Petal Alchemy
- Claire Hankey
- May 8
- 2 min read
Painting with the Essence of Marigold
There’s a quiet kind of magic in working with colour drawn from plants. When I began painting with powdered marigold extract, purchased from the brilliant Botanical Inks. I wasn’t just adding a new pigment to my palette. I was entering a slower, more intentional rhythm of making. One rooted in the natural world.
A Flower with History
The marigold (Tagetes) has long held symbolic significance across cultures. Associated with celebration, remembrance, and devotion, it’s often seen in altars, garlands, and rituals around the world. But beyond its vibrant beauty and spiritual resonance, marigold offers something else: a natural source of colour that translates beautifully into art.
Painting with Powdered Marigold
Rather than extracting the pigment from fresh petals, I’ve been working with powdered marigold extract, which allows for a more immediate and controlled process. Botanical Inks, who specialise in natural pigments—offer a beautifully rich, sun-drenched marigold that can be mixed with water to create washes, glazes, or delicate line work.
Once rehydrated, the extract yields warm golden hues, ranging from pale yellow to a soft ochre depending on dilution. It flows gently on the page and has a natural softness that synthetic paints can’t quite match. The effect is subtle, organic, and quietly luminous.
A Material That Invites Slowness
One of the things I love most about working with plant-based pigments is the way they encourage attentiveness. You notice things differently, the way the pigment settles into paper fibres, how it layers, how it shifts as it dries. The experience is tactile and responsive.
The marigold extract in particular feels meditative to work with. It's warmth isn’t harsh or insistent—it’s soothing, earthy, and quietly radiant.
Not Just a Colour, but a Connection
Painting with marigold extract isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about connection. With the natural world, with traditional ways of making, and with a slower pace of creativity. There’s an honesty in using pigments that come directly from plants, processed by hand or in small batches. You feel a different kind of care embedded in the medium.
In one of my recent untitled works, the marigold extract became the starting point for a contemplative study in tone and texture. The painting isn’t loud, it invites you to lean in, to notice the delicate warmth that emerges from layered washes. It’s a quiet celebration of the plant’s presence and power.
Working with Powdered Marigold Extract:
I use Botanical Inks' marigold extract—a finely ground, plant-based powder.
A small amount mixed with warm water creates a beautiful golden pigment.
The colour can be intensified or softened depending on dilution and layering.
Best applied on cotton-based or handmade papers to absorb the pigment.
Works well alone or in combination with other natural extracts for richer depth. I've tried mixing it with Mulberry extract which creates an intense red/orange tone.
Using marigold in this way feels like a kind of alchemy—transforming the memory of a flower into a living part of the artwork. It’s a way of honouring the plant not just as subject, but as collaborator. And for me, that changes everything.
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