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Alchemy & Heat: Decomposition of Horse Manure
Decomposing horse manure is essential in the alchemical process of digestion. A flask of substances is buried in dung. As if by magic the...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 19, 20245 min read
22 views


Digestion & Horse Manure: Alchemy Process
Digestion is the alchemical process of applying steady heat to a substance in a flask or container. Digestion can last hours or days. The...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 19, 20244 min read
28 views


Acetic Acid Bacteria for Vinegar Artisans: Acetobacter
Acetobacter bacteria are a group of acetic acid bacteria species integral to natural processes such as turning wine to vinegar. Their...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 18, 20244 min read
67 views


Gouache Painting: Artist Essentials & Art Tips
Gouache painting has a unique charm and offers versatility for artists and art appreciators. This unctuous type of paint delivers vibrant...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 17, 20244 min read
15 views


Bright Common Nails: Composition to Corrosion
Bright common nails in hardware are used in construction, woodworking, and various DIY projects from building to pigment making. Bright...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 17, 20243 min read
7 views


Bacteria: Unseen Driving Force Behind All Life
Bacteria are responsible for millions of vital processes hidden from our everyday perception. These single-celled organisms are essential...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 17, 20245 min read
9 views


Secret Life of Rust: Power of Bacteria
Rust hides within itself a secret life, orchestrated by industrious communities of microscopic bacteria with immense power in the process...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 16, 20244 min read
21 views


Xanthan Gum & Plant Blight: Xanthomonas Campestris
In microbiology the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris can be a gift from nature or a scourge of plants. Tiny but mighty, these...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 16, 20244 min read
28 views


Gum Arabic (Acacia Gum) Art, Food & Medicine
Gum arabic, also known as acacia gum, is a natural substance derived from sap of Acacia trees, especially Acacia senegal . This sticky,...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 15, 20244 min read
16 views


Secrets of Xanthan Gum for Artists & Chefs
Xanthan Gum, a versatile ingredient with various applications, is a growing trend in multiple industries. In art and food it's valued as...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 15, 20244 min read
22 views


Make Black Ink or Paint Pigment with Soot
Soot, also loosely called lampblack or carbon black, is traditionally used to make ink, painters' pigment, medicines and makeup. A...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 14, 20243 min read
15 views


Flowers of Sulfur (Brimstone): Creation & Uses
Flowers of sulfur, often termed flowers of brimstone, are crumbly pale yellow powders popular with chemists, botanists, and artisans....

Sylvia Rose
Oct 13, 20243 min read
102 views


Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) Caustic Potash
Potassium Hydroxide, also known as caustic potash, has a history dating back to ancient times. A versatile chemical compound, it's used...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 13, 20244 min read
14 views


Rot & Decay: Process of Organic Putrefaction
Decay is a fundamental aspect of life cycles. An essential and complex process in the natural world, decay involves breakdown of organic...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 13, 20245 min read
8 views


Metal to Rust: Unseen Organisms in Action
Rust, the reddish-brown coating on metals, is formed by exposure to oxygen and moisture. Responsible for this phenomenon are several...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 13, 20243 min read
20 views


Fermentation & Rot: Comparing Processes
Fermentation and rot are natural processes. While they may seem synonymous, a closer look reveals the differences between the two....

Sylvia Rose
Oct 13, 20245 min read
11 views


Tungsten: Elusive Metal of Light, Art & Industry
Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is a rare and versatile metal. In nature, tungsten is found in ore form, combined with other elements....

Sylvia Rose
Oct 12, 20245 min read
41 views


Molybdochalkos: Nigredo Black Lead of Maria
Molybdochalkos is a blend of copper and lead. It's the standard metal used in the kerotakis, an alchemical creation attributed to Maria...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 12, 20242 min read
14 views


Eight Dye Plants & Natural Dyes in History
From vibrant reds extracted from roots to the deep blues synthesized from leaves, plants have abundant natural dyes and also health...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 11, 20246 min read
39 views


Experiments With Rust: Going 4 the Gold
Experimenting with rust. Mmm rust. Amazing how many colors it gives out. I'm trying for an earthy gold and a couple other tones. On the...

Sylvia Rose
Oct 9, 20241 min read
1 view
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