Kathy-- For paste paper I use rice flour paste colored with acrylic paints. The acrylic paints have stable pigments, discourage the growth of bacteria so that the colored paste keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator, and make the surface of the finished paste paper slightly water resistant so that there is only minimal rubbing off of the color onto hands and tools when the paste paper is moistened by glue or paste during the construction of books or boxes.