...collect & create your very own ancient paint palette from the foreshore at Staithes...

• spend a day with us on the foreshore learning how to create your own paint palette... from ochre... driftwood... sea slugs...

• from collecting the raw ochre pigments thought to creating your own prehistoric paint...

• learn about the most costly dye ever... tyrian purple...

• collect drift wood to make into charcoal...

• the earth's pigments were one of the first 'paints' used by man...
• iron oxides produce colourful deposits... 
• some wonderful ochre yellows - reds - browns can be found...
• these ochre colours together with carbon black were used in prehistoric cave paints...

• the raw ochre is collected from the cliff between Staithes & Port Mulgrave...
• once at Port Mulgrave the raw ochre is ground  to make a fine powder...
• this powder is then used to make ochre paint...
• a binder is  used together with the ochre powder to make a paste...
• this paste can then be used to create 'art'...