Search results for 'Red pigments'

Whiting is powdered Calcium Carbonate, which can be mixed with rabbit skin glue to create a chalk-based ground for oil, tempera, distemper or encaustic painting. Traditionally, whiting was an important ingredient when preparing painting surfaces in the north of Europe, as opposed to gypsum (Calcium Sulphate), which was widely used south of the Alps. Learn More

PB29

Ultramarine Blue is an artificial mineral pigment that is produced by heating clay, soda, sulphur and coal to high temperatures. Its name comes from outremer, or over-the-sea, as a reference to the highly-prized Lapis Lazuli pigment which had been imported into Europe from Afghanistan since the Middle Ages. First manufactured in France and Germany in 1828, synthetic Ultramarine provided a brilliant and affordable blue to artists, and it remains one of the most popular blues on artists' palettes today.

It is a transparent pigment, with a high tinting strength and excellent lightfastness. It reacts to alkali, therefore it is not suitable for use in lime-fresco; we do offer a Limeproof Ultramarine Blue for this purpose. It is stable in all other media, although it can be tricky to grind in oil. Instead of creating a thick, buttery paste, it can remain stringy and deteriorate when stored in a tube. To correct this, many commercial paint manufacturers include additives and waxes in their recipes; if you intend on grinding your own paint, you could try replacing 10-15% of your Linseed Oil with Poppy Oil to improve the consistency. Ultramine Blue provides a slow-drying, fairly hard paint film, which can tend towards brittleness.

Toxicity: B/C

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PR106 Vermilion is an artificial pigment based on mercuric sulphide, which occurs naturally as Cinnabar. The synthetic form contains fewer impurities than Cinnabar, and was in use in China as early as the fourth century. It was present in Europe from the ninth century, and was the most widely used red pigment until the introduction of Cadmium Red in the early twentieth century. It has good tinting strength and opacity but, like many red pigments, it dries very slowly in oil media. Larger sizes available on request. Learn More

Shellac is a natural resin that is deposited by the female lac insect on the branches of trees in India and Thailand. It is soluble with alcohol, but not with mineral spirits or turpentine. It forms a tough yet flexible film, with many applications. It is suitable as a top coat for gilding when applied thinly, a sealant for porous surfaces, an isolating layer for tempera paintings, a base for pigmented inks, a protective layer for collograph plates, and a warm varnish for wooden floors and furniture. As it is prone to darkening with age, it is not recommended as a varnish for oils, and its solubility can reduce over time. There are various grades of shellac. When mixed with alcohol, it may initially form a cloudy mixture, due to traces of wax in the shellac, but this should become clear once it has dried. The highest grades of shellac are Clear Dewaxed Shellac, which has been de-coloured using the carbon filtering method, Lemon Shellac, and Orange Shellac, which are pale in colour. Button Shellac is less refined and therefore produces a reddish varnish. It was, in fact, widely used as a red dye before synthetic dyes became available. Learn More

Gum Sandarac, derived from a coniferous tree, is available in powdered or lump form. It can be dissolved in alcohol to create a varnish that is suitable as an isolating layer in oil painting and as a traditional top coat for egg tempera. It forms a brittle layer, so is only suitable for use on a rigid support. Another application is as a surface preparation for calligraphy; the ground gum can be dusted across a piece of prepared vellum or paper to create a resist, which shrinks ink strokes slightly, making them appear finer, with crisp edges. Learn More

Viridian Green is a synthetic inorganic pigment, similar in composition to Chromium Oxide. However, unlike Chromium Oxide, Viridian contains water molecules within its crystal structure, imparting a greater degree of transparency. Sometimes referred to as Verte Eméraude, Viridian was discovered in France in 1838, patented in 1859, and made available in the UK in 1862. It is stable in all media, and offers excellent lightfastness and good tinting strength. It requires a high oil content, and dries slowly to form a hard, fairly flexible paint film.

Toxicity B

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Egyptian Blue is stable in all media, highly transparent, with a weak tinting strength. A synthetically produced calcium copper silicate, it is considered to be the earliest artificial pigment, dating from antiquity and widely used in ancient Egypt. Larger sizes available on request Learn More

NR9

The madder plant was once widely cultivated for the red dye extracted from its roots. Its earliest known use is in ancient Egypt, and there is evidence of its widespread adoption in Europe from the medieval period. Madder Lake, the pigment that is derived from the root, has now largely been replaced by synthetic alizarin pigments, but it is still used as an ingredient in some commercial paints. It provides a very transparent pigment, with a weak tinting strength, which can be used in all lime-free media, although it is very slow-drying in oil. It is fugitive to sunlight, so paintings containing Madder should be stored appropriately, but it remains one of the most lightfast plant-based pigments. 

Larger quantities are available by request.

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PB35

Cerulean Blue is an artificial mineral pigment that is prepared by heating a mixture of Cobalt Chloride and Potassium Stannate. It was first synthesised in the early nineteenth century, becoming more widely used from 1870, when Rowney introduced Coeruleum Blue into their range. It produces a very bright, clear, and unusually opaque blue, hence its name, which is derived from the Latin for "sky-blue", or perhaps "heaven-blue". It has a very low tinting strength meaning that, although it is stable in all media, some artists may choose to bind it in poppy rather than linseed oil, so that the colour isn't affected by the colour of the binder. It creates a fairly flexible paint film, and is a fast-to-medium drying pigment.

Limeproof

Toxicity: B

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Shellac is a natural resin that is deposited by the female lac insect on the branches of trees in India and Thailand. It is soluble with alcohol, but not with mineral spirits or turpentine. It forms a tough yet flexible film, with many applications. It is suitable as a top coat for gilding when applied thinly, a sealant for porous surfaces, an isolating layer for tempera paintings, a base for pigmented inks, a protective layer for collograph plates, and a warm varnish for wooden floors and furniture. As it is prone to darkening with age, it is not recommended as a varnish for oils, and its solubility can reduce over time. There are various grades of shellac. When mixed with alcohol, it may initially form a cloudy mixture, due to traces of wax in the shellac, but this should become clear once it has dried. The highest grades of shellac are Clear Dewaxed Shellac, which has been de-coloured using the carbon filtering method, Lemon Shellac, and Orange Shellac, which are pale in colour. Button Shellac is less refined and therefore produces a reddish varnish. It was, in fact, widely used as a red dye before synthetic dyes became available. Learn More

Alumina Hydrate is an inert pigment with highly absorbent properties, which can be ground into oil paint as an almost colourless extender. It is often used as an additive in commercial oil paints, particularly in conjunction with transparent or lake pigments, as it provides stability and a homogenous consistency without effecting colour or gloss, although it may effect the pigment strength. When combined with linseed oil, it produces an almost transparent painting medium for extending oil colours. Sometimes referred to as Lake Base. Learn More

PG19

Cobalt Green is a synthetic pigment that consists of compounds of cobalt and zinc oxides. It is sometimes referred to as Rinman's Green, after the Swedish chemist who discovered it in the late-18th century. It is a permanent, opaque colour, with a weak tinting strength. It dries quite quickly in oil, requiring a high oil content and  forming a hard, fairly fleixible paint film. Cobalt Green is available in light and dark shades; the colour is determined by the amount of zinc oxide present.

Toxicity: B

Please note, unfortunately we are not able to send this product outside the UK.

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** While stocks last ** Blue Verditer, sometimes referred to as Bremen Blue, is a synthetic form of Azurite, or copper-calcium carbonate. It has a weak tinting strength and is sligtly transparent. It works best in water-based binders, as the acidity of linseed oil can cause discolouration. 

Larger sizes available on request

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PB29

Ultramarine Blue Limewash is an artificial mineral pigment that is produced by heating clay, soda, sulphur and coal to high temperatures. Its name comes from outremer, or over-the-sea, as a reference to the highly-prized Lapis Lazuli pigment which had been imported into Europe from Afghanistan since the Middle Ages. First manufactured in France and Germany in 1828, synthetic Ultramarine provided a brilliant and affordable blue to artists, and it remains one of the most popular blues on artists' palettes today.

It is a transparent pigment, with a high tinting strength and excellent lightfastness. Most Ultramarine colours It react to alkali and are therefore unsuitable for use in lime-fresco; Limeproof Ultramarine Blue remedies this problem. It is stable in all other media, although it can be tricky to grind in oil. Instead of creating a thick, buttery paste, it can remain stringy and deteriorate when stored in a tube. To correct this, many commercial paint manufacturers include additives and waxes in their recipes; if you intend on grinding your own paint, you could try replacing 10-15% of your Linseed Oil with Poppy Oil to improve the consistency. Ultramine Blue provides a slow-drying, fairly hard paint film, which can tend towards brittleness.

Toxicity: B

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Aidan Hart Pigment Set. Nine pigment colours especially selected for L. Cornelissen & Son by Aidan Hart, renowned icon painter, writer and lecturer. Ultramarine Blue, Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre Light, Terre Verte, English Red Light, Ivory Black, Warm Ochre, Red Ochre, Titanium White. Learn More

NR9 Rose Madder is an alizarin lake pigment made by precipitating dye extracted from madder root onto an inert base. It has largely been replaced by synthetic alizarin pigments, but it is still used as an ingredient in some commercially-available paints. It provides a very transparent pigment, with a weak tinting strength, which can be used in all lime-free media, although it is very slow-drying in oil. It is fugitive to sunlight, so paintings containing Madder should be stored appropriately, but it remains one of the most lightfast plant-based pigments. It requires a wetting agent to aid dispersion. Larger quantities are available by request Learn More

Damar is a pale, almost colourless tree resin, which is soluble in turpentine, but not in alcohol or mineral spirits. It can be used as a varnish or as a glossy painting medium in conjunction with vegetable oils, and is generally preferable to other resin-based varnishes, such as mastic varnish, as it retains its colourless appearance for a longer period of time. In encaustic painting, the inclusion of damar resin imparts toughness and gloss to the paint surface. Learn More

Beeswax is derived from melted honeycomb, and is available in two grades. Bleached Beeswax Pellets are white, having been bleached by the sun, and are an appropriate choice for using with pale colours, although they may revert to yellow over time. Natural Beeswax Pellets are yellow in colour, and offer a more flexible structure with a higher resin content. Beeswax has a melting point of 63-66°c, and may turn brown if over-heated. It is the most widely used wax in artists' materials, having a wide range of applications. Please see below for more details.

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Casein is a protein derived from dried milk, which has been used in painting since ancient times. It can be combined with Ammonium Carbonate to form an emulsion, which acts as a durable, non-resoluble binder for pigments, producing a matte, fast-drying paint, similar in appearance to egg tempera. We use casein as a binder for our L. Cornelissen & Son Pigment Colour Charts, as it is a medium that clearly showcases the characteristics and behaviour of each pigment in its pure form. Casein paints can be applied in thin layers to watercolour paper, but would require a more rigid support, such as a gesso panel, to be applied thickly, as the comparative inflexibility of the paint layer means that it can be prone to cracking. Subsequent layers of paint should be more diluted to aid adhesion, and impasto effects are not recommended. It is possible to varnish casein paintings using an acrylic or damar varnish to obtain a glossy surface if desired, although this is not a necessary step. Casein can also be used as an ingredient in gesso, and is a suitable binder for fresco secco techniques.

Some pigments may require a wetting agent in order to fully disperse within the binder, in which case alcohol may be used.

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The perfect introduction to working with pigment, this selection of thirty pigments provides a wide range of colours for the production of paint. Each colour is supplied in a 15ml plastic jar, and the set includes both natural and synthetic colours. Recipes can be found on our homepage, with instructions for making different paints, including watercolour, egg tempera and oil paint. Learn More

Vermilion Imitation Pigment (PR4, PY1, PW21). Organic pigment. Mixture of Studio Red, Hansa Yellow (Azo) and Blanc Fixe. Semi-transparent. Good tinting strength. Good Lightfastness, but prone to fading when mixed strongly with white . Slow drying rate. Requires wetting agent. Suitable for all media. Used since early 20th Century. Toxicity A. Learn More

PR83

Alizarin Crimson is a synthetic organic pigment that became available in 1868. It requires a wetting agent to disperse, and in oil it also absorbs a lot of liquid and dries very slowly to form a hard, brittle paint film. It is chemically identical to madder-root pigments and should be protected against UV light where possible as it can fade when applied onto a white ground, although it is less fugitive than its natural counterpart. Alizarin Crimson is a very transparent pigment, with a high tinting strength and slightly blue undertone.  

Toxicity: A/B

Larger quantities are available by request. 

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Quinacridone Scarlet Pigment (PR209). Organic pigment. Very transparent. High tinting strength. Excellent Lightfastness. High oil absorption with slow drying rate. Requires wetting agent. Suitable for all media. Developed in the 1950's. Toxicity A/B. Learn More

PR233

Potter's Pink is an artificial mineral pigment produced by roasting tin oxide with various other oxides. It was first discovered in the pottery region of Staffordshire in the late-1700s, and in the following century Winsor & Newton introduced Potter's Pink into their watercolour range under the name "pink colour". It went on to become a popular addition to watercolour palettes, offering an opaque, lightfast colour with a weak tinting strength and a medium level of oil absorption.

Toxicity A

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PR108

Cadmium Brown is a shade of Cadmium Red, a synthetic organic pigment that has been in use since the 1920s. It is formed by heating cadmium sulphide and selenium, the hue is determined by the level of calcination and proportion of selenium. It is very opaque, and lightfast, with a high tinting strength. It absorbs a small amount of oil, and dries very slowly to form a hard, flexible paint film.

Larger quantities are available by request.  

Limeproof

Toxicity: C

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PR108

Cadmium Red is a synthetic organic pigment that has been in use since the 1920s. It is formed by heating cadmium sulphide and selenium, the hue is determined by the level of calcination and proportion of selenium. It is very opaque, and lightfast, with a high tinting strength. It absorbs a small amount of oil, and dries very slowly to form a hard, flexible paint film. This shade has been formulated to imitate the bright hue of vermilion.

Larger quantities are available by request.  

Limeproof

Toxicity: C

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Ultramarine Pink Pigment, Toxicity A/B Learn More

Quinacridone Magenta Pigment (PR122). Organic pigment. Very transparent. High tinting strength. Excellent Lightfastness. High oil absorption with slow drying rate. Requires wetting agent. Suitable for all media. Developed in the 1950's. Toxicity A/B. Learn More

Carrageen Moss is a seaweed that is gathered from the Irish coast, whose natural thickening properties are often exploited by the food industry. It is also used as a size in traditional paper marbling, as it allows colours to float and be manipulated on the surface of the water. Learn More