A heavy opaque pigment, Mars Black is a dense black colour with a brown undertone. It is made from mineral iron oxide and was therefore named after the alchemical name for iron: Mars.
Lamp Black is one of the oldest pigments. It is made of pure carbon, originally from the residual soot of burnt oil lamps. It is a black with a bluish tint, producing a variety of cool blue greys.
Ivory black is a stable all-round black colour with brown undertones and excellent tinting powers. Its name stems from the traditional method for obtaining it: roasting elephant tusks.
Indigo is a deep blue pigment that can range from dark black to pale blue. Originally extracted from plants similar to blue woad used by the ancient Britons, it was synthesised in 1878 in Germany. It...
Sepia is a black brown colour. Originally made in the 18th century from the ink sacks of cuttlefish, it is now made from a mixture of carbon and umber. It is a highly permanent colour.
Raw Sienna is a bright brown pigment. One of the oldest pigments, it can be found in prehistoric cave art. It is named after Siena, Italy where the pigment was sourced during the Renaissance.