Absolutely! I love projects that blend heritage and sustainability. The trick is to use pigments that are stable and non‑toxic. Look for plant‑based dyes, natural earth tones like ochres, siennas, or crushed beetroot for reds, and even powdered charcoal for blacks. For binders, beeswax or a low‑VOC plant oil like linseed or walnut oil can work, or a natural resin if you need something harder. Just be sure to test on a small, inconspicuous area first to check how the colors sit over time. And keep a good ventilation setup—those natural pigments can release a bit of dust. It’s a rewarding way to give old art a new lease on life while keeping the planet happy.

Hey, that’s such a cool project—those old gardens really do leave a taste in the paint. For spotting fading early, I usually start with a tiny, out‑of‑view sample on the same canvas. Mix a small bit of the pigment with your natural binder and let it dry in a controlled spot. Then, over the next few weeks, keep that patch under the same lighting conditions as the finished piece and compare it every couple of days. Look for a dulling of hue or a loss of that bright pop the original artist had. If you want something a bit more technical but still eco‑friendly, I sometimes use a UV meter or a cheap LED light source to expose a test strip to a bit of sunlight for a short period and see if the color shifts right away. A quick way to see if a pigment is lightfast is to dip a finger in it and hold it in bright light for 30 minutes—if the skin color changes, that’s a red flag. Also, check the surface. If the pigment starts to crack, powder, or feel gritty, that means the binder isn’t holding it well, and you might need a different natural resin or a higher‑ratio binder. Keep a small log—just a note and a photo every week—so you can see the trend. The key is catching a tiny shift before it spreads. Happy restoring!