Great American Handmade Pastel - Zanzibar 4, 360.4

Pigment Information

This color contains the following pigments:

PR122-Quinacridone Magenta

PV23-Dioxazine Violet

PW18-Calcium Carbonate

PR210-Naphthol Red Medium

PBr7-Burnt Sienna

Pigment Name

PR122-Quinacridone Magenta

Pigment Type

organic, quinacridone

Chemical Formula

C22H16N2O2

Properties

Quinacridone Magenta is a semi-transparent and powerful bluish red with an impressive mixing range. It makes an excellent glazing color and is one of the bluest of the Quinacridone colors. The pigment's properties vary considerably, depending on how it is ground. Quinacridone pigments have relatively low tinting strength in general. For this reason, quinacridone colors are often expensive, because more pigment is required in the formulation.

Permanence

Quinacridone Magenta offers very good lightfastness in most media, but some have argued that it is less lightfast in watercolor form. Although Quinacridone Magenta received only a passing grade of "fair" under ASTM test protocols, other test results have rated the pigment very good to excellent. Transparent reddish violet pigments in general have more problems with lightfastness than any other range of colors. PR122 is often used as the Magenta of CMYK (four color) process printing because it offers a better tradeoff between tinting strength and lightfastness than other pigments in its class.

Toxicity

Quinacridone Magenta has no acute hazards. Overexposure to quinacridone pigments may cause skin irritation. Quinicridone pigments contain a compound found to be a skin, eye, and respiratory irritant.

History

Quinacridone Magenta came from a red violet aniline dye that was first produced in 1858 by Natanson. It was called Magenta to commemorate a battle in Magenta, Italy. Over time, Magenta became the standard color name for a deep, violet red. Although quinacridone compounds became known in the late 19th century, methods of manufacturing so as to make them practical for use as commercial pigments did not begin until the 1950s. PR122 has become particularly popular in the formulation of Magenta for CMYK process printing.

Pigment Name

PV23-Dioxazine Violet

Pigment Type

organic

Chemical Name

carbazole dioxazine

Chemical Formula

C34H22Cl2N4O2

Properties

Dioxazine Violet is transparent and has very high tinting strength. It is a staining pigment, very dark valued when it is used at full strength. Concentrated, it paints out nearly black, but it mixes with Titanium White to form bright, opaque tints of purple. PV23 produces slightly redder shades than PV37. Because the hue can vary with the conditions of preparation and grinding, it may be offered in red shade, blue shade, and so forth.

Permanence

Dioxazine Violet has good lightfastness. There may be some concern about it fading or shifting in color in tints and washes. Some artists have reported that PV37, a molecular variant, is more lightfast than PV23.

History

Two molecular variants of Dioxazine Violet, PV23 and PV37, are available. They have similar properties, but mix slightly differently.

Pigment Name

PW18-Calcium Carbonate

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

calcium carbonate

Chemical Formula

CaCO3

Properties

Calcium carbonate, the mineral constituent of chalk, is a low tinting strength, inexpensive white pigment that is often used is a buffer and filler. Because of its low tinting strength, it is overwhelmed by other colors. It is used in gesso and other coatings to give the surface more tooth, a desirable characteristic for some painting techniques.

Permanence

Calcium carbonate is lightfast. Like all carbonates, it reacts with strong acids

Toxicity

Calcium carbonate is completely non-toxic, and is used in many food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products. However, excessive consumption is not recommended. 

History

Naturally occuring chalk deposits have been mined since prehistoric times. Rocks and minerals that contain calcium carbonate include aragonite, calcite, vaterite, chalk, limestone. marble, and travertine. Calcium carbonate is the principle component of lime, used in many agricultural and industrial applications.

Pigment Name

PR210-Naphthol Red Medium

Pigment Type

organic, naphthol AS

Properties

Pigment PR210 is a semi-transparent, bluish red pigment.

Permanence

Pigment PR210 has very good lightfastness, but its performance is considered inferior to PR170, another naphthol red.

Toxicity

Naphthol Reds are not considered toxic. They may cause eye, skin, or respiratory irritation. Contact with dry pigment should be avoided.

History

Pigment PR210 is used primarily in inks and waterbased paints.

Pigment Name

PBr7-Burnt Sienna

Pigment Type

earth

Chemical Name

iron oxides

Chemical Formula

Fe2O3

Properties

Burnt Sienna is a warm, mid-brown color formed by burning the yellow-brown limonite clay called Raw Sienna. It ranges from semi-opaque to semi-transparent due to the combination of its opaque, red-brown mass tone and its transparent, orangey undertone. It is an excellent mixing complement for blues and greens and creates salmon or peach colored tints when mixed with white. It can be useful for subduing bright colors and does not get chalky in dark mixtures.

Permanence

Burnt Sienna has good permanence and is considered one of the most versatile of the permanent pigments.

Toxicity

Burnt Sienna has no significant hazards.

History

Burnt Sienna has been used as a pigment since prehistoric times, but its current name came about during the Renaissance. It comes from the city of Siena, in Italy, and is short for terra di Siena, meaning earth of Siena. Sienna was famous for the mining and production of earth pigments from the Renaissance until World War II. Due to the depletion of clay deposits in Tuscany, Italian siennas now come from other areas, including Sicily and Sardinia.