Regular readers know Iâm serious about replacing heavy-metal pigments with their non-toxic equivalents. The hardest is the cadmiums, since they mix differently from their non-toxic analogs. However, Iâve done well with everything but cadmium orange.
Research suggests thereâs a fugitive pigment problem with two common cadmium substitutions: naphthol red and Hansa yellow. However, the science is mixed. Are these colors going to fade over time? Yes, no, and maybe.
The binder matters
Compared to oil paints, watercolor pigments fade faster (which is why I use this watercolor site as my first stop in researching pigments). Oil paint is made with linseed (or walnut, or safflower) oil, which forms a durable film as it cures. That film offers some natural UV protection and binds the pigment tightly to the surface. Watercolors, on the other hand, rely on gum arabic and leave almost no film. The pigment is just sitting there exposed. So, all pigments last longer in oils than in watercolor, especially when the work is varnished.
The paint manufacturer matters a great deal. Cheap student grade paints are made with cheap pigments, and the result is often fading. If youâre serious about painting, choose serious paint.
Iâm about to get into the weeds of pigment numbers. If youâre not familiar with how they work, read this on how to read a paint tube, or check the manufacturersâ websites. If theyâre good paint-makers, theyâre upfront about the pigments.
Is Hansa yellow fugitive?
Hansa yellow isnât a single pigmentâitâs a family of modern, synthetic yellows based on arylide chemistry. Youâll see them on paint tubes labeled as PY3, PY73, and a few other close cousins. Some versions are more lightfast than others, but all of them fall somewhere in the middleânot entirely fugitive like Alizarin Crimson, but not bulletproof. Add to that the fact that different brands formulate their paint with different binders and pigment loads, and the result is a maddening lack of consistency.
The âlemon yellowâ Hansas are the worst offenders. PY1 and PY2 are fugitive or marginally lightfast pigments. PY3 varies by manufacturer and batch. The medium and deep Hansas are more lightfast, including PY97, PY65 and PY74 (which is commonly found in acrylics).
Naphthol red
The fugitive Naphthol reds are PR3 and PR9 (developed primarily as a printing ink). Look for PR112, PR170 and PR188. Better yet, substitute a Pyrrole Red; theyâre all lightfast. PR254 is one of the most light-stable reds available on the market today.
The sad story of the disappearing quinacridones.
I love all the quinacridone pigmentsâtheyâre lightfast, brilliant and inexpensive. But certain of them, especially on the yellow and red end, have disappeared or become very difficult to find.
The problem is industrial. Pigment manufacturers donât exist for the art world. Weâre a tiny sliver of their business. These pigments were originally developed for things like car paint and plastics. If a particular quinacridone pigment stops being profitable for auto manufacturers, it often gets discontinued. Thatâs exactly what happened with the original PO49 Quinacridone Goldâit was taken off the market because the volume sold to artists just couldnât justify the cost of keeping it in production.
How to choose stable, long-lasting pigments
Always start by reading the pigment numbers, not just the names on the tubes. Don’t panic if your favorite paint changesâjust test, adjust, and keep painting. Buy products from good manufacturers. And make peace with the idea that nothing lasts forever.
Got a favorite discontinued pigment or a lightfastness disaster story? Drop it in the commentsâletâs commiserate together.
Great post! Iâve swapped out my Hansa yellows for Bismuth (Vanadate) yellow (PY184). itâs available in oil, water mixable oil, and acrylic. Now Iâm off to stock up on quinacridone red. Who knew it was all about cars?
Thanks for the link to Bruce McEvoy’s information. I noticed that it was last revised more than ten years ago (08/01/2015) and I couldn’t find an update on line. A lot has happened in the last ten years and I wondered if there is an updated source anywhere.
I am still in mourning for the quinacridone colors — especially gold — that I loved.
I geeked out on pigments a couple of years ago and spent hours painting swatches of every watercolor I owned and labelling them with the pigment numbers from the tubes. It was really helpful and gave me a reference. (Also remind me that I had wasted a lot of money on colors I didn’t need — just because someone teaching a workshop included it in their list of colors to have — or because I saw someone else use it and thought it really beautiful.)
One of my favorite stories is how Max Grumbacher who began Grumbacher paints in 1905 in NYC (120 years ago). Then added paints purchased from well known Schmincke Horadum in Europe before WWII to save them. Then they were purchased back after. Now that’s dedication to art supplies! They take testing their paints seriously and when the company is over 100 years old you get accurate long lasting results!
Personally (though i could be wrong) i think oils are often brighter or longer lasting because the style up to recently was to paint watercolor in washed out grey and faded pigments. One of the reasons i was first drawn to your vibrant watercolors. I like using watercolor and appreciate skipping the toxic solvent mess of oils. My paintings are similarly vibrantly colored, though sometimes mistaken for oils.
I miss “Opera”! Which I stopped using since it’s fugitive. “Quin Violet” is close. Ditto for “Alizarin Crimson” and its permanent substitute. Windsor Newtons “Raw Sienna” is pretty close to quinacridone gold. But, It will be a sad day if the quinacridone paints are not available.
My question is what’s with “Prussian Blue”? Most of the newer tubes of all manufactures i’ve purchased are more like “Phalo Blue” and I end up cringing and mixing it to get something closer but not quite what used to be called Prussian Blue anyway.
Oh and my missed discontinued pigment is Daniel Smith “Smart Genuine” (only used rarely but perfect for the times i needed it), and “Moonglow” which i’d use much more but though rated well some say is more fugitive.
I spent 15+ years looking for a w/c with PY153, having picked up a Venezia tube in a close-out sale in Perugia in 2006. âHandprintâ said the pigment was discontinued in 2012. BUTâŚit is the sole pigment in Sennelier Yellow Light, available now. Wonderful lightfast, transparent primary yellow. Mixes beautifully with every blue, red or orange you want to try. Iâd better buy a few more tubes.
Oh no! I love QGold! And I was wondering about Prussian Blu too. Dang!
Prussian is an old and reliable pigment.