Lost in Colours

Natural pigments, watercolor paints, plant dyes & inks

The Alchemy of Color: How Seasonal Changes Affect Natural Pigments

14th February 2025

“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Introduction Nature is an ever-changing palette, and the pigments we derive from it reflect this dynamism. While synthetic dyes provide consistency, natural pigments are influenced by a host of environmental factors, making each batch unique. One of the most intriguing influences on natural pigments is the change of seasons. From the vibrancy of spring growth to the dormancy of winter, the seasons shape the color potential of plants,…

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Natural Dye Garden Natural pigments, watercolor paints, plant dyes & inks

Grow Your Own Natural Colors: 6 Easy Dye Plants for Beginners

24th January 2025

The new year often brings with it a sense of possibility—a time to explore new ideas and creative pursuits. For me, 2025 began with my first webinar on growing your own colors, an experience that reminded me of the magic in working with nature. Starting a dye garden is an invitation to step into a world of creativity, connection, and discovery. It’s about more than just growing plants—it’s about nurturing the soil, supporting pollinators, and finding joy in the rhythm…

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Natural Dye Garden Natural pigments, watercolor paints, plant dyes & inks

Beyond the Blue: Exploring the Hidden Colors of Japanese Indigo

18th December 2024

Uncover the hidden hues of Japanese Indigo—a blend of science, art, and patience! When we think of Japanese Indigo (Persicaria tinctoria), the first color that comes to mind is its mesmerizing, iconic blue—a hue that has captivated mankind for centuries. However, through research and experimentation, particularly in my attempts to achieve red hues due to the presence of indirubin, I discovered a surprising range of colors, including soft yellows, subtle greys, and purplish tones. In this article, I will share…

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Natural pigments, watercolor paints, plant dyes & inks

Chromatic Herebarium: Exploring Nature’s Color Palette !

3rd November 2024

Explore the art of capturing nature’s colours using plant pigments, an easy and conscious way to interact with the outdoors and create your own colour palette. In the quiet corners of our surroundings lies an untapped treasure trove: nature’s own vibrant palette. Imagine wandering through a lush garden, city parks or along a forest trail, where each leaf, bark, and petal holds its own unique hue, inviting us to pause, discover, and connect with something timeless. I recently rediscovered a…

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Natural pigments, watercolor paints, plant dyes & inks

The Enchantment of Dyeing with Japanese Indigo

9th October 2024

Blue has always been one of my favorite colors, and my first encounter with the magic of indigo took place in the 1990s at a cottage industry exhibition in New Delhi, India. At the time, I didn’t know much about natural colors; all I knew was that the fabric was dyed with vegetable dye—a term that felt foreign to me. But what truly captivated me was the stunning blue of the indigo—it was mesmerizing. Indigo has a fascinating history, woven…

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Natural pigments, watercolor paints, plant dyes & inks Painting & Sketching

How to Paint Loose Watercolor Florals Using Natural Pigments

21st June 2024

A few years ago, I published an article as a guest blog post and almost forgot about it. Recently, I stumbled upon my old article and decided to share it with the creative community of my blog. In this post, I’ll show you how to create beautiful loose watercolor florals using natural pigments, with easy techniques that both beginners and experienced artists can enjoy. I often receive inquiries about incorporating natural colors into artistic endeavors. While natural pigments do have…

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Handmade

The Blue Pigment

11th April 2024

In the realm of blue pigments, both natural and synthetic options offer distinct advantages and appeal to artists, manufacturers, and consumers alike. While natural pigments evoke a sense of tradition and craftsmanship, synthetic alternatives provide reliability and versatility. Ultimately, the choice between natural and synthetic blue pigments depends on individual preferences, artistic requirements, and ethical considerations, highlighting the diverse and dynamic nature of the pigment industry. This blog post compares and contrasts the qualities and allure of natural blues with…

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Handmade Natural pigments, watercolor paints, plant dyes & inks

Extracting Lake Pigments from Safflower Petals

20th March 2024

Safflower is an intriguing botanical specimen for pigment extraction due to its chemical composition and historical significance. From a single plant specimen one can obtain two distinct colors. Over the last two years, I’ve been attempting to cultivate safflower in my natural dye garden, not just to gather the petals for making edible flower salt, but also to extract natural pigments. The first year showed promise as the plants produced gorgeous buds; however, they were scorched by the extreme heat…

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Older Posts

Hello,
I’m Jyotsna, a scientist and a watercolor artist dedicated to sustainability, currently living in the charming city of Graz, Austria. I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to Lost in Colours, where my creative pursuits are deeply rooted in an ongoing exploration to learn, gain understanding, and form a bond with the natural world that surrounds us.

If you’re looking for a way to infuse your artistic pursuits with inspiration and joy, you’ve come to the right place. Get lost in the world of colours with me and discover new ways to make a positive impact through your art!

Outstanding Course

I took Jyotsna's course on making Botanical pigments, and she is the best!

Erin Parsons

Artist

Eco-Pigment Passion

I've always loved earth pigments. ... for anyone who wants to be as green and careful as possible ... that is something that Jyotsna is passionate about

Jane Blundell

Artist

Pigment Adventures

I have done ALL of Jyotsna's courses and they are brilliant. The presentation is really nice and the content has set me off on a kind of obsessive exploration of hunting for colours in nature, making pigments and the excitment of seeing what colours will come (often unexpectedly) from a plant. If you are interested in pigment making then do those courses and then the paint making one as you will then have your own 'materials' ready. Go for it!

Alfi Spencer

Artist

Colorful Inspiration

My first introduction to the world of making my own watercolours was when I stumbled upon Jyotsna's website . And therein I was sucked into her beautiful , natural , organic and colourful world . Needless to say , I spend a lot of time going through her site and gaining from her knowledge . So when she announced an online resource I immediately signed on. It is now very helpful to have lifelong access to her online lessons in basic watercolour making from pigments . Her scientific background adds to making this resource very organised . I find her energy and happiness in doing what she does both contagious and inspiring , and this comes through in her videos. I am sure I will keep returning to her online platforms and also her course material on a very regular basis , as I continue to find and make my own way towards creating my own sustainable watercolours

Mansi Shouche

Sustainable, Comprehensive & Affordable

The courses are absolutely amazing, and I plan to sign up for all of them! The content is very comprehensive and easy to understand. Jyotsna has a PhD in chemistry and not many other people in the world would have her intimate knowledge of the dye and ink-making processes. Her passion for sustainable art making and organic farming is second to none. The price of the courses are also very affordable, and I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is interested in sustainable art practice.

Damian Talbot

Landscape Artist & Medical doctor

Transformative Journey

I just completed Jyotsna’s “Making Lake Botanicals” course and could not be happier with the content. Jyotsna’s instruction is understandable and easy to follow. I feel more confident in moving forward to making my own watercolor paints than ever before. I had a small concern about working through procedures that required using chemicals that could potentially go wrong. Her recipes are well thought out, and she goes step by step, making it easy to take notes and completely grasp the procedure, and that helped to eliminate my concern.

I was not surprised at how much I would like this course, as all of the courses and videos have been so appreciated. Of all the instruction, and instructors, I have followed, Jyotsna is, hands down, my favorite!

Sandra Wicinski