Rightfully banned.. The holy trinity of historic pigments
Three pigments that made history, now banned..
Paris Green:
The one and only, original PG21 version! Also known as Emerald Green, Schweinfurt Green, Veronese Green or that arsenic stuff you actually don’t want to use but really just have to see in real life!
Although captured in 4K at 60fps… a camera doesn’t do it justice.
As a pigment itself, it’s a real dream to work with. Comparable to a creamy cobalt blue when it comes to ''disolvability'' and structure as a paint. This particular version of the pigment gives a greenish blue, almost pastel like color that lays down beautifully transparent. It also has a real nice granulation when applied a bit heavier on some cold pressed cotton paper.
SO WHAT MAKES THIS PIGMENT SO SPECIAL?
BEFORE THE 1800'S THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY BRIGHT GREEN PICMENTS TO WORK WITH. SURE ONE COULD MIX A GREEN, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO PICMENTS PEOPLE USED VERDIGRIS AND MALACHITE.
THEN THE PIGMENT KNOWN AS SCHEELE'S GREEN WAS MADE. A COPPER ARSENITE PIGMENT THAT WAS VERY TOXIC DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF COPPER AND ARSENIC. BUT IT WAS A VERY BRICHT GREEN!
EMERALD CREEN WAS DEVELOPED IN 1808 AS AN IMPROVED VERSION OF SCHEELE'S GREEN. IT WAS MORE DURABLE BUT, SINCE THIS IS A COPPER ACETOARSENITE, THE ARCENIC IN IT WOULD STILL BROWN THIS BRICHT CREEN WHEN IT CAME IN CONTACT WITH SULPHUR CONTAINING COLORS.
SHORTLY AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PIGMENT, PEOPLE FOUND OUT THE WALLPAPERS PRINTER WITH IT, GAVE OF FUMES OF ARCENIC AS A REACTION WITH THE HUMIDITY IN THE AIR. IT WAS PROHIBITED IN 1815 FOR THIS PURPOSE.
TO HIDE THE NATURE OF THIS DEADLY PIGMENT, IT HAS BEEN GIVEN MANY NAMES. IT'S KNOW AS VERONESE GREEN, SCHWEINFURT GREEN AND PARIS GREEN. BUT AS MANY AS 88 NAMES WERE USED FOR IT IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.
NOTE THAT THE NAME VERT ÉMERAUDE, ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME TRANSLATION FROM FRENCH TO ENGLISH, ISN'T USED FOR THIS COLOR, BUT FOR HYDRATED CHROMIUM OXIDE; VIRIDIAN
ALTHOUGH VERDIGRIS OR MALACHITE AREN'T THE HEALTHIEST PIGMENTS WHEN INHALED, PLEASE USE PRECAUTIONS WHEN WORKING WITH (THESE) PIGMENTS, IT'S BEEN THE ARSENIC CREEN PIGMENTS THAT MADE GREEN THE COLOR OF POISON!
ONLY NOW, SINCE WERE MORE AWARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, GREEN IS COMING BACK AS A COLOR OF NATURE, A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND SO ON. BUT MOST WITCHES CAULDRONS ARE FILLED WITH A GREEN SUBSTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO CARTOONS, AND THIS IS IT'S ORIGIN!
Indian Yellow:
What you see here is a ball of purree. This is one of the names for dried up cows urine in this state. Yes, we're talking about genuine Indian Yellow aka pigment number NY20, which stands for Natural Yellow.
It's said that cows were fed only mango leafs to concentrate that deep yellow color. The urine of these cows was collected and dried, made into these balls and shipped to artisans who refined these and made vibrant yellow pigment out of them, to be used by artists.
Since this process led to a lot of malnourished cows, it was unethical to continue this practice. After this, it became unavailable in the early 1920's.
It has known many replacements as a pigment, from natural pigments like gamboge to mixtures and single pigments, like PY153, my Indian Yellow I use in my palettes, which is also discontinued.
This original pigment was mostly used in the 19th century by a lot of European artists. A famous example is Starry Night by Van Gogh, it shows the beautiful yellow in its moon and stars.
What I make here is not from the refined version of this pigment but from pigment dust that was found in the original wrapper, it came straight from the ball.
Yes, it does smell a bit. But it's not sickening. I have to say that some indigo's but also purpurism smell worse when made into paint. It might have lost a lot of its smell over the years though..
Mummy Brown:
Mummy Brown pigment… a bottle from 1857. Pigment acquired from a private collector, seeing binder for the fist time in ages, or maybe the first time ever.
Said to be a pigment made out of ground mummy's, this pigment was a charred version of it. Something that was quite a common thing to do to get deeper hues and a finer pigment.
As a pigment itself, it felt a bit gritty at the start but broke down to a lovely smooth and fine paint. It smells a bit like an earth paint with a hint of unburnt coals. There is also a fragrance I can't quite put my finger on, but that might make sense looking at the origin of the pigment (I didn't sniff the dry pigment.. I don't like the idea of ''used to be'' people dust boogers up my nose..).
As a swatch, something interesting happened. I first made paint out of it, as usual. The hue went from an almost raw umber mixed with black to a warm burnt sienna. There is even some resemblance with Cassel Earth, though a bit warmer and more dull when dried.
For my shop, check:
creatoriq.cc/3L7SbG1
#parisgreen #indianyellow #mummybrown #historicpigments #handmadewatercolors #pigmenthistory #rarepigments #extinctpigments
#bannedpigment #toxic #unethical #history
Пікірлер: 58
Hi Laurens!!!! My precious friend!!! I have to message you. No coincidence that I just saw your video (first I’ve been able to see in awhile). I haven’t felt well enough to paint at all but something amazing & miraculous has happened. Just like the topic of these pigments, “The holy trinity…” THE Holy Trinity (I guess best way to describe my besties & true gems) have turned my dying to living!!!!! It may not make sense to others reading this, but “HELLO YOU BEAUTIFUL GEMS I haven’t met yet 😆👋🏼! Oh I hope and pray any and all lost or dead dreams come alive as well…and turn all frowns upside down 😁.” Oh and Lauren’s, just two days who I was actually able to begin painting-well swatching-paints that just so happen to be YOURS!!! I know I could have just sent a private message but this video, and the timing of it….you know me, I long for as many people to be extravagantly blessed & this exactly what I KNOW will happen as some read this. And wow those colors are amazing and your mummy brown comments….😂
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
Dawn it’s so good to read a message from you again! I don’t mind it’s not private, it makes me happy to read that you have been able to start with paint again! 🙏 I hope the amazing miraculous happening keeps on going 🥰 I’m really happy that you send the comment ☺️
Paris Green also found use as a blue coloring agent in fireworks as far as the 1990s in some places. In fact, some pyrotechnic hobbyists still use it in small amounts today because it gives a deeper, more vivd blue than can be easily achieved with other coloring agents. I have 2lbs I bought for that purpose, although I think I'll perpetually be putting that particular use off. 😅 Neat video and cool channel!
@dirtyblueshop
2 ай бұрын
That’s some neat additional info!! Thank you! Do you know anything about London Purple? Any similar things about that?
Mummy brown, art imitating life. Most household dust is primarily made of dead skin cells, and after writing that I started sneezing, and the smell is likely the flowers and herbs they stuffed inside the bodies during mummification.
Very surprised when I noticed how small your channel is. You have a good energy! Very informative!
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
Thank you so much! It means a lot!! Well I'm very grateful for everyone who's joining this community here and we're growing slow but steady! Can't complain :)
this is such a niche topic that i never knew i needed to know everything about
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
I’m glad you found out 😄🤙
I've long since wondered why green is the colour of poison, so thank you for answering my question. Very interesting video, I love the background music and the visuals of mixing the pigment.
The un-holy Trinity of paints.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
basically
Fascinating stuff! I love how the mummy brown gets a reddish hue when drying. Hopefully no dead people dust boogers were created in the making of this video! 😂🤣😂 You cracked me up with that one!
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
🤗😅😅
I found Paris Green to have a unique drying shift when testing (mine is W&N's commercial Emerald Green paint from the 1950s). Not the usual hue shift, but a marked opacity shift. Swatched over a black line it looks very opaque when wet, but becomes semi-transparent when dry. I also tested mixing with Cadmium Yellow (with Cadmium Yellow Hue mix ss a control). The reaction with Cadmium Yellow happens quickly but slowly increases over days. A wash of the mixed paint develops a brown border. Left in the mixing palette, the dried mix changes from slightly brown to grey-black over days to weeks.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
That is interesting! I could see what you mean with the drying shift too.. please be careful with the paint!
@deathcraze22
3 ай бұрын
@@dirtyblueshop It was only a tiny amount that I used, but the palette has been sitting on my table for months as I'm not sure how to clean it out 😂 Maybe wipe with a damp tissue, tie it up in a plastic bag and put it with regular trash?? Also I'm not sure if it is just the particular formulation that I have, but I found it really difficult to rewet (would say similar difficulty to Viridian).
Your PY 153 is one of my favorite watercolor paints in the world!
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
🤙💛
Always thought-provoking. And I'm a sucker for any video on banned pigments. I love PY150 as my only yellow on my palette. One of the first 3 artist grade paints I ever bought, and it was from Golden's QoR line. (I love chasing sprinting paints.) I adore the delicate, almost neon light yellow you can achieve and the deep, murky mustard yellow on the other end. Fantastic mixing yellow. Perfectly versatile. The PY153 makes a nice substitute for the NY20 too, though.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
PY150 is a very versatile and lovely color which is often used as an Indian Yellow hue. The mustard mass tone is also very similar to how the genuine thing looks dried. A reason why I offer both in my line of paint ;)
@FatFilbert-lv4ki
3 ай бұрын
-"And I'm a sucker for any video on banned pigments."- I think there is some of that in myself, but not limited to the videos. I could pass over a pigment, then tell me it's banned, and all of a sudden I'm interested.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
Haha tbh, I would have the same! There’s a lot of unstable reds, yellows, blues.. you name it. Not buying them now because of the lack of stability/lightfastness.. but when I hear one of those will stop being produced 🫣🥲
Knees up Mother Brown Knees up Mother Brown Under the table you must go Ee-aye, Ee-aye, Ee-aye-oh If I catch you bending I'll saw your legs right off Knees up, knees up don't get the breeze up Knees up Mother Brown
Mooie samenvatting van drie van je top pigmenten, Laurens. Alledrie even bijzonder. En de wetenswaardigheden errond zijn even interessant, ook in herhaling.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
Dankjewel Heidi! Ik had mn oude (losse) video's al aangepast maar ik merk dat het heruploaden soms beter werkt. Ik ga wel bezig met nieuwe nieuwe versies ;)
Wizard of Oz, was the first thing I thought looking at the paris Green!
Mors Turquoise, Taurus Indica, Deaþ Brūn.
@dirtyblueshop
Ай бұрын
🙌
Incredibly interesting video, thank you for sharing these gems from your collection with us! Not gonna lie, I really like the Paris Green. I'm sure I would have bought things in that color .. 😆
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
Thank you so much! I'm actually working on a set of (very accurate) hues for these, not sure how/when to release them.. maybe a higher YT subscription tier ?
So my favorite shade of yellow used to be made with dried cow's diarrhea... It was literally what my 4-H friends and I referred to as "calf scours yellow"... Well that's a fun fact I'll be passing along! Very cool! And really glad they don't intentionally give cattle chronic stomach upset in the name of art. I love Indian Yellow, but not if it's made at the expense of an animal's quality of life.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
Maybe even worse, it's a ball of dried cows urine.. I noticed I didn't make that clear in the video, but now you know!
@bnhietala
3 ай бұрын
@@dirtyblueshop holy smokes! That must've required a lot of urine. Imagine being the person whose job it was to collect it? 😬
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
@bnhietala imagine making a ball out of urine… 🧐
@user-ug5sb6qg1u
5 күн бұрын
The vikings and other medieval Europeans used to boil cow's urine to get ammonia for dying and washing clothes. Human urine was used in tanneries for making leather and in India they still use animal urine or...the other for tanning leather, I saw that bit on a documentary but I can't remember it well.
Have you ever thought of making some paint out of authentic Maya Blue? The pigment is still developed as historically accurate as it can be in Yucatan, Mexico
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
I have a bag of that pigment (and that version) here in my studio! It’s a fascinating pigment that deserves its own video indeed!
@A1998GatewayPC
3 ай бұрын
@@dirtyblueshopThat would be amazing! I have some cause I live relatively close to where is made but have no experience in paint making, I'll keep an eye out for that video
@FatFilbert-lv4ki
3 ай бұрын
@@dirtyblueshop It's a trick, don't fall for it Laurens. You want to make a video on Mayan Red PR287. No, not because I have a pre-order and long to see it being mulled, in slow motion, with a spaghetti western sound track playing. Okay, as a compromise you can do the Mayans: red, blue, and what ever other colors they had.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
@FatFilbert-lv4ki haha I think the Mayan Red was done in one of the more recent lives😅
@FatFilbert-lv4ki
3 ай бұрын
@@dirtyblueshop Yes, you are correct. The first one I checked, the thumbnail looked Mayan red, and I see my earlier comment, "Dang... I missed it." "Making paint live again!" is the video title.
5:28 You could give a pan of Paris Green away as part of a contest, and still keep to your claim of not selling it. Okay... maybe just a half pan then.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
I'd never just give this to someone haha.. I would be responsible for whatever happens and I couldn't live with that
Did you say Malachite is also not that healthy? I have Malachite. It’s so beautiful. Why isn’t it the healthiest?
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
It contains a lot of copper compounds MSDS from @kremerpigments: H302: Harmful if swallowed. H319: Causes serious eye irritation. H332: Harmful if inhaled. H410: Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
@MarkBarville
3 ай бұрын
@@dirtyblueshop So it’s fine as long as you don’t eat it or stick it in your eyes?
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
@MarkBarville or breathe it..
@melissachampagne299
3 ай бұрын
Cobalt, azo and cadmium’s are the same correct? Fine for use in watercolour but don’t consume them in any way and if you’re working with the pigment use the proper ppe & be sure to dispose of your water correctly
this was fun. That green is beautiful. Shame the mummy brown was made from real remains.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
It is, same for how Indian Yellow was made, in a different way though...
Lol…. Sniffing mummy dust…😂. Creepy gross
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
That sums it up 😅
You have excellent English so you will want to know arsenic is usually pronounced arse nick. I kid you not.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
That’s actually good info 😂🙏 I’m so used to pronounce it in Dutch… not that I actually use the word a lot though 🧐😅
I find using human remains as paint unethical.
@dirtyblueshop
3 ай бұрын
In how they used to do this, I fully agree with that! I think everyone nowadays does.. hopefully. The very reason I won't sell any of it as paint. That having said, I was commissioned to make new paint out of the ashes of a lost father. I've hared the process in a video on my channel (with permission). As part of the grieving process it's different than what I show in this video