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Visual art > Pigments > Flashcards

Pigments Flashcards

1
Q

What are the characteristics of Cadmium red?

A

RED
Good hiding power
Early modern pigment
Discovered in 19th century
Variants or orange and yellow exists

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2
Q

What are some red pigments?

A

Lakes
Madder root
Vermillion
Minium red
Dragons blood
Carmine red
Cadmium red
Red earth
Sienna

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3
Q

What are the characteristics of Titanium white?

A

Brilliant and shiny
Excellent hiding power
Twice as opaque as lead white
Chemically stable
Developed in 1920s

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4
Q

How are pigments processed?

A
  • Pigments are ground
    o Done on stone/slab with water
  • Pigments are then mixed with binder
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5
Q

What is Flat unburnished leaf?

A

(also commonly called mordant gilding) – applied over mordant (adhesive)
 Applied after most of panel is painted unless used as a background
 Mordant – made from pigments combined with linseed oil – applied to panel – gold leaf is applied on areas
 If silver is used instead of gold – lead white is used as mordant
 Has a matt appearance

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6
Q

What are the characteristics of Red earth?

A

RED
Comparable to ochre
Used since prehistoric times

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7
Q

What are some black pigments?

A

Charcoal
Bone black
Lamp black

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8
Q

What are the characteristics of Carmine red?

A

RED
Lakes produced from insects
2 versions – 2 different bugs – 1st Made from cochineal bug – found in Mexico on cactus
Bugs are killed and dried in sun – then used as pigment
2nd Kermes bugs (crimson) – insect without wings found on oak

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9
Q

What are the characteristics of egg tempera?

A

o Egg yolks is used as a medium
o In some cases, some egg white is added
o Less common after 15th century
o Dries quickly
o Durable
o Hard, lustrous, shiny surface
o Cannot be brushed over broad areas
o Applied to panel that has gesso on it

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10
Q

What are the characteristics of Zinc white?

A

(from 1834)
Colder and whiter tones – not really flesh colored
Used for watercolor as well

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11
Q

What are the characteristics of Viridian?

A

GREEN
Emerald green colour
Very stable
Vibrant
Valued for permanence and lack of toxicity

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12
Q

What is Water gilding?

A

o Burnished lead (or water gilding): on red bole – also used for manuscripts
 Before gilding – prepare panel – usually with chalk
 Lead on to the ground directly or on bole
 Gold burnished with stone
 Punched for decorative effects

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13
Q

What are the characteristics of Umber?

A

BROWN
Earth pigment
Used throughout history
Color in range of cream to brown
Used in north and south Europe
Stable

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14
Q

What is Mezzo fresco?

A

Medium fresco/dry
o Pigment added on nearly dry plaster

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15
Q

What are the characteristics of Indigo?

A

BLUE
Used in Early Modern period
Comes from plant called indigo
Tint strength is high
Dyeing power is strong
Can fade rapidly when in light
Prepared from plants until 19th century, after synthetically

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16
Q

What are some blue pigments?

A

Natural ultramarine
Artificial Ultramarine
Azurite
Smalt
Indigo
Prussian Blue
Cobalt blue

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17
Q

What are some brown pigments?

A

Umber
Van Dyck Brown
Bitumen

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18
Q

What are the characteristics of Azurite?

A

BLUE
Similar to Malecite
Recorded in Egypt early
Uncommon in Europe until Middle Ages
From Middle Ages onward – became most important blue pigment
Replaced in 18th century by synthetic pigments

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19
Q

What are the characteristics of Copper resinate?

A

GREEN
Dissolve copper salt in resin
To add glaze
To saturate greens
Used in combination with verdigris

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20
Q

What are the characteristics of Prussian blue

A

BLUE
Synthetic
19th century onward
1724 artists came across it

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21
Q

What are the characteristics of oil paint?

A

o Drying oil – hardens to give a tough film
o Gives more saturated tones
o 12th century in northern Europe: Most popular oil – linseed oil – comes from flaxseeds – tends to yellow a bit
o 15th century in northern Europe: walnut oil – for pale and cool toned, occasionally for white paint – also used in Italy
o Poppyseed oil – wont yellow as much
o Artist might use multiple different oils in one painting
o Oil is gently heated to polymerize before being mixed with pigment – oil sets
Oil paint can combine with:
o Turpentine – added to thin paint
o Siccative – lead oxide – drying medium
o Diluents – spike oil
o Oil paints normally leaves shiny smooth surface without brushstrokes

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22
Q

What are some white pigments?

A

Gypsum
White chalk
Lead white
Zinc white
Titanium white

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23
Q

What are the characteristics of Van Dyck brown?

A

BROWN
Derived from earth compounds
Used in oil and watercolor paintings
Early modern period – mixed with ochre to make warm brown
Named after painter van Dyck

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24
Q

What are the characteristics of Ochre?

A

YELLOW
Natural mineral pigment
Contains silica and clay
Iron oxide makes is yellow
Used since prehistoric times – in cave paintings
Color can vary – from light yellow to brown
Early 20th century – synthetic variant used

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25
Q

What are the characteristics of glue tempera?

A

o Gelatin or casein is used as a medium
o Binder/medium is from animal origin (does not include eggs)
o Used on cloth – usually linen
o Cheaper than oil – explains popularity

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26
Q

What are the characteristics of Smalt?

A

BLUE
Cost is relatively low
Can be spotted in X-rays
Popular it is cheap, dries fast, good color

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27
Q

What are the characteristics Bone black?

A

BLACK
Blue/black
Made from charring bones
Used for dark background
Often mixed with other pigments

28
Q

What are the characteristics of Bitumen?

A

BROWN
Asphalt
Dark brown – verging on black color
Used for paints and glazes

29
Q

What are the characteristics of Madder root?

A

RED
A lake
Lake pigment derived from madder root
Ancient Egypt – used to color textiles
Used in north and south Europe
Used until today
Stable

30
Q

What are the characteristics of Vermillion?

A

RED
Orangey in tone
Very good covering power
Stable and permanent
Used in north and south Europe in early modern period
Often combined with other pigments
Used from antiquity until today
Is toxic

31
Q

What is Tempera?

A

Pigment is mixed with water-soluble medium
Egg yolk, glue or gum arabic

32
Q

What are the characteristics of Verdigris?

A

GREEN
Blueish greenish
A little transparent
Not stable
Toxic
Shiny
Often mixed with lead white
With age it turns dark brown or black

33
Q

What is shell gold?

A

 Gold leaf that has been ground to a powder
 Powder is applied to mordant
 Mixed with binder - oil or animal glue – then painted on
 Used for smaller/finer details or highlights
 Used for illuminations in manuscripts

34
Q

What is a stretcher?

A

o Wooden construction
o Canvas is nailed or glues to stretches
o Makes canvas flat and thought – no irregularities – tension
o Can hold inscriptions and labels
o Primary support: canvas – secondary support: stretcher
- 19th century
o Standard sizes are developed

35
Q

What are the characteristics of Lakes?

A

RED
A type of pigment - ex. madder root
Made by a dye
Separate substance from a solution
Comes from insects
Fugitive – don’t react well to light
Important in early modern period
Create transparent layer over paint layer

36
Q

What are the characteristics of Sienna?

A

Yellowish brown
When sienna is heated up it turns darker – called burnt sienna
Very permanent
Can be mixed with other pigments

37
Q

What are the characteristics of Natural ultramarine?

A

BLUE
Been around since antiquity
Derived from lapis lazuli
Afghanistan – main provider of lapis lazuli
Since it was sourced faraway it was expensive
Ultramarine = over the sea
Mined 6000 years ago
Exist in Egyptian tomb paintings
Raphael, da Vinci used it

38
Q

What is wet-on-wet?

A

Layers of wet paint are laid on to previously applied layer of wet paint

39
Q

What is glaze?

A

Translucent paint film
o Specifically used for areas of fabric
o Thinly applied layers of paint – texture on fabric
o If applied on another color – modify color to be more translucent
o Thickness makes different tones

40
Q

What are the characteristics of Lead-tin yellow?

A

YELLOW
Discovered in 13th century
Used until 18th century
Good covering power
Light in color
2 types
1st Found in early modern period painting

41
Q

What is fresco secco?

A

Dry fresco
o Pigment is applied on dry plaster
o Requires binding agent to make pigment stick to surface
o Result is less vibrant

42
Q

What are the characteristics of white chalk?

A

Limited hiding power
Stable
Widely used still today

43
Q

What are some binding media for pigments?

A

Oil
Egg yolk
Glue

44
Q

What are the characteristics of lead white?

A

(aka ceruse)
Warm whites, subtle undertones – red and yellow
Used for skin colors
Mineral
Used since antiquity
Metallic lead and vinegar
Realized it was poisonous
Dries very fast

45
Q

What are the characteristics of Artificial Ultramarine?

A

BLUE
Cheaper alternative compared to natural ultramarine

46
Q

What are the characteristics of Cobalt blue?

A

BLUE
Very stable pigment

47
Q

What are the characteristics of Orpiment?

A

YELLOW
Quite good covering power
Stable
Rich yellow – almost golden
Not used as much in northern Europe
Used in Italy

48
Q

What is Gilded applied relief

A

 Gold leaf is applied onto raised decorative motif made from plaster like substance
 Rare in early Netherlandish art

49
Q

What are the characteristics of Minium red?

A

RED
Good hiding power
Still in use today
Used to illuminate manuscripts and paintings
Used in some parts of Asia

50
Q

What are the characteristics of Lamp black?

A

BLACK
Made from soot
Sometimes used in ground layer of painting

51
Q

What is Boun affresco?

A
  • Boun affresco (true fresco)
    o Application of pigment on wet plaster
    o Composition is usually sketched out with charcoal or sinopia
    o Sinopia
     Pigment – underdrawing material for fresco
    o Only enough plaster is added for one day’s work
52
Q

What is varnish?

A
  • Any transparent/protective coating that is applied last to paint layer
  • Composed of natural resin that is dissolved in solvent (ethyl alcohol, turpentine)
  • Forms glasslike film on painting
  • Protects paint layer and creates glossy finish that reflects light
  • Can be applied with brush or lightly stamped
  • Tends to crack and yellow – can necessitate a replacement
  • Recipes exist from 9th century
  • Early 16th century – spirit varnishes (ethyl alcohol, turpentine)
53
Q

What is impasto?

A

Parts on painting where layers of paint are built up to create texture – brushstrokes can be seen

54
Q

What can pigments be made from?

A

minerals, plant based, synthetic

55
Q

What are the characteristics of Green earth?

A

GREEN
Varying in colour
Used since antiquity
Used by Medieval Italian painter to suggest flesh tones
Hiding power is low
Not affected by light

56
Q

What is fresco painting?

A
  • Comes from Italian word ‘fresco’ (fresh)
  • Wall paintings on wet plaster
  • Becomes prominent in Italian Renaissance
  • Can be combined with gold leaf
  • Requires dry climate – explains why it´s not used a lot in north Europe
57
Q

What are some yellow pigments?

A

Lead-tin yellow
Ochre
Orpiment
Yellow Lake
Indian Yellow
Chromium Yellow
Cadmium Yellow
Sienna

58
Q

What is gum tempera?

A

Pigment mixed with gum arabic

59
Q

What are som other supports?

A
  • Parchment or vellum
  • Stone
  • Metal
  • Copper
    o Favored for durability
    o Small to medium size
    o Detailed paintings
    o Shiny finish
    o Sourced in central Europe – Hungary, Sweden, Germany
    o Nonabsorbent surface
60
Q

What is a canvas?

A
  • Most common canvas material – linen, can also find hemp, silk (later part of 18th century cotton)
  • More easily portable
  • Used for banners, hangings, funeral cloths
  • Emerges in Italy first
  • Later in Netherlands and Germany
  • Canvas is covered with gesso – first course gesso – then smooth gesso – then smoothened
61
Q

What are some green pigments?

A

Verdigris
Copper resinate
Malachite
Green earth
Viridian

62
Q

What is tüchlein?

A

linen canvas
o Plain weave
 Each yarn over and under – regular weave
o Canvas is coated and sized with animal glue

63
Q

What are the characteristics of Dragon’s blood?

A

RED
Deep red
Derives from resin from trees

64
Q

What tools are used with oil paint?

A

o Brushes
 Made from hog bristles
 Came in different sized used for different effects
o Pallet knife
 Flat metallic paint
 Can be used to add or remove paint
o Fingers to paint
Cloth

65
Q

What are the characteristics of Malachite?

A

GREEN
Kind of permanent
Sensitive to heat
15th – 16th century
Oldest green pigment

Visual art (12 decks)

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