Pigment Suspension Calculator

I. Input Parameters

Pigment Specific Gravity (g/cm³) Target Opacity Index (0–1) Desired Paint Volume (mL)

Gum Arabic Required: — g

Pigment Mass: — g

Binder:Pigment Ratio: —:1

Total Solution Mass: — g

II. Theory of Suspension

The stability of a watercolor paint depends on maintaining a binder concentration sufficient to coat each pigment particle without trapping excess air. Gum arabic solutions at saturation achieve a density of approximately 1.44 g/cm³, providing the viscous matrix necessary for particle levitation.

This calculator applies the Archimedean principle adapted for colloidal systems: the binder mass equals the displaced volume of the pigment multiplied by the density differential between the gum solution and pure water, scaled by the target opacity index.

Ultramarine granulation under magnification—each crystal demands its sheath of gum.

Citations:
Wikidata: Gum Arabic (Q535814) — natural gum from Acacia senegal, CAS 9000-01-5.
Wikidata: Acacia senegal (Q950866) — the tree that yields the binding resin.