Artroot!

What to do when no paint at hand? Paint with what you have. Or find in the kitchen. In this case: beetroot!

I always find it slightly irritating when people ask what was used, to get exactly the same paints, paper, pens and brushes as the artist they admire and think their art will improve...

Here's my opinion: To your art and creativity itself it matters not. Yes, of course I do love a decent set of paints and fancy materials myself, but sometimes they are just far out of reach. The other day I saw a beautiful set of pastels, priced higher than what I earn on average in three months. I'm sure they are wonderful and such, but what I'm saying is: it's not necessary. It is what *you* make of *what* you have available. I used to use cheap supermarket paints for years, which didn't stop me producing some decent work with them. And to be creative, more expensive materials are often not helpful at all; one doesn't want to 'waste' them - as they did cost so much - and therefore not use them at all. My personal example are all those beautiful, but expensive sketchbooks I own ...and then use paper scraps and napkins to sketch down ideas.

The wonderful vibrant pink is the juice left from cooking beets, not the raw juice! I have not tried using raw beetroot juice, but I suspect it will get brown very quickly. That's what it does when I spill it on the table cloth by accident, anyway. Of course, I am not sure how they will stand the test of time, but for now those colours look beautiful and vibrant.