how can you formulate paint in the laboratory?

Answer 1

Yes, it is a complex mixture of solvents/thinners, dyes, resins (depending on what type of coating you desire (epoxy resin), raw materials (once again depending on the coating application).

A simple paint recipe that can used in a smaller laboratory set-up is:

Materials Needed:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups cold water
2 cups boiling water
Food Coloring

Instructions:
Mix the 2 cups of flour with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the 2 1/2 cups of cold water; stir until smooth. Gradually add this mixture to the 2 cups of boiling water. Boil until the mixture becomes smooth and thick. Add the food coloring until you get the desired color.

Answer 2

Household paint is actually a quite complex balance of dyes, solids and solvents that have been optimised by companies. Making a good quality paint would be difficult to do in a simple lab if you did not have the correct precursors

Answer 3

yes