The Delight of Pure Pigments - Exploring The World of colour
Lapis Lazuli - The King of Blues
Blue Verditer: Connecting Modern Artists to Ancient Wisdom
Blue Verditer: Connecting Modern Artists to Ancient Wisdom
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At Appleby's 300-year-old Colour Maker's House, master artisans transform Afghan lapis lazuli into genuine ultramarine using medieval techniques. Unlike synthetic versions once made near Windermere for both artists and laundry soap, true ultramarine from lapis possesses irreplaceable luminosity that Turner and Renaissance masters prized above gold. To see the full article . . .
Blue Verditer: Connecting Modern Artists to Ancient Wisdom
Blue Verditer: Connecting Modern Artists to Ancient Wisdom
Blue Verditer: Connecting Modern Artists to Ancient Wisdom
Discover how blue verditer pigment—a "happy accident" from 16th-century silver refiners—represents the mystical tradition of hand-mixed colours. From medieval alchemists' "Venus colours" to Turner's palette, this forgotten copper-based pigment embodies the intuitive artistry that connects today's artists to centuries of creative wisdom. To see the full article
Lead or Flake White: The Master's Choice
Blue Verditer: Connecting Modern Artists to Ancient Wisdom
Understanding Colour - Looking at Colour Databases
The pigment that built the Renaissance still captivates artists today—but is it right for your practice?
This ancient pigment has been the backbone of Western oil painting for over 400 years. Yet today, many artists have never used it—or even know it's still available.. To see the full article
Understanding Colour - Looking at Colour Databases
The Story behind the Artist's Pencil from the Lake District
Understanding Colour - Looking at Colour Databases
How many artists have picked up a tube of paint, looked at the back, and seen a code such as PB29, wondered what it means and why?
Welcome to the world of international colour databases - sophisticated scientific resources that are transforming how artists understand, create, and preserve art. To see the full article
The Story behind the Artist's Pencil from the Lake District
The Story behind the Artist's Pencil from the Lake District
The Story behind the Artist's Pencil from the Lake District
Graphite, with its distinctive metallic lustre ranging from deep black to silvery grey, stands as one of the most fundamental and accessible drawing materials in the artist's toolkit. This remarkable mineral has enabled countless masterpieces and remains the backbone of artistic expression... To see the full article
The Story behind the Artist's Pencil from the Lake District
The Story behind the Artist's Pencil from the Lake District
The Story behind the Artist's Pencil from the Lake District
Graphite, with its distinctive metallic lustre ranging from deep black to silvery grey, stands as one of the most fundamental and accessible drawing materials in the artist's toolkit. This remarkable mineral has enabled countless masterpieces and remains the backbone of artistic expression... To see the full article
Discover The world of Binders, Mediums and Solvents
Damar Varnish For Oil Paints
DISCOVER HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD'S BEST WATERCOLOURS
Which Oil Is Best for Oil Painting
For centuries, artists have used dammar varnish to protect and enhance oil paintings. Derived from the resin of Southeast Asian Shorea trees, it provides optical clarity, archival stability, and workability, making it essential for generations of master painters, yet it remains a mystery to many contemporary practitioners.
Which Oil Is Best for Oil Painting
DISCOVER HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD'S BEST WATERCOLOURS
Which Oil Is Best for Oil Painting
Oil painting has captivated artists for over a thousand years, offering richness and depth unmatched by watercolour and tempera. The oils that bind pigments reflect stories of human ingenuity and agricultural mastery, showcasing the evolution of artistic practices from ancient cultivation to contemporary studios.
DISCOVER HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD'S BEST WATERCOLOURS
DISCOVER HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD'S BEST WATERCOLOURS
DISCOVER HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD'S BEST WATERCOLOURS
Honey-based watercolours represent one of humanity's oldest paint-making traditions, spanning from ancient Egyptian tomb paintings to contemporary artisan studios.
From Desert Gold to Artist's Watercolours
Distemper: From Medieval Masterpieces to Modern Interiors
DISCOVER HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD'S BEST WATERCOLOURS
Creating watercolour and gouache paints with Gum Arabic connects modern artists to ancient techniques while supporting environmental conservation in Africa's Sahel region. Known as "gold of the desert," gum arabic aids in combating climate change and provides sustainable income for millions, serving artists for over 4,000 years. To read more ...
Distemper: From Medieval Masterpieces to Modern Interiors
Distemper: From Medieval Masterpieces to Modern Interiors
Distemper: From Medieval Masterpieces to Modern Interiors
Distemper is both a decorative paint and a historical medium for painting pictures, distinguished from tempera by its use of vegetable or animal glues as binders. This ancient medium, which served as an early form of whitewash, has evolved from the walls of monasteries to contemporary art galleries. To Read More
Differences Between Frescos and Limewash
Distemper: From Medieval Masterpieces to Modern Interiors
Distemper: From Medieval Masterpieces to Modern Interiors
Frescoes and lime wash paintings are related but not the same thing.
A fresco, a type of mural painting done on wet plaster, is a significant part of our artistic heritage. When mixed with water and applied to the damp plaster, the pigments bond with the calcium carbonate to form a durable painting. These bright and luminous artworks hav
Frescoes and lime wash paintings are related but not the same thing.
A fresco, a type of mural painting done on wet plaster, is a significant part of our artistic heritage. When mixed with water and applied to the damp plaster, the pigments bond with the calcium carbonate to form a durable painting. These bright and luminous artworks have adorned the interior walls of buildings for thousands of years, adding a touch of elegance to churches, palaces, and other structures.
On the other hand, lime wash paintings are created pigments already added to the slaked lime mixture and painted directly onto the wall and therefore tend to be simpler and more rustic in feel.
In summary, both frescoes and lime wash paintings offer a canvas for artistic expression. Frescoes, a type of mural painting done on wet plaster, and lime wash paintings, created by applying a mixture of slaked lime and water to a surface, can be tinted with pigments to add colour. While frescoes are typically more detailed and sophisticated, lime wash paintings offer a more textured and rustic aesthetic. Both forms of art encourage the exploration of colour and technique.
Pigments suitable for Frescos | Pigments best suited for Lime-wash