Honestly, maybe humidity's messing with the base before it even gets mixed.

smith.elliot1mo ago

My glaze went totally grainy last August in that swampy heat, like it absorbed water straight from the air. I keep my dry ingredients sealed with those silica packets now, which helps a lot.

xena3161mo ago

Saw a potter's blog post last year that talked about this exact problem! They said some glaze materials, like gerstley borate, suck up moisture like crazy. Even with silica packets, if the container isn't totally airtight, you can still get grainy glaze. The blogger recommended double-bagging with heavy-duty zip locks and adding extra desiccant. I tried that with my own supplies and it made a huge difference. Humidity is a real beast for potters!

dereks111mo ago

Could be the container itself letting moisture in over time. Those plastic buckets can actually breathe a tiny bit. Swapping to glass jars with rubber seals fixed it for my worst offenders.