Schmincke Horadam Aquarell Artist Watercolor - Deep Sea Violet, Supergranulation, Half Pan

Pigment Information

This color contains the following pigments:

PB29-Ultramarine [Blue]

PBr33-Zinc Iron Chromite Brown

Pigment Name

PB29-Ultramarine [Blue]

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

complex silicate of sodium and aluminum with sulfur

Chemical Formula

Na8-10Al6Si6O24S2-4 or Na6-8Al6Si6O24S2-4

Properties

Ultramarine is the standard warm blue, a brilliant blue pigment that has the most purple and least green in its undertone. It has a moderate to high tinting strength and a beautiful transparency. Synthetic Ultramarine is not as vivid a blue as natural Ultramarine. Ultramarine dries slowly in oil and tends to produce clean, though granular, washes in watercolor. French Ultramarine mixes well with Alizarin colors in oil and watercolor form to create a range of purples and violets. It can dull when mixed with white in acrylic form, but mixes well with other colors. The shade varies based on manufacturer. Considered a great color for glazes, it is not suitable for frescoing.

Permanence

Ultramarine has excellent permanence, although synthetic Ultramarine is not as permanent as natural Ultramarine. It may discolor if exposed to acid because of its sulfuric content.

Toxicity

Ultramarine has no significant hazards.

History

The name for this pigment comes from the Middle Latin ultra, meaning beyond, and mare, meaning sea, because it was imported from Asia to Europe by sea. It is a prominent component of lapis lazuli and was used on Asian temples starting in the 6th century. It was one of the most expensive pigments in 16th century Europe, worth twice its weight in gold, and so was used sparingly and when commissions were larger. Ultramarine is currently imitated by a process invented in France in 1826 by Jean Baptiste Guimet, making blue affordable to artists and extending the range of colors on their palettes.

Pigment Name

PBr33-Zinc Iron Chromite Brown

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

zinc-iron-chromite spinel

Chemical Formula

ZnO + Fe203 + Cr2O3

Properties

Zinc Iron Chromite Brown is a dark reddish brown pigment that is opaque and staining.

Permanence

Zinc Iron Chromite Brown is exceptionally lightfast, heat resistant, weather resistant, and durable.

Toxicity

Zinc Iron Chromite Brown has not been identified as hazardous, but it is likely to contain impurities that are irritating to the skin or lungs. Pigment from natural ores may contain traces of heavy metals.

History

Because of its exceptional durability and heat resistance, Zinc Iron Chromite is used as a brown pigment in ceramics.