Re: Problem pigment

On Fri, 3 Jun 2005, Katharine Thayer wrote:

> But, this pigment (as M. Graham Cadmium Red) prints totally weird. It's
> a beautiful clear medium red in the paint, but in the gum print it's the
> dullest, ickiest terra cotta color you ever saw. And on one paper-size
> combination it stained, although as a rule I never see pigment staining.
> Here's some examples of what it looks like:

Years ago I had a number of cadmium colors (light,medium and deep, in red,
yellow and orange, as I recall) not Graham, but probably WN & Grumbacher,
which I'd used for watercolors, for which they were fine... a nice opaque
red, yellow, etc. when you need one. The results in gum print however were
so terrible the once or twice I tried them,I just stopped... the reds
completely, the yellow mostly (just a touch to beef up another yellow at
times).

I found them the absolutely MOST opaque colors in the box, not counting
certain blacks... whether that was cause of the problem, or the cadmium
metal itself, no idea, maybe both. But -- cadmium is (I understand) an
EXTREMELY evil chemical environmentally, in fact the question comes to
mind if there still is actual cadmium in paints so named. I read somewhere
about 5 years ago that cadmium pigments were being banned, whereupon
painters (or some of them) went into mourning/shock/hysterics. Or it could
have been 10 years ago. Time flies.

And a question -- I haven't been carefully following discussion of
lightfastness... tending to rely on manufacturers ratings (most do provide
that). I realize those can be overoptimistic, but I stick with the best
rated, thereby saving time, energy & brain cells for emergencies.. I'm
wondering though if those who've devoted more attention will cite the
benefits -- and/or tell me what I'm missing?

If Artists Equity has a website, they used to provide that kind of info in
a color newsletter. Joy Turner Luke was a maven on pigment... tho don't
know where she's been lately.

Finally, it is claimed that earth colors mixed with other colors lend them
their light fast qualities, though as I recall not all earth colors are
lightfast, but those that are do... However, it is not quantified, so
sticklers won't trust it anyway. On the 3rd hand, I think photographers
worry about this more than painters do... So they'll only last 100 years.
If the world lasts 100 years, that is.

eternally,

Judy
Received on Fri Jun 3 19:31:25 2005