Old Holland Classic Artist Watercolor - Red Earth, 6 ml tube

Pigment Information

This color contains the following pigments:

PY42-Mars Orange

PR112-Naphthol Red AS-D

PR102-Natural Light Red Iron Oxide

Pigment Name

PY42-Mars Orange

Pigment Type

inorganic, earth

Chemical Name

iron oxide

Chemical Formula

Fe2O2 or Fe2O3 • H2O

Properties

Mars Orange is a bright, extremely light red and appears almost pinkish in contrast with darker colors. It has incredible tinting strength and opacity. The synthetic form of Mars Orange is made from iron oxides and is cleaner, brighter, and denser than its ochre-based counterparts.

Permanence

Mars Orange has excellent permanence and lightfastness.

History

The word Mars refers to the Roman god of iron and war. Mars Orange has been manufactured as a pigment since the 17th century.

Pigment Name

PR112-Naphthol Red AS-D

Pigment Type

organic, monoazo

Chemical Formula

C24H16Cl3N3O2

Properties

This Naphthol Red is an intense scarlet red pigment that is heavily staining. It has an average drying time. It is semi-transparent and has relatively poor covering power.

Permanence

This Naphthol Red has been rated as having excellent lightfastness under ASTM testing, but other testing methods have demonstrated some tendancy for the color to fade with exposure to strong ultraviolet light. It has been considered a replacement for less lightfast naphthol reds such as PR3. Not suitable for exterior use.

Pigment Name

PR102-Natural Light Red Iron Oxide

Pigment Type

inorganic, natural

Chemical Name

iron oxide

Chemical Formula

Fe2O2

Properties

Natural Light Red Iron Oxide is a brick red pigment with a bright, scarlet top tone. Mineral sources vary considerably in both hue and transparency. It is generally opaque and has great tinting strength and hiding power, but more transparent versions are available. It creates salmon pinks when mixed with white. Natural Light Red Iron Oxide is often replaced by Mars colors or bright red oxides, which are cleaner and more powerful.

Permanence

Natural Light Red Iron Oxide has excellent permanence and lightfastness.

History

Natural red iron oxide comes from the mineral ore hematite, called bloodstone by the ancient Greeks from the word hema, meaning blood. It is one of the oldest pigments, has been used by every major civilization, and was an important mineral for medieval alchemists. It was not widely used in artists' materials until the 17th century and was not produced in large quantities until the 18th century.