Pigments Gums & Resins

Terre Verte, sometimes known as Green Earth, is a natural earth pigment derived from clay coloured by iron silicate. As with other natural pigments, impurities can prevent it from fully dispersing in an acrylic binder, although it is a popular pigment in all other mediums. It has been in use since antiquity, providing excellent lightfastness and great transparency, with a low tinting strength. It requires a high volume of oil, and dries slowly to create a soft, flexible paint film. When calcined, Terre Verte becomes Burnt Green Earth.
Toxicity B Learn More

PB27, PW22

Antwerp Blue is derived from Prussian Blue. It is a less intense colour, as it is contains Blanc Fixe to lower the tinting strength. 

Toxicity A/B

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

PB28

Cobalt Blue is an artificial mineral pigment, produced by the calcination of cobalt oxide and aluminium oxide. It has been widely used since the early 1800s, following its discovery by the French chemist Thenard at the beginning of the century. The name Cobalt has its roots in the German word Kobold, meaning imp or evil spirit. German miners named it to in the late-Middle Ages, as the presence of cobalt ore in the mines made the extraction of silver more difficult. They were possibly also aware of the toxic properties of the mineral that was frustrating their efforts.

Cobalt remains a very popular colour today, and is present in most ranges of paints, being a semi-transparent pigment that is stable in all media. As a watercolour, all cobalt pigments tend to granulate. As an oil paint, it requires less oil content than most other pigments, and dries quite quickly. Like Cerulean Blue, some artists may choose to bind it with poppy oil, to avoid any possible colour changes brought about by the yellowish cast of linseed oil and the pigment's weak tinting strength.

Limeproof

Toxicity: C

NB1

Genuine Indigo is a natural vegetable pigment derived from the Indigofera Tinctoria plant, which was first imported into Europe from India in the seventeenth century. It replaced woad, which had been grown natively in Europe for its blue dye. The leaves are soaked in water to ferment; upon drying, an oxidised residue forms on the dry leaves, which is removed, washed, boiled in water, and then dried to form cakes of pigment or dye.

Indigo is very transparent, with a good tinting strength. It requires a wetting agent to disperse, and in oil it dries very slowly. It is fugitive to light; this drawback means that it is no longer commonly available in commercial paints. It fell out of general use at the beginning of the seventeenth century, largely replaced by Prussian Blue, and synthetic Indigo was patented in the 1890s. However, it provides a subtle shade of blue that is still desirable in works that are going to be protected from light.

Toxicity: B

PB33

Manganese Blue is an articficial mineral pigment, that is prepared by heating sodium sulphate, potassium permanganate and barium nitrate to 750-800 degrees Celcius. It has been produed as a pigment and as a colourant for cement since the 1930s, and is notable for its quick drying time in oils, its high transparency, and its bright, slightly greenish colour. Its weak tinting strength can cause it to be overwhelmed in mixtures, and it has a tendency to granulate as a watercolour. It is no longer used in commercial paints, but many manufacturers offer a Manganese Blue Hue, which is typically based upon Phthalocyanine Blue.   

Production of this pigment has now ceased, due to environmental and health concerns, therefore it is only available while stocks last.

Toxicity: C

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

PB15:3

Phthalo (Mona) Blue is a synthetic organic pigment, Copper Phthalocyanine, that has been in use since the 1930s. It has an extremely high tinting strength and is a staining colour, so cannot successfully be lifted in watercolour. It requires a wetting agent to fully disperse into a medium, and, when used at full strength, a copper sheen is visible in dried paint film. It is transparent, very lightfast, and has a medium-to-slow drying rate in oil.

Toxicity: C

While stocks last

PB27

Prussian Blue is a synthetic organic pigment that was discovered by the paint maker Diesbach, apparently by accident, in Germany in the early eighteenth century. For many years, it was used not only as a colour in its own right, but also as a component of the original Hooker's Green. The other ingredient, gamboge, is highly fugitive, which is why many watercolours painted with Hooker's green have taken on a bluish tone with with age.  

It is a very transparent and heavily staining colour. It dries quite quickly in oil, and can therefore wrinkly if applied too quickly. It is suitable for use in oils, watercolour, and egg tempera. However, it shouldn't be used in conjunction with alkali substances, such as Lead White or Calcium Carbonate as it can turn brown, so it isn't suitable for fresco. For the same reason, it isn't used with acrylic resin binders due to their alkaline nature, so most paint manufacturers will replace Prussian Blue with a mixture of Phthalo Blue and black in their acrylic ranges. It requires a wetting agent to fully disperse into a binder.

Toxicity: B

PB29

Ultramarine Blue Dark 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

PB29

Ultramarine Blue Light 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

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

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

Cobalt Violet Dark Pigment (PV14). Synthetic inorganic pigment. Semi-transparent. High tinting strength. Excellent Lightfastness. Low oil absorption with fast drying rate. All media including ceramics. Used since late 19th Century.

Limeproof

Toxicity: C

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

Cobalt Violet Light Pigment (PV14). Synthetic inorganic pigment. Semi-opaque. Weak tinting strength. Excellent Lightfastness. Fast drying rate. Good for oil and watercolour but not acrylic as pigment 'settles out'. Used since early 1900's. This colour cannot be matched through mixing other colours.

Limeproof

Toxicity: C

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

PV16

Manganese Violet is a synthetic organic pigment, discovered in Germany in 1868 and formed by combining manganese chloride, phosphoric acid and ammonium carbonate. It is very lightfast, but sensitive to alkalis and oils. It is semi-opaque and fast-drying, with a low tinting strength and low absorption of oil. 

Toxicity: C

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

PV15

Ultramarine Violet is a synthetic organic pigment that is produced by heating Ultramarine Blue with Ammonium Chloride, causing the removal of some of the sodium and sulphur and thus a change in colour. It is lightfast and semi-transparent, with a weak tinting strength. In oils, it dries quite slowly, forming a hard, flexible film.

Toxicity: B

PBk10

Graphite powder is an allotropic form of pure carbon, ground to 200 mesh. It is transparent and lightfast, with a slight sheen. It can be applied directly onto a paper support.

Larger quantities are available by request. This variety of graphite is a naturally occurring material sourced from Sri Lanka.

Toxicity: A/B

Ivory Black is a natural pigment of impure carbon, derived from charred animal bones. It is semi-transparent, very lightfast, and offers good tinting strength. It is a particularly slow-drying pigment, which forms a soft, rather brittle paint film in oil.

Compared to other blacks, such as Vine Black, Ivory Black possesses warmer, brownish undertones. It should not be used at full-strength in an underpainting, as subsequent layers are likely to crack. Otherwise, it is a very useful all-purpose black for many types of paint, excluding mortar, fresco or cement.

Toxicity: B

PBk 6

Lamp Black is an inorganic, synthetic, pure carbon pigment. Originally made from soot collected from oil lamps and fireplaces, its modern equivalent is derived from partly combusted mineral and vegetable oil. It is a cool, transparent, bluish black, with a good tinting strength, and stable in all media. It requires a wetting agent, and in oil it has a very high absorption drying very slowly.

Larger quantities are available by request. 

PBk11

Mars Black is an artificial mineral pigment composed of hydrated ferric oxides. Like other Mars colours, it provides a very opaque, permanent colour, which is stable in all media. It has an average drying time in oil, forming a hard, fairly flexible film, making it more suitable for impasto application than carbon-based black pigments, which tend to be brittle. It also wets more easily than other black pigments, and possesses a warm, brownish undertone.

Toxicity: B

Limeproof

Larger quantities are available by request. 

Spinel Black, sometimes known as Manganese Ferrite Black, is a synthetic mixed-metal oxide pigment. It provides a deep, cool, transparent black, which dries quickly in oil.

Toxicity: C

PBk8

Vine Black is derived from charred vines, forming an organic pigment of pure carbon. It has been in use since antiquity, providing a cold black with bluish undertones, which creates a blue-grey when mixed with white. It is a very lightfast, slow-drying colour with a medium tinting strength. It requires a wetting agent to disperse properly, and is not suitable for use in fresco, mortar or cement, as the water-soluble impurities within the pigment can create efflorescence. 

Toxicity: A

PBk7

Carbon Black is an inorganic synthetic pigment, created by burning natural gases to form an almost pure carbon. It is semi-transparent, and in oil dries very slowly to a soft, brittle paint film. It requires a wetting agent, and can show in streaks, even when mixed with other colours. 

Larger quantities are available by request. 

PW1

Flake White Pigment, sometimes referred to as Lead White or Cremnitz White, is an artificial mineral pigment, lead carbonate. It is no longer available as a paint, due to its extreme toxicity. For this reason, great care must be taken when handling the dry pigment.

It is not usuable in water-based media, but works well in oils. It creates a flexible paint film that dries quickly. Although opaque, small quantities do not dominate mixtures, and can help slow-drying pigments to dry. For this reason, it has been a popular mixing white historically; in fact, until the mid-19th century, Flake White was the only white pigment available to artists. Although varnishing is generally considered optional for oil paintings, it is recommended for works containing Flake White, as contact with sulphur in the atmosphere can cause it to blacken. It creates a warm white, which can yellow over time when mixed with linseed oil.

Toxicity: D

Permitted uses: Restoration of art works and protected buildings when alternatives unsuitable.