Pigments

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595824465393416133.post-48038353950731789952008-06-24T11:05:00.000-07:002008-06-24T11:53:05.881-07:00Pigments "They'll sell you thousands of greens. Veronese green and emerald green and cadmium green and any sort of green you like; but that particular green, never." ~Pablo Picasso~ Enter any reputable art store, go to the paint tube rack and you instantly face a dilemma. What colour do I need? What colour should I choose? And where do all the colours come from? Without getting into too much detail the "colours" are made from pigments from a variety of sources. Here is a very basic explanation of the differences: Inorganic pigments: These pigments are coloured insoluble minerals. They are considered very durable for most painting applications. <ul><li>Natural Metallic Mineral colours: These pigments contain iron and other metals that can be blended or heated or chemically treated to create different hues. There is a very wide selection of colours to choose from these sources.</li><li>Natural Earth colours: These too are made from some very basic minerals or ores, of which some may have been altered as well through such things as heating or chemicals to produce different hues. They tend to be a little dull in finish and more often than not a little transparent.</li><li>Synthetic mineral pigments: These are duplicates of naturally based mineral pigments that have been reproduced in a laboratory.</li></ul> Organic Pigments: These pigments come from non-mineral sources. <ul><li>Synthetic Organic Pigments: These are duplicates of naturally based organic pigments that have been reproduced in a laboratory.</li><li>Plant derived pigments: The title says it all. Some pigments are made from plant and vegetable sources. They tend to be very unstable and not as durable.</li><li>Animal derived pigments: These pigments are made from extracting pigments from animal remains. Colours like Bone Black (made from charred bones), Carmine (made from the dead body of an insect) Sepia (made from the ink of squids) just to give you some examples. These pigments tend to be very unstable and not as durable. Because some of these practices have now been banned and the colours have been replaced by synthetic pigments.</li></ul>Once again knowing what you are working with is key. Making art should never be a haphazard assemblage of materials you don't understand, especially if you are serious about your art. The longevity of your work and it's stability are very important, more so that many other artists will tell you.Bodhihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02983725800744466360noreply@blogger.com