#makingcolors

Ochre, coming from the Greek. Ôkhros, meaning (light) yellow. Which is confusing since this earth pigment can come in many hues. From yellow to reds and browns to blue-ish greys. Ochres are earth pigments, mostly iron oxide and sometimes named after their place of origin (for example Siennas and Umbers). The composition of the earth as well as the way it’s treated, decides its color. Where an impure form of iron oxide, limonite, makes a yellow ochre, a red ochre is mostly hematite, a anhydrous iron oxide. Add manganese to it and, like an umber, you’ll get something more greenish. But any form of ochre can be changed in colors by heating them. Know as burnt versions of these pigments. Making them orange to red and even brown hues, with the same pigment as it’s base. Ochre pigments are known to have been used as far as 250.000 years ago in cave paintings all around the globe. As one of the most stable pigments, yellow ochre can still be found everywhere if you look closely. This is why the artist Ingres called it; “a gift from the heavens”. This video shows Yellow Ochre JTCLES, PY43. The letters stand for, the quality, the processing of the earth and the kind of ochre; J= yellow C= lemon undertone F= dark R= red ES= Top quality L= sedimented T= extra sedimented This natural French yellow ochre can be found in my mixing palette and my Egyptian palette. After testing a lot of yellow ochres, I find this one to be the kind that gives me everything I’m looking for in a yellow ochre. It’s earthy, still enough bright yellow shines through, it’s slightly granulating l, lifting and can be used quite transparent. @kremerpigmente #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #art #paint #history #historic #color #py43 #earth #ochre #yellow #cavepainting #lightfast #lovelycolors #unique #artisanal #modern #watercolorpainting #gumarabic #artisan #watercolorlove #watercolorpalette #aquarelle #pigment @pigmentsrevealed_international (bij Dirty Blue) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfLQ08-NE7d/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

This beautiful pigment I’m working with today is Pyrrole Orange PO73. It’s a DPP pigment from @kremerpigmente , which stands for di-keto-pyrollo-pyrrol. It’s more opaque than other organic pigments but can still be used for beautiful washes in watercolor. 

The Pyrrole pigments are great and non toxic alternatives for the lead molybdate and cadmiums with in the red/orange pigment options. From the Kremer website: ‘’Because of growing concern about possible health hazards related to the use of cadmium pigments in the coatings industry, chemical companies have long sought after a possible organic substitute.’’

This PO73 is a great solution for those concerns. It’s the most chromatic pigment currently known. Chroma means how much color (or wavelengths) it reflects. It’s not an orange pigment with the highest value, or what we would consider as a ‘’brighter’’ orange. For me, I’d like Benzimidazolone PO62 for that. Which is more towards the yellow side of the spectrum, whereas PO73 is more of a scarlet-orange, leaning towards the red side of the spectrum. This is also visible in it’s spectral reflectance curve which I make in the video post of this color. Hue wise, is very close to PO43, Perinone Orange, which is just a little less chromatic and less lightfast. #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #art #paint #orange #artistquality #color #po73 #warm #pyrroleorange #deep #singlepigment #lightfast #pyrrol #beautiful #artisan #etsy #kalligrafie #gumarabic #honey #watercolorlove #watercolorpalette #wasserfarben #pigment #aquarelle (bij Dirty Blue) https://www.instagram.com/p/CicXPsJLQ4Q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

This rare and extinct (discontinued) pigment is part of my Extinct Pigment Project. It’s a natural looking warm green, with average poor lightfastness. As a single pigment, Sap Green, or Nitroso Green PG8, a Synthetic Organic Azo, is quite a unique color in it’s properties. It’s comparable to Phthalo Green Yellow shade but darker, more towards a black in mass tone. It has quite a large drying shift, meaning it loses chroma when it dries on paper. The name Sap Green originally comes from the lake pigment made from unripe buckthorn berries. In medieval times, the pigment wasn’t sold as a dry powder but are a syrup-like substance, made from evaporated sap, that was sold and kept in animal bladders. The process of making this was written down by Cennino Cennini, known for his book, Il Libro Dell’Arte. The color however, faded very easily and was later replaced by either similar substitute single pigments, like this, or a mix of Prussian Blue and still-de-grain, the latter was eventually replaced by Gamboge by mister Hooker, a mix now better known as Hooker’s Green. This Sap Green (and many of it’s name relatives) is a beloved color for landscapes and anything in nature. It mixes beautifully natural greens when combines with earth colors. #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #mineral #paint #artistquality #extinctpigment #color #hookersgreen #bright #pg8 #sapgreen #green #singlepigment #rare #beautiful #artisan #light #watercolorpainting #gumarabic #colorful #watercolorlove #watercolorpalette #natural #pigment (bij Dirty Blue) https://www.instagram.com/p/CicLPZeLYo3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Did you know that you can make certain watercolor paint look like real shiny metal? 

This technique is called burnishing and it’s used during the proces of gilding (with gold leaf) and also used as a finishing or blending technique with colored pencils. But it’s also done with woodwork and leather. 

Burnishing with watercolors can only be done with paints that contain actual metal shimmers. So mica won’t give you the desired effect. In this demo I use a metal gold pigment. The main metal in this is aluminium. The tool I use for this is an agate burnisher.

As you can see, where the paint first starts as a ‘’regular’’ shimmer, it changes its appearance when burnished. The paper loses its texture so be careful with that. However, your paint, where burnished, will look as shiny as a polished piece of metal! 

The more pigment particles are on the paper, the better the result. I put on quite one thick first layer but layering thin layers on top of each other will help even better to get a good coat of pigments before you start the burnishing process. Since the texture will be lost and will have some influence on the result, hot pressed watercolor paper would be ideal. #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #zenexo #paint #calligraphy #shiny #color #metalic #aluminium #technique #shimmer #goldenwhite #lightfast #lovelycolors #unique #artisanal #modern #watercolorpainting #burnishing #artisan #watercolorlove #watercolorpalette #aquarelle #pigment (bij Dirty Blue) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiCqoMfLJLc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

From a very old, antique bottle of Vermilion, PR106. It’s a synthetic version of the natural occurring cinnabar. Its main components are mercury and sulphur. It’s one of the best known and oldest red synthetic pigments, dating back to the 8th century in China. The first use of the natural version, cinnabar, dates back to 8000-7000 BC! It’s known to have been mined in Spain in 5300 BC and documented sources tell the Chinese used it as early as 5000-4000 BC. The Greeks and Romans are known to have used the synthetic version since natural cinnarbar was rare and hard to find. It was used by many cultures as part of make-up, by means of religious ceremonies, decorating ceramics and painting ornaments. During the Middle Ages the synthetic proces was used but made it as expensive as Gold leaf, making Vermilion a paint for only the finest figures and details. Minimum, a lead based red, was used for the larger parts. It’s a widely used pigment during the renaissance and from the 17th century the Dutch introduced a method of making Vermilion. The Chinese version was and is still considered the purest version. In Europe they tend to cut the pigment with things like iron oxides, red lead and even brick dust due to the costs. During the 20th century (so it’s been in use for quite some time!) vermilion and cinnabar got replaced by the (less toxic) cadmiums, which in their place are now being replaced by modern non toxic alternatives. A fascinating pigment with a history as rich as it’s brightness. It’s a shame vermilion isn’t a lightfast pigment and lots of uses have been faded over time… but more on that in a series of stories soon! #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #professional #paint #artistquality #singlepigment #color #pr106 #bright #vermilion #scarlet #red #lightfast #cinnabar #makersofinstagram #artisanal #handmadewatercolour #watercolorpainting #gumarabic #synthetic #watercolorlove #watercolorpalette #wasserfarben #pigment #aquarelle (bij Dirty Blue) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChAWz0ZLNp6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

One of the more opaque colors in my line, PW6:1. Buff Titanium. This naturally tan, unbleached version of titanium white can perfectly be used on its own. As a mixer, it mixes beautifully soft pastels and soft dreamy earth tones. Ideal for landscapes, portraits and anything with flowers. For that reason, I’ve added it in my mixing palette instead of a true white. I just love what it can do with bright colors! What do you use Buff Titanium for? Or how would you use it? Let me know in the comments! 😊 @kremerpigmente #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #art #paint #bufftitanium #pastel #color #pw6 #titanium #buff #white #soft #lightfast #lovelycolors #unique #artisanal #modern #watercolorpainting #gumarabic #artisan #watercolorlove #watercolorpalette #aquarelle #pigment (bij Dirty Blue) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgCIXLJrEiD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Potters Pink is a heavily granulating, quite opaque pigment with a dull pink color. Also known as pinkcolor or nelkenfarbe (carnation color), Potters Pink, or PR233 as my pans would say, is one of the staple colors in my line of paint. Used as a pigment for ceramics in the 1700’s, @winsorandnewton introduced this pigments in their line of watercolors at the start of the 20th century. It was swiftly replaced by brighter and more saturated modern synthetic pigments. I believe this pigment has already had its comeback (many if not all brands carry this wonderful color in their range). Where pink colors are usually seen as a red mixed with white, this pigment proves that it’s a complete color on its own. With its own, very recognisable characteristics. It’s because of this, that many of us love this wonderful pigment and color as a paint (again). Fun fact about pinks and red-violets, they don’t have their own wavelengths. Like magenta, they’re visible for us because of how our brain interprets the absence of green wavelengths. How much or whether this is the case with Potters Pink… maybe I’ll find out with the spectrometer! #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #professional #paint #artistquality #singlepigment #color #pr233 #bright #potterspink #potters #deep #lightfast #pink #makersofinstagram #artisanal #handmadewatercolour #watercolorpainting #gumarabic #granulatingwatercolor #watercolorlove #watercolorpalette #wasserfarben #pigment #aquarelle @jacksons_art (bij Dirty Blue) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgBilWgrqmq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Unboxing time… kind of…! Another amazing box full of pigments I received from Kremer and this picture is the surprise at the end of the last video! They want to sponsor my next giveaway for my 20K followers with their 35th anniversary pigment assortment! I’m so excited to announce the date, very soon!! I want to thank @kremerpigmente again for their generosity and absolute top notch service and kindness! 🙏 @kremerpigmenteraw @kremerpigmentsnyc #handmadewatercolors #handmadeartsupplies #artsupplies #handmadepaint #makingcolors #handmade #watercolor #art #paint #colors #pure #color #pigments #bright #rawmaterials #yellow #blue #lightfast #green #beautiful #artisan #red #watercolorpainting #gumarabic #granulatingwatercolor #naturalpigments #watercolorpalette #artisttools #pigment https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf-3dySsKPB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=