A rich dark brown pigment, Burnt Umber is made from natural brown clays found in earth. It was named after Umbria, a region in Italy where it was mined. Burning the raw pigment intensifies its 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.
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...
Ultramarine is a rich deep transparent blue. It was created by French chemist Guimet in 1828 as a synthetic but chemically identical alternative to the expensive pigment derived from Lapis Lazuli.
Sepia is a black brown colour. Originally made in the 18th from the ink sacks of cuttlefish, it is now made from a mixture of carbon and umber. It is a highly permanent colour.
Prussian Blue is a deep blue colour. It was made by German chemist Diesbach around 1704 making it the first synthetic blue pigment. It quickly gained favour as an alternative to genuine Ultramarine.
