88 by Steve Sauer on 05/23/01 at 5:39 PM
Re: Oil Colours for old paint. tec.

In Reply to: Re: Oil Colours for old paint. tec. posted by Steve Sauer on 05/21/01 at 9:06 PM:

Regarding the non-existent pigment "flake yellow.."

I also realized that this might be Naples yellow. Naples yellow was once one of the most useful pigments for artists (lead-tin yellow is chemically similar and was used in place of it at certain points in history). Naples yellow is an in-between yellow. It's not as brilliant as the cadmium yellows or the chromate yellows, but it's not as brownish and earthy as the iron oxide yellows. Naples and Lead-tin yellows are available in several shades. Naples generally is available in an orange-yellow version and a less orange version that is lighter. Lead-tin can range from a brownish yellow that looks like old lead chromate light that has turned color or it can look like a lighter more lemon (but still rather earthy) color.

Naples yellow is valued for its extreme opaqueness and the fact that it's lightfast and doesn't crack. However, the last manufacturer of this pigment stopped making it quite a while ago, so 95% of the "Naples yellow" sold by paint makers is not the real thing. Real Naples yellow is a lead-antimony oxide compound that is very poisonous, and works extremely well as an artists' pigment.

Lead-tin yellow is more yellow and less orange than Naples, less opaque, and is sold by Kremer in dry form and by Robert Doak and Eric (Astoria) in paint form and dry form. The lightest lemon shade of lead-tin yellow (offered in dry form by Kremer and in paint form by Astoria) seems to be very attractive, but it's nothing like Naples. I would suggest that artists who are careful with their supplies try using both this lemon shade of lead-tin and the more orange Naples yellow.

On thing to note: I have tubes of Robert Doak Naples yellow and his lead-tin type II, and both contain grit, which makes painting with them difficult. His other colors do not contain this grit. I don't know if Kremer or Astoria will have grit, too.


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Re: Oil Colours for old paint. tec. Steve Sauer
Re: Oil Colours for old paint. tec. Elliot Iver