Maya blue pigment is a plant-based pigment used historically for wall cave painting by the Mayans, Romans, and Chinese. This pigment can be used to make many different mediums like paints, watercolors, pulp and plaster mix for a variety of applications for fabric, paper / paper making, and wood depending on the binders used. Pigment binders are explored in Natural Dye Workshop III: Organic Dyes to Pigments: Foundations for the Colors of Europe.

Instructions for how to use Maya Blue Mix

Called a “pre-Columbian nanotechnology,” Maya blue (azul maya) is a unique bright azure pigment famously manufactured by ancient Mesoamericans. Modern day Maya blue is made by mixing indigo powder with absorbent clay and then heating the mixture to reach the desired shade.

Our maya blue kit follows Michel’s simple recipe to make the ancient pigment adaptation: 20 or 40 grams of our maya blue pre-mix, a wooden spoon, and instructions on how to make the pigment firsthand.

Maya blue is explored in Michel Garcia’s DVDs, Natural Dye Workshop II: Colors of Latin America on Wool Fibers Using Sustainable Methods and Natural Dye Workshop III: Organic Dyes to Pigments: Foundations for the Colors of Europe.