Old Holland Classic Artist Watercolor - Manganese Blue Deep Extra, 6 ml tube

Pigment Information

This color contains the following pigments:

PB35-Cerulean Blue

PG50-Cobalt Green

PB33-Manganese Blue

PV16-Manganese Violet

Pigment Name

PB35-Cerulean Blue

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

cobalt(II) stannate

Chemical Formula

CoO n SnO2

Properties

Cerulean Blue is the standard cool blue, considered the traditional counterpart to Ultramarine, and is often used for painting atmospheric shades. It is quick drying and retains its color well, better than any other blue, in oil paint form. However, it tends to granulate or become chalky in watercolors. It has limited hiding power, is semi-opaque, and is easy to control. Its tinting capacity is low, so it can become lost when mixing.

Permanence

Cerulean Blue has excellent permanence. It is very stable and lightfast.

History

The name Cerulean Blue comes from the Latin word caelum, meaning sky. This pigment was discovered in 1805 by Andreas Hopfner, but it was not widely available until introduced by Messrs. G. Rowney & Co. in England under the name coeruleum in 1860 for use in aquarelle and oil painting. It was produced by the action of heat on cobalt oxide and other metallic bases.

Pigment Name

PG50-Cobalt Green

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

cobalt titanium oxide

Chemical Formula

Co2TiO4

Properties

Cobalt Titanium Oxide is a low intensity color with a weak tinting strength, similar to Cobalt Blue. It has an average to fast drying time.

Permanence

Cobalt Green has excellent permanence and lightfastness.

History

Since ancient times, smalt blue has been used to color glass and ceramics. Cobalt salts, which give smalt its characteristic blue color, were identified in the 18th century. Techniques for manufacturing various cobalt salts, offering a range of blues and greens, were developed in the 19th century.

Pigment Name

PB33-Manganese Blue

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

barium manganate + barium sulfate

Chemical Formula

BaMnO4 + BaSO4

Properties

Manganese Blue is a brilliant, clear, semi-opaque to transparent blue pigment with a greenish undertone. Its saturation and texture varies across manufacturers.

Permanence

Manganese Blue has excellent lightfastness in watercolor form.

History

Manganese compounds have been in use as pigments for more than 17,000 years. The Egyptians and Romans commonly used them in glass-making. The synthetic variation was officially patented in 1935, but neither the original nor the synthetic is commonly produced today, as Manganese Blue has been replaced on the artist’s palette by more intense blues. Most brands offer a Manganese Blue made from Phthalocyanine Blue. Appropriate substitutes in watercolor form are the rare Peacock Blue, Phthalocyanine Blue (Green), or Phthalocyanine Blue lightened by Zinc White.

Pigment Name

PV16-Manganese Violet

Pigment Type

inorganic

Chemical Name

manganese ammonium pyrophosphate

Chemical Formula

(NH4)2Mn2(P2O7)2 - Mn3(PO4)2 * 3H2O or H4O7P2H3NMn

Properties

Manganese Violet is a semi-transparent, bluish-violet pigment with a discrete opacity and low tinting strength. It is the reddest of the violets, and it covers and dries well in oil and tempera. It also performs well in pastel, encaustic, and watercolor. Manganese Violet is not well suited for fresco or acrylic painting. There can be significant differences in color across brands. It shares similar properties with bluish shades of Cobalt Violet.

Permanence

Manganese Violet has excellent permanence and lightfastness, and it is one of the most lightfast, balanced violets in watercolor form.

History

This pigment was developed in 1868 by E. Leykauf to replace the more expensive Cobalt Violet. It was not offered as an artists’ pigment until 1890.