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11/8/2016 handprint : colormaking attributes

blue
Key to the Paint Ratings
PIGMENT PIGMENT PAINT
MANUFACTURER CODE Tr St VR Gr Bl Df HA HS Lf
C.I. NAME CHEMICAL NAME MARKETING NAME

alpha copper
PB15:1 winsor blue RS Winsor & Newton 208 3 3 64 0 3 2 274 -20 8,8
phthalocyanine (1935)
PB15:1 phthalo blue RS Rowney Artists 139 3 4 65 0 3 0 269 -21 8,8
PB15:1 phthalo blue red Rembrandt 583 4 4 64 0 2 3 273 -21 7,8
PB15:1 phthalo blue Schmincke 484 4 3 59 0 3 3 252 -15 7,8
PB15:1 berlin blue MaimeriBlu 359 3 3 60 1 3 2 256 -12 6,8
epsilon copper
PB15:6 phthalo blue (red shade) Daniel Smith 119 4 3 66 0 2 0 275 -26 8,8
phthalocyanine (1935)
PB15:6 helio blue RS Schmincke 478 3 3 63 0 2 0 270 -29 7,8
phthalocyanine blue red paint introduced after my last pigment
PB15:0 M. Graham 141
shade tests
beta copper
PB15:3 phthalocyanine (1933, phthalocyanine blue M. Graham 140 4 4 67 0 3 2 271 -32 8,8
1935)
PB15:3 phthalo blue Daniel Smith 053 4 4 65 1 2 1 267 -23 8,8
PB15:3 blockx blue Blockx 254 3 4 65 0 3 0 270 -27 8,8
PB15:3 phthalocyanine blue Utrecht 154 4 4 52 0 3 3 246 -16 8,8
PB15:3 winsor blue GS Winsor & Newton 207 4 4 53 0 2 1 249 -18 7,8
PB15:3 phthalo blue green Rembrandt 576 4 4 56 0 2 3 257 -19 7,8
PB15:3 phthalo blue GS Rowney Artists 140 3 4 66 0 3 0 259 -21 7,8
PB15:3 phthalo blue DaVinci 267 4 4 66 0 2 2 270 -30 7,8
PB15:3 primary blue Lukas 1118 4 4 52 0 3 3 246 -16 7,8
PB15:3 primary blue - cyan MaimeriBlu 400 4 3 55 0 3 4 250 -16 7,8
PB15:3 manganese blue hue Winsor & Newton 107 4 1 24 2 2 1 224 -10 6,7
beta copper
phthalocyanine +
PB15:3+PG7 green blue MaimeriBlu 409 3 3 63 0 2 3 204 -8 8,8
chlorinated copper
phthalocyanine
PB15:3+PG7 transparent turquoise Rowney Artists 157 3 3 56 0 1 1 229 -16 7,7
beta copper
phthalocyanine +
PB15:3+PG36 phthalo turquoise Daniel Smith 064 3 4 64 0 2 1 208 -3 7,8
chlorobrominated copper
phthalocyanine
TOP 40 PIGMENT Phthalocyanine blue PB15 in its various shades
(PB15:1 and PB15:6 are middle blue or reddish shades; PB15:3 is the greenish
shade) is the workhorse industrial blue colorant: a lightfast, transparent,
strongly staining, very dark valued, moderately intense blue pigment, offered
by over 70 pigment manufacturers worldwide for inks, paints, plastics,
automotive finishes, rubber, textiles and cosmetics, as well as artists' paints
(where it is often nicknamed phthalo or thalo blue, as the "ph" is not
pronounced).

The ASTM (1999) rates the lightfastness in watercolors of PB15 as "very


good" (II), though it has excellent lightfastness in manufacturer and my 2004
tests across all the brands listed above. Pigment processing alters the paint
handling characteristics (lightfastness and color intensity vary with the
pigment particle size), and PB15:3 can even be formulated to flocculate in
imitation of manganese blue (PB33).

In watercolors the blue phthalocyanine pigments undergo a very large


drying shift, lightening (by 26% in the green shade, 46% in the red shade)
and losing 20% or more in saturation.

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PB15 differs significantly across manufacturers, primarily in hue (as suggested


by the chart above), but also in tinting strength, lightness and hue shift. (It
typically makes a large hue shift toward green from masstone to undertone,
which means the hue positions in the chart are approximate.) Because of their
dark color, the phthalocyanines reach maximum chroma when moderately
diluted. The green shades of phthalo blue are (along with cerulean blue) very
close to the psychological unique blue, as explained in the section on color
vision; the warmer shades make an excellent choice for color point 8 of the
color wheel. The tinting strength of phthalo blue is typically high, but varies by
manufacturer. The best mixing complements for phthalo blue, depending on
hue, are venetian red (PR101) or cadmium orange (PO20) (red shade) and
venetian red (PR101) or perinone orange (PO43) (green shade). The average
CIECAM J,a,b values for phthalo blue (PB15:3) are: 27, -31, -48, with chroma
of 57 (estimated hue purity of 59) and a hue angle of 237. For phthalo blue
RS (PB15:1) the average values are: 24, -23, -49, with chroma of 54
(estimated hue purity of 56) and a hue angle of 245; for phthalo blue GS
(PB15:3) they are: 28, -36, -48, with chroma of 60 (estimated hue purity of
63) and a hue angle of 233.

M. Graham phthalo blue and Daniel Smith phthalo blue are both located
toward the red end of this distribution. Either one makes an excellent single
phthalo blue: dark valued, with high tinting strength, good saturation, and
some of the largest hue shifts among phthalos listed here, they apply evenly
at full strength or in tints. The Daniel Smith is slightly lighter valued, with
subtle texture but less movement in wet applications. Blockx blockx blue
dissolves less evenly and is inert wet in wet; however, it is the dullest and
darkest phthalo tested here (the Rowney Artists RS is much more saturated
but with the same hue). At the extreme of greenish hues, Utrecht phthalo
blue is lighter (less concentrated) and will not make strong darks, but is a
sweet, bright color and active wet in wet. Phthalo blues are now frequently
offered as a warm/cool (red hue/green hue) pair (by Winsor & Newton, Daniel
Smith, MaimeriBlu, Rembrandt, Rowney Artists, Schmincke). The most
saturated and widely spaced of these phthalo twins are Winsor & Newton
winsor blue RS and winsor blue GS. These paints bracket the hues of
almost all other paints listed here (only the Utrecht is greener than the winsor
blue GS); the red shade is darker valued than the green, and the GS makes a
very good single phthalo choice, contrasting nicely to the reddish hue of cobalt
blues or ultramarine blue. The Schmincke and Rowney Artists paints are
spaced roughly half as far apart in the CIELAB color space. The MaimeriBlu and
Daniel Smith pair of paints are even closer together. All these brands have
good tinting strength and are moderately active in wet applications, but
typically the RS tends to blotch if applied in long brushstrokes wet on dry (the
pigment particles are apparently coarser). Finally, phthalo blue is sometimes
mixed with phthalocyanine green (usually PG7) to produce turquoise
convenience mixtures. MaimeriBlu green blue is more saturated and
slightly greener than the Daniel Smith phthalo turquoise, which is darker and
more staining.

Cobalt or ultramarine blues tend to be picked more often in palettes because


they stain less harshly, and offer more interesting texture. But phthalo blue's
tinting strength and dark masstone color make it a good choice as the
foundation tint over which other nonstaining paints can be glazed and then
selectively lifted or blotted away. It is a beautiful sky color in dilute washes. It
mixes well with a wide range of paints, including the yellow cadmiums, though
it can be blotchy on highly sized paper and unforgiving when used on
absorbent paper. Iron blue (PB27) is less intense but produces very moody
darks, while ultramarine mixed with cobalt turquoise light (PG50) produces an

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equivalent hue with a distinctive pigment texture. See also the section on
phthalocyanine pigments.

metal free
PB16 turquoise green MaimeriBlu 350 4 3 61 0 3 3 222 -7 7,8
phthalocyanine (1936)
PB16 phthalo turquoise Winsor & Newton 526 4 4 71 1 2 2 251 -32 .,.
PB16 marine blue Holbein 302 3 4 66 0 2 2 224 -10 7,7
PB16 caribbean blue Old Holland 232 3 4 68 1 3 0 227 -11 6,8
PB16 turquoise green Utrecht 009 3 4 60 0 3 0 224 -7 6,8
paint introduced after my last pigment
PB16 phthalo turquoise Winsor & Newton 526
tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT Phthalocyanine turquoise PB16 is a lightfast,
semitransparent, heavily staining, moderately dark to very dark valued,
moderately dull green blue pigment, available from 3 pigment manufacturers
worldwide. In watercolors, PB16 undergoes a very large drying shift,
lightening by 20% and losing almost 30% saturation. Like other phthalos, its
chroma greatly increases as it is diluted, and the color can be radiant in
tints. Even so, it is the darkest of all phthalocyanine paints, an interesting
alternative to blue violet paints as a shadow color. The tinting strength of
phthalo turquoise is typically high, but varies by manufacturer. The best
mixing complements for phthalo turquoise are perinone orange (PO43) or
cadmium scarlet (PR108). The average CIECAM J,a,b values for phthalo
turquoise (PB16) are: 23, -36, -27, with chroma of 44 (estimated hue purity
of 52) and a hue angle of 217.

MaimeriBlu turquoise green is the most chromatic, lightest valued, least


staining and most transparent; it also was the most lightfast in my tests. The
Winsor & Newton paint is quite blue in masstone, indistinguishable from a
green PB15:3, but undergoes a very large hue shift in tints. Utrecht appears
to use the same pigment, but the paint has a lower tinting strength, bronzes
when applied full strength, and fades slightly in tints. Holbein marine blue is a
darker color that dilutes into lovely tints, and is moderately active on wet
paper. The Old Holland caribbean blue is the dullest of all. The pigment
available from Robert Doak is also worth investigating, though it stains paper
like sin.

In 1998 I wrote that PB16 was "not widely available in watercolor paints, but
is an attractive pigment". Now that Winsor & Newton has joined the club,
Daniel Smith is sure to follow. The hue is readily mixed from a good phthalo
green BS (PG7) and a phthalo blue GS; or try cobalt teal blue (PG50) for the
"green" paint, which gives a lighter valued and satin textured color. You can
also mix phthalo turquoise with ultramarine blue (PB29) or quinacridone
violet (PV19) for some really celestial dark blues and blue violets. See also the
section on phthalocyanine pigments.

trisulphonated copper peacock blue


PB17 Holbein 101 3 3 51 0 2 0 238 -16 7,8
phthalocyanine (1935) [discontinued in 2005]
Phthalocyanine cyan PB17 is a lightfast, semitransparent, staining, dark
valued, intense green blue pigment, available from only 2 pigment
manufacturers worldwide (one of them in China). In watercolors, PB17
undergoes a moderately large drying shift, lightening by 20% and losing
saturation. The best mixing complements for phthalo cyan are cadmium
scarlet (PR108) or quinacridone maroon (PR206). The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for phthalo cyan (PB17) were: 35, -50, -46, with chroma of 68
(estimated hue purity of 69) and a hue angle of 223.

Holbein peacock blue, now discontinued, was the only commercial source
for this pigment in watercolors; however it is still available as Holbein Irodori
"Antique Turquoise". (Note that the Irodori formulations are described as
"delicate hues" that "granulate freely" and are "more opaque".) PB17 is a very
pretty blue turquoise color, inert wet in wet, with a bright undertone. Slightly
less lightfast than the other phthalocyanines, it is just as transparent and
slightly more chromatic; however, the Holbein formulation had a slightly lower
tinting strength than most phthalo blues. Its bright cyan color is quite close to
the artist's "primary" cyan at color point 9 on the color wheel.

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Substitutions. Depending on the other choices for blue, and the mixtures
that those choices imply, PB17 is an inessential pigment. I prefer the greater
value range, mixing strength and lightfastness of a green shade of phthalo
blue (PB15:3) for this hue. See also the section on phthalocyanine
pigments.

hydrous ferric
ferrocyanide;
PB27 ferriammonium prussian blue M. Graham 153 4 3 68 2 2 3 266 -19 8,8
ferrocyanide (1704;
c.1730)
PB27 prussian blue Daniel Smith 036 2 3 72 2 1 2 274 -31 8,8
PB27 prussian blue DaVinci 271 3 4 72 2 2 3 270 -20 8,8
PB27 prussian blue Winsor & Newton 036 4 4 69 0 2 0 266 -25 7,8
PB27 prussian blue Holbein 097 2 3 70 0 2 2 272 -31 7,8
PB27 prussian blue Schmincke 492 2 4 70 0 2 1 270 -27 7,8
PB27 paris blue Lukas 1133 2 4 69 1 3 4 264 -25 7,7
PB27 prussian blue MaimeriBlu 402 2 4 69 1 3 4 264 -25 6,8
PB27 prussian blue Rembrandt 508 3 4 68 0 2 3 268 -22 6,7
PB27 prussian blue Rowney Artists 135 2 4 78 0 1 4 282 -31 6,7
PB27 antwerp blue Art Spectrum 003 3 3 47 0 1 0 265 -13 4,7
PB27 prussian blue Utrecht 158 3 4 65 1 3 3 263 -24 4,6
PB27 antwerp blue Winsor & Newton 003 4 3 49 0 2 1 248 -13 5,6
hydrous ferriammonium
PB27+PY35 ferrocyanide + cadmium prussian green Daniel Smith 128 3 4 62 0 3 2 198 -5 6,7
zinc sulfide
TOP 40 PIGMENT Iron blue PB27 is a fugitive to very lightfast,
semitransparent, staining, very dark valued, moderately dull blue pigment,
now available from only a handful of pigment manufacturers worldwide,
mostly for printing inks and cosmetics.

PB27 can achieve a beautifully saturated, very dark color in some


preparations, but when used in watercolors its finished color is usually muted,
greenish and moody. The masstone color is close to a reddish phthalo blue; it
shifts very noticeably toward green in tints, and presents a similar large
drying shift (lightening by 68% and dropping 20% in chroma), making this
one of the most dynamic pigments available. The pigment particles are
extremely fine, but the pigment usually agglomerates or clumps, depending
on how it is manufactured, to create a stringy or flaked texture that cannot be
milled out and that appears in the M. Graham and Daniel Smith paints as tiny,
dark flecks when the paint is applied. The best mixing complements for iron
blue are venetian red (PR101) or perinone orange (PO43). The average
CIECAM J,a,b values for iron [prussian] blue (PB27) are: 19, -17, -36, with
chroma of 40 (estimated hue purity of 45) and a hue angle of 245; for
antwerp blue (PB27) they are: 35, -29, -38, with chroma of 48 (estimated
hue purity of 47) and a hue angle of 233.

One of the first synthetic inorganic pigments, iron blue was discovered by
Heinrich Diesbach in 1704 and made available in artist's colors in the early
1730's. Valued for its high tinting strength and pure blue hue, PB27 was
hugely popular from the 18th to the 20th centuries until displaced in the
1970's by phthalo blue. Historical and current uses include inks,
housepaints, wallpaper, fabric dyeing, histological stains and blueprints. There
are two chemical pathways for manufacturing PB27 that can be applied to a
variety of raw materials to produce the same pigment molecule, but the color,
crystal form and particle size of the pigment can be manipulated in many ways
during or after manufacture. (There is even a prussian brown created by
calcining or roasting the finished pigment.) Manufacturing impurities were
once difficult to remove from the finished product, and historically the pigment
was mixed with other colorants to create a greater color variety, especially for
various blues and convenience greens such as hooker's green and prussian
green. As a result, a large number of proprietary or geographic names
(prussian blue, berlin blue, erlangen blue, hamburg blue, haarlem blue,
oriental blue, persian blue, paris blue, milori blue, gas blue, saxon blue,
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cyanine blue, leitch's blue, potash blue, turnbull's blue, etc.) have accumulated
around PB27 to distinguish among the many manufacturers, manufacturing
methods, grades of pigment and mixtures with other pigments or extenders.
The generic name iron blue has replaced these picturesque nuances, though
bronze blue denotes any reddish grade used in printing inks, including the
highest quality pigment known as chinese blue. See also the section on iron
pigments.

The ASTM (1999) rates the lightfastness of PB27 in watercolors as "excellent"


(I), but my lightfastness tests showed that this pigment is unusually variable
both within and across brands. Many brands faded very slightly in masstone
(1% or 2% of lightness) after one to two weeks of sunlight exposure, while
other brands faded substantially in either masstone or tint or both; but after
this early color adjustment most remained stable over the remaining test
period. (The standard lightfastness test procedure requires measurement
of the total fading at the end of the exposure period, so the pigment does
better in longer tests.)

iron blue lightfastness samples (2004)


after 800+ hours of sunlight exposure: (top, left to right) Utrecht, M.
Graham, Rembrandt, Schmincke, Holbein, MaimeriBlu; (bottom, left to
right) Rowney Artists, DaVinci, Van Gogh, Daniel Smith, Winsor &
Newton, Winsor & Newton antwerp blue

The fading was most obvious in paints labeled antwerp blue, historically the
name (with mineral blue or brunswick blue) applied to mixtures of iron blue
with a white pigment or extender (such as alumina, barium sulfate, zinc oxide
or starch). In contemporary watercolors, iron blue commonly fades when
mixed with any white pigment or extender, including titanium oxide. (The
most permanent and apparently purest brands are placed at the top of the list
above.) PB27 also can fade on contact with alkalis such as calcium carbonate,
ammonia or bleach that can be used in paper manufacture ("buffered"
watercolor papers may be slightly alkalinic), but in my experience the alkali
must be fairly concentrated to affect the color in a good quality pigment. It
cannot be used in fresco or casein paints.

PB27 is completely nontoxic and nonpolluting; it has even been used as an


oral antidote to heavy metal poisoning and as a soil treatment (to increase
iron) in agriculture. It can produce cyanide gas if heated or burned, and it has
been known to ignite during grinding.

Iron blue is highly variable across manufacturers, both in texture and in


lightfastness. M. Graham prussian blue is one of the greenest shades,
slightly lighter valued than the rest and very active in wet applications; it has
a noticeable pigment texture or flaking with good lightfastness. Daniel Smith
prussian blue is by contrast slightly redder, darker and more saturated in
masstone, with an exquisite subtle texture and good lightfastness. Winsor &
Newton prussian blue is made from an especially fine textured pigment: it is
the most saturated, provides good darks and handles well in all applications (it
is relatively less active wet in wet but backruns readily); but unfortunately it
faded slightly in masstone, lightening by about 2% in one week. The

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Rembrandt prussian blue has a nearly identical color appearance, but is more
lightfast. The Rowney Artists paint is darker valued and even redder in hue,
but without the texture. The Utrecht prussian blue is lighter valued and is one
of the most saturated iron blue paints, but in my lightfastness tests it faded
noticeably within a few days. (The remaining prussian blues are similarly dark,
moderately dull and untextured; there is little to choose among them. Not
listed above, the VanGogh prussian blue also had excellent lightfastness.) All
these paints have a greener undertone. Finally, both Winsor & Newton
antwerp blue and Art Spectrum antwerp blue are much lighter, greener and
slightly more saturated versions of prussian blue mixed with alumina: both are
fugitive. Daniel Smith's prussian green imitates a dull, dark turquoise or "sea
green" convenience mixture with cadmium yellow introduced in the 19th
century and rarely used since then.

CAUTION. The variability in PB27 across paint manufacturers suggests it


should be routinely put through a lightfastness test, and especially when
marketed as antwerp blue. Tiny, dark flecks and a visible but subtle texture
seem to identify the more permanent pigments. You may also want to test
the dried paint with household alkalis such as ammonia.

cobalt aluminium oxide


PB28 cobalt blue Winsor & Newton 070 4 1 44 3 3 2 265 -11 8,8
(1802; c.1820)
PB28 cobalt blue Holbein 290 2 1 54 2 3 2 272 -15 8,8
PB28 cobalt blue deep MaimeriBlu 374 1 3 57 1 2 2 279 -22 8,8
PB28 cobalt blue Utrecht 155 3 1 48 1 1 3 272 -11 8,8
PB28 cobalt blue light Schmincke 487 2 2 52 2 2 2 275 -18 8,8
PB28 cobalt blue M. Graham 090 1 2 55 1 2 2 275 -12 8,7
PB28 cobalt blue Daniel Smith 025 3 2 51 1 3 2 274 -13 8,7
PB28 cobalt blue Rembrandt 511 3 4 57 1 3 1 275 -10 8,7
PB28 cobalt blue Rowney Artists 109 2 4 53 1 2 1 269 -15 8,7
PB28 cobalt blue light MaimeriBlu 373 2 2 52 1 3 1 275 -14 8,7
PB28 cobalt blue light DaVinci 234 1 2 51 1 2 1 274 -15 8,7
paint introduced after my last pigment
PB28 cobalt blue deep DaVinci 2341
tests
cobalt aluminium oxide
PB28+PB15 cyanine blue Blockx 354 2 2 50 1 2 2 268 -18 8,8
+ copper phthalocyanine
TOP 40 PIGMENT Cobalt blue PB28 is a very lightfast, semitransparent,
moderately staining, dark valued, moderately intense blue pigment, available
from 12 pigment manufacturers worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates its
lightfastness in watercolors as "excellent" (I), and all manufacturer and
independent tests agree. In my lightfastness tests I found a slight whitening
or clouding of the masstone color in several brands (right), which may have
been due to increased opacity in a paint extender or oxidation of the smallest
pigment particles. In watercolors, PB28 undergoes a moderately large
drying shift, lightening and losing saturation. The best mixing
complements for cobalt blue are raw umber (PBr7) or benzimida orange
(PO62). The average CIECAM J,a,b values for cobalt blue (PB28) are: 34, -28, lightfastness test samples
-60, with chroma of 66 (estimated hue purity of 68) and a hue angle of 245. unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
(right)
Cobalt pigments are the "cadmiums of cool," creating hues across the cool
part of the color circle from violet through blue to green, in the same way that Rowney coeruleum blue, cobalt blue,
cadmium hues extend across the warm colors from yellow through orange to ultramarine violet
red. This is because cobalt oxide can crystallize with several other common
metals (aluminum, titanium, chromium, nickel, zinc, and tin) to produce a
broad range of pigment colors that vary in both hue and lightness. The color
becomes lighter and less saturated as the hue changes from blue violet to
green. A pure cobalt oxide has a hue close to middle blue with a beautiful
range of textures, from homogenous to flocculating, that vary with particle
size and dilution. It is one of the most expensive pigments, and is sometimes
imitated by a green shade of ultramarine blue (PB29), or ultramarine blue
altered with phthalocyanine blue (PB15), an ingredient that increases the
paint's staining effect on paper.

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Available cobalt blue pigments are fairly consistent across manufacturers, with
some variation in texture, chroma, value, and hue shift. M. Graham cobalt
blue is a lovely powdery, dark blue, with a redder and more intense color than
most other brands, but still a nice contrast to ultramarine blue. It is opaque
when applied full strength but will stand considerable dilution, creating
beautifully delicate wash textures. Daniel Smith cobalt blue is apparently a less
concentrated preparation of a similar middle blue pigment, making it more
transparent but less intense. Winsor & Newton cobalt blue is quite a bit more
textured wet in wet and lighter valued, but it is the only completely
transparent and also the least staining cobalt I've tried; the hue is the
greenest and least saturated of any brand, which makes an effective contrast
with ultramarine blue (PB29). The Rembrandt and Rowney Artists cobalt
blues are darker valued and lean toward green, and for that reason are also
less saturated; both also stain aggressively, perhaps due to the presence of a
phthalocyanine pigment. MaimeriBlu's two cobalt blues are very similar to each
other in hue and texture, and relatively opaque; the "light" shade closely
resembles the Daniel Smith paint. The Holbein and Utrecht cobalt blues are
relatively weak (containing a higher proportion of vehicle), but brush out to
satisfying colors. Blockx cyanine blue imitates with phthalo blue the original
cyanine blue formulation (cobalt blue mixed with prussian blue).

Cobalt blue is today often displaced from the palette by ultramarine blue
(PB29) or phthalo blue (PB15), which have very different textural and
handling characteristics but are less expensive. The color and texture can be
approximated by ultramarine (PB29) mixed with a small amount of phthalo
blue (PB15:3). But pure cobalt blue is unique: versatile in mixtures with a
beautiful color that will endure forever, even in the thinnest wash, and a
natural texture that accents the finish of any fine paper. See also the section
on cobalt pigments.

sodium aluminum
PB29 french ultramarine blue Winsor & Newton 068 3 1 64 3 3 1 288 -18 8,8
sulfosilicate (1828)
PB29 french ultramarine blue Rembrandt 503 3 2 64 1 2 1 290 -10 8,8
PB29 ultramarine deep Rembrandt 506 3 2 67 1 3 1 292 -17 8,8
PB29 ultramarine deep Holbein 094 4 1 64 4 2 1 292 -18 8,8
PB29 ultramarine deep Blockx 253 3 2 67 3 4 0 292 -19 8,8
PB29 french ultramarine blue Utrecht 159 3 2 67 2 2 2 293 -17 8,8
PB29 ultramarine blue M. Graham 190 1 3 69 1 3 2 294 -15 8,7
PB29 ultramarine blue Daniel Smith 004 4 3 66 1 3 2 291 -18 8,7
PB29 french ultramarine Daniel Smith 068 4 3 64 2 3 3 289 -14 8,7
PB29 ultramarine GS Winsor & Newton 220 3 3 52 2 2 2 279 -15 8,7
PB29 permanent blue Rowney Artists 137 3 1 58 3 3 1 282 -17 8,7
PB29 french ultramarine blue Rowney Artists 123 3 1 69 3 3 1 294 -20 8,7
PB29 ultramarine light MaimeriBlu 391 3 2 63 2 2 2 289 -20 8,7
PB29 ultramarine deep MaimeriBlu 392 1 3 71 3 2 1 296 -21 8,7
PB29 ultramarine blue Utrecht 151 4 3 58 2 2 0 282 -27 8,7
PB29 ultramarine deep Sennelier 315 1 3 66 1 3 1 292 -18 8,7
PB29 ultramarine finest Schmincke 494 2 2 63 1 1 1 285 -18 8,7
PB29 ultramarine blue DaVinci 284 3 2 67 1 1 2 294 -25 8,7
ultramarine (green paint introduced after my last pigment
PB29 DaVinci 283
shade) tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT Ultramarine blue PB29 is a very lightfast,
semitransparent, staining, very dark valued, intense violet blue pigment,
available from about 20 pigment manufacturers worldwide (mostly for coloring
cosmetics, paints and plastics). The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in
watercolors as "excellent" (I), but in some formulations the color can fade if
exposed to mild acids (vinegar, lemon juice, urban air pollution). In
watercolors, PB29 undergoes a very large drying shift, lightening by almost
30% and dropping almost 20% in chroma. PB29 comes in a range of shades,
contrasted as a red (reddish blue) shade and a somewhat less expensive green
shade. "French ultramarine" is conventionally the darker and redder shade,

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the ideal choice for color point 7 of the color wheel. The best mixing
complements for ultramarine blue are raw umber (PBr7), benzimidazolone
orange (PO62) or quinacridone gold (PO48); unique and beautiful mixtures,
with very dark near neturals and dramatic color variety and wash textures are
possible with burnt sienna (PBr7) or transparent red iron oxide (PR101). The
average CIECAM J,a,b values for ultramarine blue (PB29) are: 21, -19, -68,
with chroma of 70 (estimated hue purity of 73) and a hue angle of 254.

Ultramarine blue is probably included in artist's palettes more often than any
other blue, the modern replacement and color match for the historical pigment
lapis lazuli that appears in the most precious medieval art. (It's a triumph of
modern chemistry that even the cheapest student paint box today contains
the same pigment that medieval artists bought at many times its weight in
gold.) And ultramarine is perhaps the most beautiful of all blue pigments: the
French painter Yves Klein was famous for large canvases painted entirely in a
powdery, intense shade of ultramarine blue, produced through a patented
pigmenting technique. The pigment particles are soft and readily clump into
agglomerates; this causes the characteristic ultramarine flocculating
(clumping) texture that is especially attractive in washes and color mixtures.
Paint manufacturers usually reduce the pigment clumps through extensive
milling, which requires a dispersant to prevent caking; the dispersant causes
many commercial ultramarine watercolors to diffuse aggressively wet in wet.
The tinting strength of ultramarine is somewhat weak, especially in the
reddish violet forms (see PV15).

PB29 is somewhat variable across manufacturers in hue, saturation, value,


texture and transparency. The M. Graham, Daniel Smith, Rowney Artists and
DaVinci french ultramarine blues are all very saturated and reddish, with a
dark value that is not too dark to let the color glow, and that holds the rich
hue in tints; the Rowney Artists permanent blue is a lighter valued and
greener shade. The two Daniel Smith ultramarines are nearly identical in
masstone hue and texture, but diverge in tints; the "french ultramarine" is
slightly lighter and greener hued. These are all among the "smooth" or
nonflocculating ultramarines, nearly transparent in washes or thin glazes.
Winsor & Newton's pair of ultramarines are slightly lighter valued, greener in
hue and more transparent than other brands, and produce some of the most
pronounced (and lovely) wash pigment textures. The Holbein ultramarine deep
and Blockx ultramarine deep also flocculate very nicely; both are as dark and
intense as the ultramarines listed above, though the Blockx blackens in
masstone. Some brands offer a "deep" ultramarine that is both darker and
redder than the "light": The MaimeriBlu and Utrecht ultramarine blue paints
are good quality; the hue difference between the Utrecht paints is the widest
of any brand. The Schmincke ultramarine finest is also a greenish shade.
Finally, the M. Graham ultramarine violet (PV15) is ultramarine blue shifted a
small amount toward violet, but chemically the pigment is still an ultramarine
blue (see the discussion under PV15).

A very saturated blue violet, ultramarine mixes vibrant and moderately


lightfast violets with magentas such as quinacridone magenta (PR122) or
quinacridone rose (PV19). In almost any palette ultramarine is an invaluable
red blue. If ultramarine is the only blue you use, then one of the middle
shades, particularly by Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith or Utrecht, may be a
more effective choice. See also the section on sulfur pigments.

barium manganate manganese blue


PB33 Holbein 100 2 1 43 4 0 1 237 -11 8,8
sulfate (1869; 1935) [discontinued in 2001]
manganese blue
PB33 Blockx 250 1 1 42 4 0 1 234 -8 8,8
[discontinued in 2006]
PB33 manganese blue Lukas 1119 2 2 35 2 0 0 234 -9 8,8
PB33 manganese blue Old Holland 041 2 2 41 4 0 0 232 -9 8,6
Manganese blue PB33 is a very lightfast, semiopaque, lightly staining,
heavily granulating, moderately dark valued, moderately intense green blue
pigment; also known as "cement blue" due to its use as a masonry colorant.
The compound was first described in 1869 but not patented as a pigment until
1935. It was produced in Germany until around 1990, when it became cost
prohibitive due to environmental regulations. The ASTM (1999) rates its
lightfastness in watercolors as "excellent" (I). In watercolors, PB33 undergoes
a very small drying shift. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for manganese

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blue (PB33) are: 46, -49, -45, with chroma of 66 (estimated hue purity of 65)
and a hue angle of 223.

This crystalline synthetic inorganic pigment, a near perfect cyan hue, imparts
a lyrically coarse texture even after extensive milling. Though never a popular
paint, I feel this is of the loveliest blue pigments ever used in watercolors: it
imparts a unique poetry to sky, water or landscape greens when used in
diluted mixtures that put its granulation on display. Paint manufacturers add
sufficient vehicle to ease the milling process and improve the flow of the paint,
which typically causes the coarse pigment particles to separate from the
vehicle in the tube. The weak, gooey texture of the diluted paint is difficult to
apply evenly as a wash because the pigment immediately settles to the paper,
although it is easily adjusted by rewetting the paint after it has dried.

Manganese blue is somewhat variable across manufacturers, primarily in


saturation and pigment texture. Blockx manganese blue, now discontinued,
was somewhat darker than the conventional manganese hue but with a
beautiful deep hue and robust granulation, the best available choice. Holbein
manganese blue has also been discontinued (and retail inventory has
apparently been exhausted): it was moderately granular (and therefore easier
to handle) and the most intense of the paints tested here, closest of all to the
traditional manganese hue (as imitated by the typical "manganese blue hue").
The Old Holland is lighter valued and lackluster, and in masstone took on a
greenish cast after long sunlight exposure; there is also an Old Holland
manganese blue deep, which is a similar low grade pigment and prone to
excessive vehicle separation. The Lukas paint is the lightest valued, least
granulating and least saturated of all the brands, with a slight whitish opacity
that suggests additives have been used. See also the section on manganese
pigments.

Substitutions. Most paint brands offer a "manganese blue hue" made from
phthalocyanine blue. The best substitute paints are Holbein's peacock blue
(PB17, which has a nearly identical color but lacks the granulation), or the
green shade phthalocyanine blue from Utrecht, Winsor & Newton, Rowney
Artists or Rembrandt (PB15:3).

ALERT: Production of barium manganate ceased worldwide in the early 1970's


and the pigment is no longer generally available in artist's materials. As of April
2006 there was still remnant inventory of Blockx manganese blue available in
retail supplies (Jerry's Artarama and Art Suppy Warehouse), but this will
shortly disappear; and Lukas still offered the pigment, apparently from their
own pigment stockpiles or a niche pigment manufacturer. I don't feel the
pricey, dingy Old Holland product is worth using.

cobalt tin oxide


PB35 cerulean blue Rembrandt 012 1 2 48 1 3 1 247 -10 8,8
(1780; 1860)
PB35 cerulean blue Utrecht 012 3 1 51 1 3 0 251 -11 8,8
PB35 cerulean blue Holbein 092 1 0 46 3 3 1 253 -15 8,7
PB35 cerulean blue Winsor & Newton 065 2 2 44 2 1 1 235 -22 8,7
PB35 cerulean blue RS Winsor & Newton 140 2 1 48 3 3 2 252 -15 .,.
PB35 coeruleum Rowney Artists 111 2 3 40 2 1 2 248 -13 8,7
TOP 40 PIGMENT See the comments below on this group of cobalt blues
(ordered above by hue angle, from red to green). There is currently (2001)
only one registered manufacturer of PB35 worldwide (Johnson Matthey, UK),
but the range in pigment qualities in available watercolors suggests other
suppliers are available. Coeruleum (pronounced "seruleum") is named after
the original cerulean blue, first offered as an artist's color by Rowney in 1860.
The Rowney Artists paint whitened in masstone, becoming a more pastel hue
after a few weeks of sunlight exposure. The color is usually somewhat dull but
the warm shades (with a hue angle around 245) are close to the psychological
unique blue, as discussed in the section on color vision.

cobalt chromium oxide


PB36 cerulean blue Daniel Smith 003 3 3 51 1 3 4 242 -6 8,8
(1780; c.1870)
PB36 cerulean blue GS Daniel Smith 065 3 3 50 1 3 4 220 -6 8,8
PB36 cobalt turquoise Winsor & Newton 078 3 3 46 1 1 1 204 -4 8,8

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PB36 genuine cerulean blue DaVinci 229 0 2 48 2 2 1 252 -4 8,8
PB36 cobalt turquoise RS Rowney Artists 155 1 4 62 1 2 1 248 -14 8,8
PB36 cerulean blue M. Graham 080 1 2 46 2 3 1 253 -7 8,7
PB36 cerulean blue MaimeriBlu 368 1 2 54 2 1 2 251 -7 8,7
PB36 cerulean blue chromium Utrecht 157 3 1 41 2 1 1 245 -11 8,7
PB36 cobalt turquoise GS Rowney Artists 156 1 3 57 1 2 2 236 -11 8,7
PB36 cobalt green deep Rowney Artists 325 1 3 51 1 3 1 201 -9 8,7
PB36 cobalt turquoise Daniel Smith 027 3 3 48 1 4 2 196 -3 7,8
paint introduced after my last pigment
PB36 cerulean blue deep M. Graham 081
tests
PB36 cobalt magnesium oxide cobalt turquoise DaVinci 238 2 2 38 1 2 2 203 -2 8,8
paint introduced after my last pigment
PB36 cobalt teal M. Graham 097
tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT The many shades of cobalt tin oxide (PB35) or cobalt
chromium oxide (PB36), named cerulean blue, cerulean blue GS, cobalt
turquoise or cobalt green deep, are very lightfast, semiopaque, moderately
staining, granulating, dark valued, moderately dull to moderately intense blue
to green blue pigments. PB36 is available from 9 pigment manufacturers
worldwide (primarily as a colorant for ceramics, cement and industrial paints).
The ASTM (1999) rates the lightfastness of these pigments in watercolors as
"excellent" (I); manufacturer and my own tests agree. In watercolors, PB35
and PB36 show a very small (cerulean hues) to moderate (turquoise hues)
drying shift, not lightening at all but losing from 5% to 20% in saturation.

The pigments lumped under the color index names PB35 and PB36 are highly
variable across manufacturers in hue, value and saturation, as shown in the
diagram below (manufacturer names are keyed by letters).

color variation in cobalt blue/turquoise paints

The span of hues ranges from the warm, moderately saturated M. Graham
cerulean blue to the cool, dull Daniel Smith cobalt turquoise another
instance of the poor relationship between the color index name and the color
appearance of pigments. (Hilary Page's quirk of adding "G" or "R" to the color
index name has no sanction from either the Colour Index International or the
paint manufacturers.) Note that the saturation and transparency of these
pigments declines steadily as the hue shifts toward green: this is caused by
the increasing proportion of chromium in the cobalt crystal. The paints above,
ordered by hue angle (from red to green) fall into two main color categories:

CERULEAN BLUE. The span of colors here is very broad. For this reason,
some paint brands offer two shades of cerulean blue: the green shades are
often darker valued (suggesting increased pigment load), and in all cobalt blues
the color typically gets duller (less saturated) as the hue shifts toward green. A
major consideration in the choice of a cerulean paint is its handling in washes,
since it is often used for skies or other large, even color areas. The best paint
from this point of view is perhaps Winsor & Newton cerulean blue, which
gives beautifully flocculating, satiny wash textures, though at the expense of
color intensity; its relatively subdued texture also makes it a better mixer with
other paints. M. Graham cerulean blue is a mid valued, lovely muted blue with
a hint of red; its assertive texture needs careful handling in a wash, but can
produce dramatic textures or subtle flocculation (especially if the paint solution
is first decanted), and it gives a radiant drama to skies. Rowney Artists
coeruleum is significantly darker with coarser pigment grains. The Holbein
paint is the most intense cerulean available, more granulating and less
staining than any other brand. Rembrandt cerulean blue is a finely

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granulating, average cerulean hue, dark valued with sutble texture and good
saturation, a very pretty color. MaimeriBlu cerulean blue is very dark in
masstone, looking almost like a phthalo blue; it is much more attractive in
tints. At the "green" end of the cerulean color range, the Winsor & Newton
cerulean blue and Daniel Smith cerulean blue are both dull and
semitransparent; the Winsor & Newton is exactly a dull cyan hue, the
greenest of the cerulean paints listed here. The two Utrecht paints have
average saturation and are contrasted more on value than hue, which makes
them a less useful pair (however, in 2001 Utrecht adopted a new GS pigment,
not tested here); both paints leave a streaky, spotty wash texture. Rowney
Artists has adopted an idiosyncratic labeling that only mucks things up: their
"coeruleum blue" is the pigment PB35, a light valued, dull cerulean near the
middle of the hue range; their "cobalt turquoise" paints are opaque, middle to
greenish shades of cerulean (the hue of the "turquoise" RS is the same as
their coeruleum!); and their "cobalt green deep" is what everybody else calls a
cobalt turquoise. All the Rowney paints are also the darkest and dullest of the
paints listed here. (In all, Rowney Artists offers six cobalt blue paints: the
obvious question is, why?) Finally, Daniel Smith cerulean blue GS is an
interesting color situated exactly between the clusters of "cerulean" and
"turquoise" paints. The tinting strength of cerulean blue is weak. The best
mixing complements for cerulean blue (depending on hue) are venetian red
(PR101), burnt sienna or burnt umber (PBr7). The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for cerulean blue (PB36) are: 37, -36, -45, with chroma of 58
(estimated hue purity of 57) and a hue angle of 231; for cerulean blue GS
(PB36) are: 35, -39, -34, with chroma of 52 (estimated hue purity of 53) and
a hue angle of 221.

TURQUOISE BLUE. This is commonly a rather dull shade of dark green


blue; phthalocyanine turquoise (PB16) is darker but more saturated. The
color of PB36 brightens in tints, however, so (as with any dark valued or
apparently dull paint) be sure you evaluate these paints across the complete
value range, from full strength to tints. Among the cobalt turquoises,
Winsor & Newton cobalt turquoise is slightly lighter and more saturated
than the Daniel Smith, and less active in wet applications. Continuing with the
Rowney Artists nonstandard naming choices for cobalt pigments, the Rowney
Artists cobalt green deep is actually a cobalt turquoise, more concentrated
(opaque) and darker valued than the other brands.

Since 2007 some paint lines (DaVinci, M. Graham, Grumbacher) have


introduced a cobalt magnesium oxide (PG36) with a much much lighter and
more saturated green blue color than cobalt turquoise showed previously;
cobalt titanium oxide (PG50) is the same lovely hue, but is both more
saturated and lighter valued. The DaVinci cobalt turquoise ("DV" in the
paint color diagram, above) has a lightness, hue and small hue shift almost
indistinguishable from the usual cobalt teal blue (PG50); the M. Graham paint
appears to use the same pigment.

Best among many mixing complements for cobalt turquoise are


quinacridone maroon (PR206), pyrrole orange (PO73), and most brands of
cadmium red or cadmium red deep (PR108). The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for cobalt turquoise (PB36) are: 39, -45, -17, with chroma of 48
(estimated hue purity of 49) and a hue angle of 201.

COMMENTS. The greenish blue and turquoise part of the color range (which
includes phthalocyanine cyan, PB16, and cobalt teal blue PG50) has a
peculiar status within the family of cool colors, much like red orange
pigments on the warm side of the color wheel. Like orange (a mixture of red
and yellow), turquoise is the mixture of two basic hues (blue and green); like
orange, it is not anyone's favorite color, not a color that works well with other
colors and not a color popular in clothing or interior decor; and as with burnt
sienna (a dull red orange), cobalt turquoise, or phthalo turquoise PB16) (a dull
blue green) is useful to mute the hue of other paints, or to adjust the color
temperature of related blues or greens. This makes the cobalt cerulean and
turquoise paints in many respects the "earth colors" on the cool side of the
palette, providing texture, color stability, and muting effect to the brighter and
more strongly tinting synthetic organic pigments. You should evaluate them
from that point of view, and not just on their unmixed, full strength color
appearance.

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The cobalt cerulean and turquoise pigments are a definite preference among
some artists, who rely on them to temper warm mixtures and create subtly
textured pale blue washes (cerulean skies really are unique). The hue, value
and texture of these pigments are highly variable across manufacturers
(depending on the milling and the exact proportions of chrome, tin or
aluminum in the pigment), as is apparent transparency (from the nearly
transparent Winsor & Newton cobalt turquoise to the opaque M. Graham
cerulean blue); but hue, texture and transparency all change as the paints are
diluted, so evaluate them across a wide range of concentrations and mixtures.
Cerulean blue is an excellent palette complement to ultramarine blue. (I find
that cobalt blue PB28 is too close to the hue and value of ultramarine to
provide distinctive mixing effects; but explore the variety of color choices in
artists palettes that include cerulean blue.) If PB35/PB36 appeals to you, it is
worth your time to sample various brands.

SUBSTITUTIONS. All the cobalt cerulean/turquoise paints are relatively dull,


and therefore are fairly easy to approximate with a mixture of cobalt blue with
cobalt teal blue (PG50), or ultramarine blue with phthalocyanine green BS
(PG7). See also the section on cobalt pigments.

indanthrone
[aminoanthraquinone +
PB60 indanthrone blue Daniel Smith 018 2 4 74 0 3 1 298 -28 8,8
potassium hydroxide]
(1901; 1958)
PB60 indanthrene blue Winsor & Newton 223 3 4 75 1 2 1 286 -20 8,8
PB60 indanthrene blue Rembrandt 585 2 4 69 1 2 4 291 -20 8,8
PB60 old delft blue Old Holland 220 1 3 72 0 3 0 287 -20 8,8
PB60 faience blue MaimeriBlu 377 2 4 70 1 2 4 288 -30 7,8
PB60 royal blue Holbein 303 2 3 76 1 3 2 298 -28 7,8
PB60 indanthrene blue Rowney Artists 107 3 4 74 1 2 1 286 -23 6,7
PB60 delft blue Schmincke 482 2 4 73 0 3 4 295 -33 6,7
PB60 dark blue indigo Schmincke 498 3 2 67 1 1 1 277 -14 6,7
paint introduced after my last pigment
PB60 anthraquinone blue M. Graham 012
tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT Indanthrone blue PB60 is a lightfast to very lightfast,
semiopaque, heavily staining, very dark valued, dull blue violet pigment,
available from 13 pigment manufacturers worldwide. Discovered in 1901, it is
the oldest vat dye. The correct name (for example, as used in the Handbook of
Industrial Chemistry) is indanthrone; "indanthren" is an obsolete and generic
term for a high quality vat dye of any color. Unrated by the ASTM, my own
and manufacturer tests assign it an "excellent" (I) lightfastness. In
watercolors, PB60 undergoes a very large drying shift, lightening by 50% (!)
and losing saturation. As a lake pigment, it is used in paints, bank notes and
automobile finishes. PB60 has a moderate to high tinting strength. The best
mixing complements for indanthrone blue include most of the deep yellows, lightfastness test samples
such as hansa yellow deep (PY65), benzimidazolone orange (PO62) and raw unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
umber (PBr7). The average CIECAM J,a,b values for indanthrone blue (PB60) (right)
are: 18, 0, -32, with chroma of 32 (estimated hue purity of 35) and a hue Schmincke, Rowney
angle of 271.

The pigment is fairly consistent across manufacturers. Even so, the Daniel
Smith indanthrone blue is notably dark and lustrous, more intense and
redder than other brands, transparent in tints with a very large hue shift
toward blue. Holbein's paint is equally dark and the most intense of all. Both
are redder than other brands. The Winsor & Newton and Rowney Artists paints
are slightly less saturated with a greener hue; though the latter is darker and
smoother. The Old Holland tends to bronze when applied full strength and is
duller than the others. Schmincke misnames the pigment and offers a much
darker, duller and impermanent color; I suspect some carbon black is mixed in,
though this is not listed in the pigment ingredients.

Usually an inessential pigment, PB60 mixes muted violets or maroons with


quinacridone carmine (PR N/A), and is an effective portrait or figure shadow
color in tints, but its darks and shadows can appear grayish or obtrusive.
Substitions. It is closely matched by many mixtures of dark blue and red, for

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example phthalo blue (PB15) with quinacridone violet (PV19) or quinacridone
maroon (PR206). These mixtures are comparably as dark as PB60 and do not
show as large a drying shift. PB60 is a useful alternative to dioxazine violet
(PV23) for a dark blue violet color; by itself it is also an effective indigo or
payne's gray hue in tints (see the recipe for synthetic black described under
indigo paints). See also the section on anthraquinone pigments.

cobalt zinc aluminate


PB72 cobalt blue deep Rowney Artists 116 1 4 54 2 4 1 276 -9 8,7
(1991)
PB73 cobalt silicate (1991) cobalt blue deep Winsor & Newton 233 2 2 58 2 2 1 286 -20 8,8
PB74 cobalt zinc silicate cobalt blue deep Schmincke 488 2 0 61 3 3 1 286 -13 8,8
PB74 cobalt blue deep Old Holland 038 2 2 64 2 2 2 284 -15 8,8
The varieties of cobalt blue deep, indexed as PB72, PB73 or PB74, are all
very lightfast, semiopaque, moderately staining, very dark valued, moderately
intense to moderately dull violet blue pigments; offered by 4 pigment
manufacturers worldwide (primarily for coloring ceramics and producing the
deep "cobalt blue" in glassware). Unrated by the ASTM, manufacturer and my
own tests assign it an "excellent" (I) lightfastness. In watercolors, PB72/74
undergoes a small drying shift, lightening by 10% and losing saturation. The
tinting strength of cobalt blue deep is moderate. The best mixing
complements are raw umber (PBr7), raw sienna (PBr7), quinacridone gold
(PO48) and hansa yellow deep (PY65). The average CIECAM J,a,b values for
cobalt blue deep (PB72) are: 29, -20, -62, with chroma of 65 (estimated hue
purity of 67) and a hue angle of 252.

This group of pigments is a recently developed extension to the cobalt range,


formulated with oxides of silicon or aluminum, that are warmer and darker
valued than regular cobalt blue (PB28). These pigments are fairly similar
across manufacturers, with some exceptions (Daler-Rowney). It is rapidly
becoming more popular: now four watercolor brands offer it, most recently
Daler-Rowney. (MaimeriBlu and some other brands offer a "cobalt blue deep,"
but these are within the range of cobalt blue PB28.) Winsor & Newton
cobalt blue deep is the most saturated of the paints listed here; it keeps its
deep warm hue even when applied full strength; it also has a lovely gentle
flocculation that appears in all mixed greens, blues and violets made with it.
Rowney Artists cobalt blue deep is unusual, close to the hue and value of a
regular cobalt blue, but more saturated. The Old Holland paint is greener than
the others and turns dull and blackish in masstone.

I sometimes prefer PB73/74 to ultramarine: it is just as lightfast but is less


transparent, shows very little color shift as it dries, and creates a wonderful
downy granulation in mixtures. It mixes perfectly with other cobalt pigments,
providing a complete range of blue and green shades with the same textural
and handling attributes. The main drawback: like ultramarine, cobalt blue deep
will fade if exposed to mild acids (acidic atmosphere, lemon juice or vinegar
may be strong enough). Worth investigating, if you want a consistent cobalt
texture and lightfastness across all the violets, blues and greens in your
palette. See also the section on cobalt pigments.

NB N/A powdered lapis lazuli genuine lapis lazuli Daniel Smith 113 2 0 40 2 4 2 238 -70 8,8
Although lapis lazuli can be acquired as a powdered pigment from some
pigment retailers, Daniel Smith genuine lapis lazuli is the sole source of
the pigment in watercolors. My sample of paint (and the lapis lazuli reflectance
curve) looks exactly like a davy's gray there is no discernable blue tone. This
is apparently because Daniel Smith has simply pulverized and washed the raw
lapis stone, rather than using the traditional pigment extraction method
invented in and known since the 13th century; the grayish pigment instead
resembles the extraction residue that in the 18th century was called
"ultramarine ash.") The newer formulation, released in 2003, seems to have a
coarser granulation in order to preserve the dark blue color. The tinting
strength is very low. I am reluctant to buy it, at $16 a tube, because it does
not resemble a good quality medieval ultramarine, and because the color
compares poorly to both ultramarine blue (PB29) and cobalt blue deep
(PB72), which provide much more reliable and cheaper modern substitutes
with similar granulation effects. See also the section on natural inorganic
pigments and the page on PrimaTek watercolors.

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convenience mixtures made with blue pigments

indanthrone blue + lamp


PB60+PBk6 indigo Daniel Smith 025 1 4 75 0 2 0 288 -25 8,8
black
copper phthalocyanine +
PB15+PV19
beta quinacridone + indigo Winsor & Newton 322 1 4 70 1 2 0 274 -25 7,8
+PBk6
lamp black
phthalocyanine blue +
PB15+PBk7 indigo Rowney Artists 127 2 4 70 1 3 4 274 -30 7,7
lamp black
prussian blue + lamp
PB27+PBk7 indigo MaimeriBlu 422 3 3 69 1 3 4 209 -41 7,7
black
Indigo was originally the anil dye that put the blue in blue jeans. As we know
from the '60s, blue jeans fade because indigo pigment is fugitive, so
substitutes have been found, mostly by mixing a dull middle or red blue
(usually phthalo blue, prussian blue or ultramarine blue) with a black pigment
(lamp or ivory black). The Daniel Smith indigo, made with indanthrone blue,
is very evocative. Winsor & Newton gets the same blue violet indanthrone hue
by mixing phthalocyanine blue with a violet quinacridone. Both the Rowney
Artists and MaimeriBlu mixtures use a cooler dark blue. It's particularly
important with intense or very dark paints that you explore their handling and
appearance in highly diluted mixtures. You may be surprised at what you
discover. The indigos listed here shift toward a perfect metallic gray (DS) or
pale green gray (MaimeriBlu) when applied as diluted washes. For the origin of
natural indigo see the section on natural organic pigments.

Incidentally, a rich, transparent, extremely lightfast and flexible alternative to


all carbon black and convenience dark neutral paints (indigo, sepia, neutral
tint, payne's gray, etc.) is the generic mixture I call synthetic black. I
originally developed this mixture using the additive (RGB) primaries
indanthrone blue (PB60), benzimida brown (PBr25) and phthalocyanine
green (PG7), roughly in the proportions 8:6:1, although any transparent, dull
and/or dark red orange, green and blue or violet paint mixture will work fine.
The reasons for using the additive primaries are that (1) they enhance the
light canceling effects of subtractive mixture more than a mixture of the
subtractive (CYM) primaries, and (2) the paint proportions can be varied
slightly to shift the "black" mixture toward any hue of dark shade (as
demonstrated in this painting).

However, if a potent, achromatic dark gray is the goal, then it is more efficient
to use two mixing complements. The darkest and most efficient mixture
along the red/green contrast consists of perylene maroon (PR179) and
phthalocyanine green BS (PG7), roughly in the proportions 5:1; along the
orange/blue contrast the darkest mixture is quinacridone orange (PO48) and
iron blue (PB27) in roughly 4:1 proportions. (Exact recipes depend on paint
brands; alternative mixtures are listed in the page on watercolor mixing
complements.) Daniel Smith, M. Graham, and Da Vinci offer all four paints;
Winsor & Newton, Rowney Artists and MaimeriBlu make a quinacridone
maroon (PR206) that you can substitute for the perylene maroon and
quinacridone orange.

In the correct proportions, either the three paint or two paint mixtures give an
extremely dark, dead on black color; tweaking the proportions of the paints will
shift the hue to mimic any commercial dark shade paint (sepia, perylene
black, indigo, neutral tint, payne's gray), as well as dark shades that are
magenta, turquoise or deep yellow. In masstone applications these mixtures
are actually darker valued than most lamp or ivory blacks (PBk9). They create
a velvety luster, rather than the usual carbon black dullness, that harmonizes
well with other dark valued paints; they can be used to produce shades of any
paint, and when applied wet in wet or used in diluted glazes, color separation
among the pigments will produce subtle and shimmering color effects.

KEY TO THE PAINT RATINGS. Summarized as numbers: Tr = Transparency: 0 (very opaque) to 4 (transparent) - St = Staining: 0
(nonstaining) to 4 (heavily staining) - VR = Value Range: the value of the masstone color subtracted from the value of white paper, in
steps of a 100 step value scale - Gr = Granulation: 0 (liquid texture) to 4 (granular) - Bl = Blossom: 0 (no blossom) to 4 (strong
blossom) - Df = Diffusion: 0 (inert) to 4 (very active diffusion) - HA = Hue Angle in degrees of the CIELAB a*b* plane - HS = Hue
Shift as the undertone hue angle minus the masstone hue angle, in degrees of the CIELAB a*b* plane - Lf = Lightfastness: 1 (very
fugitive) to 8 (very lightfast) for paint in tint,full strength - Mentioned in pigment notes: Chroma: For the masstone paint on white

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11/8/2016 handprint : colormaking attributes
watercolor paper. - Drying Shift: Change in masstone color appearance from a glistening wet to completely dry paint swatch, in units of
lightness, chroma and hue angle in CIELAB. For more information see What the Ratings Mean.

Last revised 07.I.2015 2015 Bruce MacEvoy

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