Art lesson - The Stuff of Paint

Watercolour: What it is.

Gum Arabic Crystals

Traditional transparent watercolour is finely ground pigment in a water-soluble binder such as gum Arabic. Gum Arabic is water-soluble gum produced by a species of the acacia tree and is available in crystalline form or in prepared solutions. The gum Arabic crystals or granules are transparent when pure, but less highly refined varieties can be yellowish to honey coloured. Gum Arabic is also used in inks, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and confections (it's non-toxic and tasteless).

Other binders used for watercolour paint have included Tragacanth, a gum obtained from various asian shrubs, and fish glue. Glycerine, dextrin, crystallized sugar, syrup, or honey can be added to modify the working texture of the paint, counteracting the brittle quality of the gum arabic a bit. Ox gall can be added as a surfecant or wetting agent to aid the free flow of washes. (Think dishwasher soap's "sheeting action") Oil of cloves can be added to deter the growth of molds which can happen on cheap quality paints.

Which water?

Distilled or boiled water are said to give the best results when painting, avoiding adulterants that may affect certain pigments. I use tap water.

On Student Grades and cheaper paints

Cheaper paints tend to have excess binder that can result in a glossy sheen in a finished wash of colour. Student grade paints use less refined pigments mixed with a neutral filler pigment. Some manufacturers offer "hues" of a colour such as "cobalt blue hue" or "manganese blue hue". These are mixed using a less expensive pigments, Ultramarine Blue and Pthalocyanine Blue in this case, to simulate the more expensive genuine colour. They are a cheaper way to go but their tinting strength is generally poor compared to the "real" pigments. You can learn to mix your own "hue" colours from a rather limited palette.

Watercolour pigments are classified in two groups:

INORGANIC (Mineral)	ORGANIC
Native earths: ochre, raw umber, etc. Calcinated native earths: burnt umber, burnt sienna, etc. Inorganic synthetic colours: cadmiums, zincs, etc.	Vegetable: gamboge, indigo, madder, etc. Animal: cochineal, Indian yellow, etc. Synthetic organic pigments

Manufacturers Codes used in Colour List When only a few manufacturers make a specific colour, their code will follow the colour name. If a colour is common to numerous manufacturers the manufacturer code is not listed and general colour information is provided.

Code	Manufacturer	Code	Manufacturer
B	Blockx (Belgium)	RT	Rembrandt (Holland)
DA	Da Vinci	SE	Sennelier (France)
G	Grumbacher (U.S.A.)	SH	Schmincke (W. Germany)
H	Holbein (Japan)	W&N	Winsor & Newton (England)
M	Maimeri	VG	Van Gogh (Holland)
RO	Rowney (England)	Y	Yarka (Russia)

Colour List
New pigments and dyes are formulated constantly. The following list, while not complete, illustrates the wide variety of colours currently available today. When direct information on the colour isn't available a best guess was made based on the name of the colour and that name's traditional use by artists. For complete toxicity information always check the manufacturer's label. You are viewing digital approximations of real watercolour hues, so look at the manufacturer's colour chart before you buy.

	Alizarin Carmine - W&N See Alizarin Crimson
	Alizarin Crimson A very transparent rich red with a bluish cast, made from anthracene, a coal-tar derivative.
	Alizarin Golden A warmer alizarin crimson. Rose madder alizarin.
	Alizarin Orange A warmer alizarin leaning towards yellow. Made from anthracene, a coal-tar derivative.
	Antwerp Blue - W&N A pale variety of Prussian Blue. Low tint strength.
	Arylide Yellow FGL - DV An Azo (monoazo) yellow, transparent, bright, pale
	Aureolin A bright, transparent yellow, sometimes a mars yellow and arylide yellow mix is substituted.
	Aurora Yellow - W&N A proprietary name for cadmium yellow medium to deep.

	Benzimida Orange - DV Benzimidazolone orange. Yellowish, transparent.
	Bright Red - W&N A mixture of chlorinated para red and arylide yellow.
	Brilliant Yellow - SH An opaque mixture of cadmium-barium yellow medium or deep and titanium white.
	Brown Ochre - SH A mix of raw sienna and yellow ochre.
	Brown Pink - SH Originally a fugitive yellow lake** made from buckthorn berries also known as Dutch Pink. One current mixture is of tartazine lake, ivory black and ultramarine blue; another is of mars yellow, ivory black and raw sienna. Check the manufacturer's labeling.
	Brown Madder An alizarin crimson and diarylide yellow mix. Somtimes anthraquinone red replaces alizarin. Sometimes burnt sienna or pyranthrone red are sold under this name.
	Brown Madder Alizarin - RT See brown madder
	Burnt Sienna A calcinated natural reddish brown iron oxide.
	Burnt Umber A natural dark brown iron oxide.
	Burnt Yellow Ochre - SH A calcined red iron oxide.

	Cadmium Green - SE A convenience blend of cadmium yellow with viridian or phthalocyanine green.
	Cadmium Purple - SE Information not available.
	Cadmium Red (Medium) These reds replaced the toxic chrome (lead based) reds. They are extremely bright, semi-opaque, and range in colour from a blood red (deep), to a near orange (light or vermilion). They are made from cadmium selenide and cadmium sulphide and are non-toxic.
	Cadmium Red Deep
	Cadmium Red Light (or pale)
	Cadmium Orange This semi-opaque orange falls between cadmium yellow deep and cadmium red light. It is made from cadmium suplhide and is non-toxic.
	Cadmium Yellow (Medium) These semi-opaque yellows range from a yellow-orange (deep) to a very pale yellow (light or lemon). They are made from cadmium sulphide and are considered non-toxic.
	Cadmium Yellow Deep
	Cadmium Yellow Light (or pale/lemon)
	Caput Mortuum - SH Mars black/violet.
	Carmine A pinkish red fugitive lake** made from cochineal, extracted from a Central American insect, or a synthetic variety. Winsor & Newton and Sennelier offer the genuine colour.
	Carmine Red - SH See Carmine.
	Cerulean Blue A bright opaque sky blue. Originally known as Coeruleum from the Latin "caeruleum", a sky blue pigment. Cobaltus stannate, a compound of cobalt and tin oxides. Some manufacturers mix the hue from phthalocyanine blue and zinc or titanium white.
	Chrome Lemon - RO, SH A Lead Chromate compound introducted in 1797. Not permanent, usually replaced by Cadmiums. Toxic.
	Chrome Yellow - RO, SH A Lead Chromate compound introducted in 1797. Not permanent, usually replaced by Cadmiums. Toxic.
	Chrome Orange - RO, SH A Lead Chromate compound introducted in 1797. Not permanent, usually replaced by re;atively non-toxic cadmiums. Toxic.
	Chrome Orange Deep - RO A Lead Chromate compound introducted in 1797. Not permanent, usually replaced by Cadmiums. Toxic.
	Chromium Oxide Green Opaque, cool, pale willow green. Low tint strength. High Granularity.
	Cobalt Blue An intense deep royal blue. Cobalt aluminate blue spinel. True cobalt is expensive and is often replaced with a cobalt shade of Ultramarine. An ultramarine blue and white mix is substituted by some manufacturers.
	Cobalt Green An opaque bright green with bluish undertones. Low tint strength. A Compound of cobalt zincate and zinc oxide.
	Cobalt Violet (or magenta) A bright semi-transparent reddish violet. The original French cobalt violet is cobaltous oxide arsenate, which is toxic. The original German formula uses cobaltous phosphate and is considered non-toxic. Different mixes of manganese violet, cobalt blue, cobalt violet, dioxazine purple, quinacridone red and zinc white are sold under this name be a few manufacturers.
	Coeruleum Blue - RO See Cerulean blue.
	Compose Blue - H A mixture of phthalocyanine blue and titanium white.
	Crimson Alizarin - RO See Alizarin Crimson
	Crimson Lake A lake** made from animal and vegetable matter.
	Cyanine Blue - B A mixture of prussian and cobalt blue. Also an organic dye.

Dioxazine Purple A transparent deep blue violet. Very high tint strength. Staining.

	Emerald Green An extremely brilliant light cool green. A mix of arylide yellow, phthalocyanine green and zinc or titanium white.
	English Red (Deep, Light) - SH A synthetic red iron oxide.

French Ultramarine - RO A semi-transparent deep blue. Originally made from ground lapis lazuli, a semi-precious blue stone. 'French' ultramarine is sometimes warmer in colour that regular ultramarine.

	Gamboge - G A transparent pale yellow resinous gum originating from Thailand. Generally replaced with cobalt yellow.
	Gamboge Genuine - W&N Genuine gamboge pigment made from a transparent yellow resinous gum originating from Thailand.
	Geranium Lake - G A vivid red synthetic organic pigment.
	Gold Ochre - B, RT, SH A variety of yellow ochre
	Green Earth See Terre Verte
	Green Gold - W & N Information not available.
	Green Yellow - SH, H Information not available.
	Green Lake (Deep, Light) - SH Similiar to Hooker's green in hue and composition.
	Grumbacher Red - G Proprietary label for Cadmium Red.

	Hansa Yellow Light - DV A light, bright yellow, sometimes refered to as Lemon yellow.
	Helios Green - SH Information not available.
	Helios Purple - SE Information not available.
	Helios Red - SE A brilliant bright red. A coal tar lake substitute for vermilion.
	Hooker's Green (Light) Usually a yellowish or bluish green made from a mixture of phthalocyanine blue and cadmium yellow.
	Hooker's Green #2 (Dark) Usually a yellowish or bluish green made from a mixture of phthalocyanine blue and cadmium yellow.

	Indian Red A bluish synthetic red iron oxide. Originally a natural red iron oxide.
	Indian Yellow A transparent bright Hansa, Napthol or Cobalt yellow. Originally made by heating urine of cows fed a diet of mango leaves and extracting the pigment.
	Indigo A deep transparent blue derived from coal tar. Not lightfast. Originally a plant-based natural dye.
	Italian Earth - B, NB A red iron oxide. Raw Sienna.

Juane Bril (#1&#2) - H See brilliant yellow

	Lemon Yellow Barium yellow, or a general name for any pale yellow shade.
	Light Red A red iron oxide.
	Light Oxide Red - RT A red iron oxide.

	Madder Carmine - SH A beautiful transparent red. A natural rose madder. The dye is extracted from the root of the madder plant. Fugitive in nature
	Madder Lake Light - SH A natural rose madder. A plant-based dye.
	Madder Lake Deep - RT, SH A natural rose madder. A plant-based dye.
	Magenta - SH A fugitive lake made from a synthetic dye, also a general term for deep violet red.
	Magnesium Green - G Information not available.
	Manganese Blue A bright greenish blue, lighter that cerulean, low tint strength.
	Manganese Violet - DV A cool, opaque colour, strong but not bright in colour. A permanent mineral violet.
	Mars Violet - H An iron oxide pigment. Similiar to Indian red but more bluish.
	Mars Yellow - SE A synthetic iron hydroxide pigment, similiar to ochre or raw sienna.
	Mauve A fugitive organic synthetic lake made from coal tar. Colour ranges from reddish to bluish.
	May Green - SH Information not available.
	Mineral Violet - H Ultramarine violet.
	Mono (Monastral) Blue - RO Phthalocyanine blue
	Mono (Monastral) Green - RO Phthalocyanine green
	Mountain Blue - SH Azurite blue or Bremen blue, made from copper carbonate and copper hydroxide.

	Naples Yellow Antimony yellow. A dull opaque yellow.
	Naples Yellow Reddish - SH, RT Antimony yellow. A dull opaque yellow leaning towards red.
	New Gamboge - W&N A synthetic variant of bright transparent yellow.

	Olive Green A general term for olive green hued colour mixtures, also chromium oxide green.
	Opaque Green Light - SH Information not available.
	Opera (Rose) - H, W & N Information not available.
	Oxide of Chromium - W&N Chromium oxide green

	Paris Blue - SH Prussian blue.
	Peacock Blue - H See phthalocyanine blue.
	Perelene Maroon - G Information not available.
	Permanent Blue - W&N, RO See ultramarine blue.
	Permanent Green - H, RT, SH A premixed variety of permanent green colour. Various strong, dark shades.
	Permanent Green Olive - SH Information not available.
	Permanent Magenta - H, DV, RO A bright purplish-red form of quinacridone red.
	Permanent Mauve - RO Usually manganese ammonium pyrophosphate or dioxazine violet.
	Permanent Orange - H, SH Information not available.
	Permanent Red - H, DV, RO, SH A napthol red.
	Permanent Rose - H, DV, RO, SH Usually Quinacridone Red.
	Permanent Violet - H, SH Usually manganese violet
	Permanent Yellow - H, RO, SH Usually barium yellow or a synthetic semi-permanent pigment.
	Pozzuoli Earth - SH A red iron oxide, natural or synthetic.
	Prussian Blue A deep intense cyan or greenish blue. Extremely high tint strength, somewhat grainy. Composed of ferric-ferrocyanide.
	Prussian Green - W&N, SH Brunswick green, a chrome green made from prussian blue and chrome yellow.
	Pthalo (Phthalocyanine) Blue - DV Dark, intense blue, usually on the cool side. High tint strength.
	Pthalo (Phthalocyanine) Green - DV Dark intense green. High tint strength.
	Purple Lake - W&N, RO A mixture of magenta and phthalocyanine blue or alizarin crimson and dioxazine purple (Winsor & Newton); or alizarin crimson and quinacridone violet (Rowney).
	Purple Madder Alizarin - W&N, RO A mixture of alizarin crimson and dioxazine purple or lamp black.
	Purple Violet - SH A mixture of rhodamine red shades (towards magenta). Fugitive Colour: Bright and transparent but fades rapidly in strong light.

Quinacridone Rose (magenta)- VG, RO A bright, clear violet red. Quinacridone violet.

	Raw Sienna A natural earth colour. Colour similiar to Yellow ochre but much more transparent. Sometimes called Italian earth.
	Raw Umber A natural earth colour. A medium yellow-gray brown.
	Rose Dore (Madder Lake)- W&N, RO Winsor & Newton is a mix of quinacridone red and arylide yellow. Rowney uses a alizarin crimson/chlorinated para red mix.
	Rose Madder See Madder lake or Madder carmine.
	Rose Madder Alizarin - W&N See Madder lake or Madder carmine.
	Rose Madder Genuine - W&N Genuine Rose madder. Colour is extracted from the root of the madder plant. A rich, transparent red.
	Rowney Vermilion- RO Information not available.

	Sap Green A bright, pale yellow green. Usually a mixture of Prussian blue and yellow.
	Scarlet Lake Toluidine red, Organic.
	Sepia A dark, warm brown. Originally taken from the ink sacs of cuttlefish.

	Terre Verte Green earth. A transparent pale green slightly olive in tone.
	Thio Indigo Violet - DV Information not available.
	Thio Violet - G Information not available.
	Transparent Oxide Brown - RT A natural iron oxide.
	Transparent Oxide Red - RT A natural iron oxide.
	Transparent Oxide Yellow - RT A natural iron oxide.
	Turquoise Blue - H, G Information not available.

	Ultramarine Blue A deep, rich blue made by heating clay with sulpher, carbon, and Gauber's salt. Varieties range from greenish to reddish. Originally colour was extracted from pulverized lapis lazuli, a natural semi-precious stone.
	Ultramarine Violet - B Ultramarine blue exposed to hydrochloric acid gas. Weak tinting power.

	Van Dyke Brown Cassel brown, cologne earth, brown coal. A natural medium dark earth brown.
	Venetian Red - SE A brownish red natural iron oxide. Semi-Opaque.
	Verditer Blue - H Information not available.
	Vermilion Cinnabar, Chinese vermilion, a toxic compound of mercury and sulpher. True vermilion blackens in sunlight. Cadmium red light is usually substituted for true vermilion.
	Violet - G Information not available.
	Viridian A strong, cold green. Very transparent. Some manufacturers use a phthalocycnine green tint.
	Viridian Glowing - SH A mix of viridian and phthalocynine green.

Warm Sepia - W&N See Sepia.

	Yellow (Deep, Light, Medium) AZO - VG Arylide yellow, a monoazo pigment. Medium and deep tints have added red pigment.
	Yellowish Green - RT A mixture of arylide yellow and phthalocyanine green. Use lemon yellow and phthalocycnine green to mix your own.
	Yellow Ochre A natural earth colour. Warm brownish yellow, semi-oqaque.

Blacks, Grays, and Whites

	Charcoal Grey - W&N A semi opaque gray made with charcoal black.
	Davy's Grey A middle toned gray with a greenish cast. All manufacturers use their own mix of existing colours to get this gray.
	Grey of Grey - H A semi-opaque mixture of titanium white and aniline black.
	Payne's Grey A very transparent bluish-purplish gray. Originally made with Indigo, Crimson Lake and Lampblack. Now it consists of a blue such as Phthalocyanine, ultramarine deep, prussian; a black such as ivory, carbon or lamp black and a red, maroon or violet pigment such as alizarin crimson.
	Violet Grey - H Information not available.
	Yellow Grey - H Information not available.
	Neutral Grey - SH Information not available.
	Neutral Tint - W&N Mixtures range from black to dull violet to a bluish black. Winsor & Newton uses a mix of lamp black, quinacridone red and phthalocyanine blue; Rowney's is simply mars black.
	Blue Black - WN, OH Proprietary name for lamp black. Sometimes prussian blue is added.
	Ivory Black A warm black made from charred bones and/or horns (don't ask). The purest black for watercolour.
	Lamp Black A cool black made from wood smoke soot.
	Peach Black - H,SE A mixture of blacks (ivory, lamp, or aniline black.)
	Vine Black - SH A bluish black mix of indigo blue, mars black and ivory black.
	Chinese White Zinc white
	Opaque White - SH, OH Titanium dioxide
	Titanium White - DV Titanium dioxide