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punk-a-cat · 1 year

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Light-fast? My pigment is a fugitive and ran away with the sun!

Okay, okay, you're about to be subjected to one of my favourite topics, so if you have no interest in traditional art and why some stuff fades away (quite literally) then move along.

But if you're like me, and you want to know more about pigments vs dyes and why your pink thing has over time become a white thing, keep reading…

So, my interest, aka my dive into the rabbit hole that is lightfastness, started way back when I made a friend a bright pink thing (cheap student grade acrylic paint on canvas board) , they hung it up in their window, and it slowly turned into a white thing.

Gasp! Shock! Horror!

No really, I was slightly traumatized, simply because I was about to start selling my artwork and if it was going to fade away in the space of a year odd, then I was going to have a big problem. I mean, you can't sell art and then tell people they must keep it in a dark place and only observe it under moonlight. Well okay you probably could if you marketed it right, but I'm terrible at marketing and the idea of someone coming back to complain about the art disappearing gives me anxiety.

So I went on a hunt to find out WHY.

So let's talk about pigments vs dyes and what fugitive pigments are, and why artist grade is so much more expensive than student grade.

What's the difference between pigments and dyes?

Think of paint made from pigments as a suspension, finely ground up particles are suspended in a medium, much like mixing sand into water. If you let a sandy water mix sit for long enough the sand particles will sink to the bottom and separate from the water. Pigment based paint sits on the surface of your canvas or paper (yep even watercolours, the paper gets wet, but when it dries the pigments are sitting on the surface, they haven't sunk in and bonded with the paper). Pigment based paint is more inclined to be opaque.

Paint made from dyes are a solution, very very finely ground particles are dissolved into a medium and change their chemical makeup, you can let them sit as long as you like and they won't separate. Dyes sink into the surface of the paper or canvas. Dyes are naturally transparent. Dyes are used for fabric precisely because they sink into the surface and bond with it.

So, those fugitive pigments huh?

I'll start with the kicker, dyes, by their very nature, are fugitive. Let me explain that a bit more - dyes are a solution, they have chemically bonded with the medium and because of this chemical change they are much more vulnerable to UV light, to the point they can completely disappear. Alcohol markers are a prime example of this. This is also why clothing fades over time.

Any fluorescent colour is fugitive. Don't ask me why, they just are.

So what about pigments? Well, if you mix them with oil, pretty much all the pigments will manage to stick around, oil creates a protective coating that shields the pigments from UV light.

Not so with other mediums though, so some pigments will fade over time. As paint companies have become aware of this, they have tried to find alternative pigments that are light-fast and you will find a light-fast rating on good brands of paint.

The white factor.

White tends to be opaque and is very light-fast, it's usually PW6 pigment for titanium white and PW5 for zinc white, which is also known as the mixing white and is supposedly less opaque - personally I can't tell the difference.

So, white, all good, gonna use white which is light-fast and this tube of red which is also listed as light-fast and make pink, no worries right? Wrong.

Mixing white into other pigments can make them less light-fast. Why???? I hear you scream.

It's to do with (someone correct me if I'm wrong but this is my understanding) the fact white reflects light, so as soon as you mix another pigment into white, not only is the concentration of the pigment reduced, it's also at the mercy of all that extra light. Some pigments are naturally very light-fast anyway and being mixed with white won't be much of an issue.

Avoiding the known fugitive pigments is a good start to ensuring your artwork is going to stick around for the long haul, of course painting in oils is more of a guarantee but not everyone can be bothered with the mess.

So, artist grade vs student grade?

In general artist grade paint will have a light-fast rating, list the pigments used AND most importantly they will contain much more pigment and better quality pigments than cheaper paints. More pigment means stronger more vibrant colours, you need less paint to cover a surface, there are no fillers like chalk to make the paint opaque and the quality of the pigments is higher. Basically when you buy artist grade paint you are paying for the pigments used, you're more likely to find single pigment paints and the pigments are more likely to be light-fast.

Of course oil paint can pretty much ignore this, buy whatever works for you, it's not going to matter much.

What about student grade? Well, student grade from a reputable brand may still give you a list of pigments and a light-fast rating, you can feel pretty assured that the paint will perform as required, but the pigments will be cheaper and less concentrated. If, like me, you have found yourself utterly annoyed you can't get a vibrant enough look from your student grade paint no matter how much you apply, then this is why, it simply doesn't have the same amount of pigment as the artist grade in the same brand does. While the artist grade is more expensive, my personal findings with watercolours are that I use much less of it because it is more pigmented, so it works out more cost effective in the long run.

Student grade will often substitute an original pigment for a 'hue', like 'cadmium red hue' which is a replication of the colour and doesn't actually contain the cadmium red pigment. So you get a lower cost pigment in a lesser concentration.

Student grade paint generally won't be as concerned with using light-fast pigments, so you're more likely to find less permanent pigments and also pigment mixtures rather than pure single pigment paints.

What's the difference between single pigment and mixed pigment? Glad you asked. It's the mud factor, we've all mixed paints together and come out with a sludgy grey muddy colour right? Mixed pigment paints when they contain multiple pigments are more likely to give you dull muddy colour when you mix them with other paints, simply because mixing complimentary colours together will give you a neutral grey. (Stares hatefully at reeves watercolours, my first experience with mud production and chalkiness)

Single pigment paints are easier to mix vibrant colours with.

What about student grade, or ungraded paint from non recognized brands? Well, generally they make up their own names for the colours, they give you no pigment or light-fast rating (though many claim to be light-fast, they show no actual ratings and can't be trusted) and they can often contain dyes as well as fugitive pigments, because they are cheaper to use. They will contain a lot of fillers and less pigments, and can be harder and more frustrating to use. It's not always the case of course, but in general you get what you pay for.

Finally, designer mediums vs art mediums.

Or - was never intended to last vs meant to be hung on a wall.

Some currently popular and commonly used mediums were never intended for preservation. They were created for design, be it architecture, fashion design, magazine illustrations or other things that were made to be photographed and then reproduced in print.

Prime examples of this are alcohol markers and gouache. They were never ever intended to be light-fast, they were made for quick execution and reproduction, the original was often just thrown out.

Gouache, because it dries fast and is matte makes it perfect for both quick turnaround illustrations and reproduction. The matte surface makes photography easy without any worries about reflected light messing up the image. It was used extensively in the magazine and printed periodical industry.

Alcohol markers were more aimed at the design industry.

Gouache, by it's very design tends to still be very inclined to use fugitive pigments, Windsor & Newton do have some with high light-fast ratings, but you have to read the labels carefully and if you use the paint as a wash it's still going to say goodbye faster than it should (it's the white factor again, this time it's the white of the paper).

Alcohol markers, as I've said before, are dye based, and are highly fugitive. (Do I get mad when people sell original art done in alcohol markers, yeah, a little bit, I feel bad for the person buying it who presumably wants to put it on the wall and it IS going to fade away. I don't see anything wrong with selling the artwork, markers have their own charm and the effects are quite unique, but you should at least warn people that it's fugitive)

Most calligraphy inks designed to go inside pens are dye based and will fade. (Gel writing pens too, even in closed books that will fade drastically, ask me how I know!) (Pigment based ones tend to clog so are reserved for dip pens and brushes, and are usually mixed with shellac to make them waterproof. )

Don't be put off using these mediums, they are great fun to play around with, just be aware that they are not designed to be exposed to light for long periods of time are best for reproduction as prints.

Can you enhance the lightfastness of a painting?

Yep, put it behind glass (perspex is even better?). I think it's possible to find UV resistant varnish too, but don't quote me on that, I haven't seen any myself. I don't think this is a reliable method for dye based art though sadly, while watercolours behind glass will last longer, some dyes can fade away even without light on them (see the gel pen experience)

Can you do your own lightfastness test on your mediums?

Sure can, as long as you have a control swatches kept in a dark place, you can put swatches in direct sunlight and compare them to the ones you kept in the dark to see how much they have faded and how long it took. Some will show no signs of fade even after a year of direct sunlight, some might disappear completely, it will depend on the pigments.

So there you have it, the lowdown on the difference between pigments and dyes, why your medium of choice makes a difference to how long your artwork will last and what makes artist grade what it is.

#art talk #traditional art #art materials #lightfastness #pigments vs dyes #cross posted on cohost and pillowfort

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ra-the-hoff · 1 year

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Remember this? I saw very very mixed reviews about @kuretakejapan ‘s #gansaitambi #lightfastness. Lightfastness refers to a pigment’s ability to withstand light exposure. I don’t recall learning about Lightfastness in college but I did learn the hard way about it when I drew an 18 by 24 drawing with pens that had poor-to-no lightfast levels. These paint pan sets, however, didn’t do bad at all! I will be making lots of paintings with these wonderful paints. Swipe to see the outcome… that being said, I see some of you drawing with ballpoint pen… be careful with that. . . . #lightfasttest #gansaitambiwatercolor #watercolor #watercolorpainting #paintswatches #art #paintpans #kuretake #kuretakegansaitambi https://www.instagram.com/p/CpAy_PPOM4o/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#gansaitambi #lightfastness #lightfasttest #gansaitambiwatercolor #watercolor #watercolorpainting #paintswatches #art #paintpans #kuretake #kuretakegansaitambi

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vj13wl0cclhnz · 1 year

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valmepublishing · 1 year

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Discover the Best Coloring Medium

Leave a Comment / Coloring books for creativity, Coloring books for meditation, Coloring books for mental health, Coloring books for mindfulness, Coloring books for personal development, Coloring books for relaxation /

A Guide to Colored Pencils, Markers, and Watercolors on Amazon

Coloring books have become a popular form of relaxation and art therapy for people of all ages. To bring your coloring pages to life, it is essential to choose the right coloring medium. There are many options to choose from, including colored pencils, markers, and watercolors.

Here are some of the best coloring mediums for working with coloring books:

Colored Pencils

Colored pencils are a classic choice for coloring book enthusiasts. They provide a smooth and blendable application, making it easy to create soft blends and gradients. Colored pencils also offer a large color selection and come in various textures, from smooth to gritty. Here are some of the best colored pencils available on Amazon:

Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Pencils: These pencils are known for their high-quality pigments, soft leads, and smooth laydown. They come in a wide range of colors and are perfect for blending and shading.

Staedtler Ergosoft Colored Pencils: These pencils have an ergonomic triangular shape, making them comfortable to hold for extended coloring sessions. They offer good color intensity and are great for both layering and blending.

Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils: These high-quality pencils have a strong, break-resistant lead and are water-resistant. They are great for fine detailing and come in a range of vibrant colors.

Derwent Colored Pencils: These pencils have a smooth and creamy texture, making them perfect for layering and blending. They come in a range of soft and vibrant colors and are water-soluble for added versatility.

Crayola Colored Pencils: These budget-friendly pencils are a great option for kids or those just starting out with coloring. They offer good color laydown and come in a range of bright colors.

There are many options for high-quality colored pencils on Amazon. From the soft and blendable Prismacolor Premier pencils to the budget-friendly Crayola options, choose the set that fits your needs and start bringing your coloring pages to life!

Markers

Markers are a great option for bold, vibrant colors and clean lines. They come in a variety of tip shapes and sizes, making it easy to color large areas or add small details. Alcohol-based markers, like Copic markers, offer a wide range of colors and are blendable, while water-based markers are more child-friendly. Markers are a popular choice for coloring books, offering bold and vibrant colors and clean lines. Here are some of the best markers available on Amazon:

Copic Markers: These alcohol-based markers are known for their high-quality pigments, wide range of colors, and blendability. They come in various tip shapes and sizes and are a popular choice for professional artists.

Prismacolor Premier Markers: These dual-tip markers offer both fine and brush tips, making them versatile for coloring large areas or adding fine details. They are blendable and come in a range of colors.

Sharpie Brush Pen Markers: These water-based markers have a flexible brush tip for smooth, fluid lines and are perfect for calligraphy and lettering. They come in a range of colors and are quick-drying and water-resistant.

Chameleon Color Tones Markers: These alcohol-based markers have a unique blending system, allowing you to blend colors right on the paper. They come in a range of colors and are perfect for layering and shading.

Crayola Super Tips Markers: These budget-friendly markers have a fine tip for clean lines and a large color selection. They are water-based, making them safe for kids, and can be used for a variety of projects.

There is a range of high-quality markers available on Amazon, from the professional-grade Copic markers to the budget-friendly Crayola options. Choose the markers that fit your needs and bring your coloring pages to life with bold, vibrant colors.

Watercolors

Watercolors can add a beautiful, soft touch to your coloring pages. They come in tubes, pans, and even pencils, making it easy to work with. Watercolors are blendable and can be layered for added depth and texture. However, it is essential to use a waterproof book and protect the pages with a piece of paper or cardboard to prevent smudging. Watercolors are a popular choice for coloring book enthusiasts, offering a unique and versatile option for painting and blending. Here are some of the best watercolors available on Amazon:

Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors: These watercolors offer a high level of pigment concentration and good tinting strength. They come in a compact pan set or tubes, making them easy to transport and perfect for outdoor painting.

Holbein Artists’ Watercolors: These high-quality watercolors offer excellent lightfastness and strong pigments. They come in a range of colors and are perfect for professional artists or hobbyists.

Daniel Smith Watercolors: These watercolors are known for their unique and vibrant pigments, offering a wide range of colors not found in other watercolor sets. They are perfect for layering and blending and come in tubes or pans.

Sennelier Watercolors: These watercolors are made with high-quality pigments and offer a unique texture and richness in color. They are perfect for traditional painting techniques and come in tubes or a metal box set.

Van Gogh Watercolors: These budget-friendly watercolors are perfect for kids or those just starting out with watercolor painting. They have good tinting strength and come in a range of colors.

Conclusion

Our research showed that there were serval high-quality watercolors available on Amazon, from the professional-grade Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolors to the budget-friendly Van Gogh option. Choose the set that fits your needs and bring your coloring pages to life with the unique and versatile medium of watercolor.

Ultimately, the best coloring medium for you will depend on your personal preferences and the look you are going for. Experiment with different mediums and have fun bringing your coloring pages to life!

Whether you prefer the traditional colored pencils, bold markers, or the soft touch of watercolors, there is a coloring medium for every style. Choose what works best for you and enjoy the process of coloring and unwinding with our latest book Beautiful Birds Coloring Book.

#ColoringMedium #ColoredPencils #Markers #Watercolors #Amazon #Best #Guide #Professional #BudgetFriendly #VibrantColors #Blendable #Lightfastness #PigmentConcentration #Texture #MetalBoxSet #BudgetFriendlyOptions #valmepublishing

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artbatov · 1 year

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Pinax Extra. Однопигментная акварель. Светостойкость. Single-pigment wat...

#youtube #lightfastness #light fastness #watercolor #watercolor paints #watercolorpaints #artsupplies #ArtBatArsenal

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tppart · 9 months

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I brought out all my fanciest pencils to make her and I think she turned out to be my favorite! This one took me the longest to make out of all my drawings but it was worth it :)

#my art #caran d'ache luminance #caran d'ache pablo #prismacolor #derwent lightfast #faber castell polychromos #ohuhu alcohol markers

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colleendoran · 9 months

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I went to a lot of comic cons in college. My impression was that most of the creators were… creatives. People that spend long hours in front of a drawing board or a typewriter, building worlds out of the aether that is their brain(s). That’s illustration to me. Physically manifesting the metaphysical, moment by moment. Picking the best moments for each beat of the story.

I -flat out- went to school to be a comic book artist. I just cannot fathom feeding my wife and my boys by manifesting the images in my head into a monthly income. But hey, that’s me. Your work is a continuous source of inspiration and joy for me.

My eldest son loves the power rangers. He he drew the green ranger in pencil on a canvas. He then painted the drawing with acrylic. He had a full-on meltdown when the painting didn’t look as good as he wanted it to look.

I sat with him and explained the process of creating comic book artwork. From blueline to publication. I spoke with him about the value of perseverance, and the value of using mixed media. He waited a day and then outlined his painting with Sharpie. He BEAMED with pride when he showed me the final product. Made me so, so happy.

Rodin was a hack. Dude had no deadlines, and no narrative outline.

Keep being awesome. You are an inspiration to me, to my boys, and to generations to come.

I am so glad you are encouraging your son to make art and enjoy it, and it is great that you find so much to appreciate in comic art and have so much respect for those who make it. We all truly appreciate it.

A few thoughts, if I may.

If you want your son to understand and appreciate mixed media, you might want to move him away from using markers like Sharpies.

If you are concerned about the longevity of the original art, I regret to inform you alcohol based markers such as Sharpies and Copics are not lightfast. That is to say, they fade on exposure to UV light. They do not use pigmented inks, they use dyes.

The fading may not happen today, it may not happen tomorrow, but it will happen sooner than you would like. Many well-known cartoonists who used Sharpies on their original comic pages, or did commissions sketches using them, have seen the art fade markedly (pun intended) over time.

Here's what that looks like.

This Klaus Janson commission has just about gone home to Jesus.

Try to switch to pigment based markers, such as those from Faber Castell, or go wild and learn to use a crow quill.

Also, while I truly appreciate your kind compliments, it's not necessary to do that at another artist's expense.

Rodin was the complete opposite of the definition of "hack".

A hack is a term originally used for one who works on tight deadlines to publisher specifications, and produces poor quality work.

That's not Rodin.

Rodin was a spectacular talent who earned his place in the canon. He came from humble beginnings and spent the first two decades of his career sculpting decorative architectural elements. He obtained his place as a fine artist after many years of struggle.

And even then, a fine artist often works to deadline, as there are salons and exhibit specs that must be met, as well as the requirements of patrons and clients, to say nothing of the grueling formal training aspiring artists were subjected to in the ateliers.

His work often contains strong narrative elements as well, as evidenced by his design for The Gates of Hell.

In fact, for most of the history of modern art, narrative elements were considered anti-art. As someone who prefers 19th century genre art, this attitude is bummerific.

The term "hack" comes from the 17th century term "Grub Street Hacks".

Back in the day writers did not get royalties. Bookstores usually published books and paid writers a flat fee and never another penny, which resulted in a lot of very broke writers, or writers who came from wealthy families who could afford to scorn the sordid topic of coin.

Grub Street was located in London where a lot of book publishers were housed next to brothels and flophouses. It's now known as Milton Street. This area was the location of the lowliest of the low publishing joints.

The great Samuel Johnson was once a Grub Street Hack.

I've just read the most wonderful book about Samuel Johnson which has many amazing details about the development of publishing. The Club: Johnson, Boswell and The Friends Who Shaped an Age. My highest recommendation, though some will be very upset by attitudes and behaviors toward the women in these men's lives.

Johnson, despite many years of poverty, was able to escape after his work eventually earned him a royal pension. When well-thought of creative people couldn't make royalties, they were supported by wealthy patrons and the royal pension system.

While I don't have a formal education, I spent many years doing research for auction catalogues and ghost writing articles about art history, which is why I am annoyingly pedantic about it all to this day.

#rodin #samuel johnson #comics #lightfast #hack #grub street hack

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mila-mm · 10 months

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#art #drawing #sketchbook #traditional art #colored pencil #Derwent Lightfast #Holbein colored pencils #caran d'ache

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pansyfemme · 1 year

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art supply pricing is shit and way too much money but i cant stand those ‘cheap vs expensive’ art videos bc they come to the conclusion that theres no difference and like. yeah i 💖 cheap supplies cheap supplies r my best friend. but unlike the makeup videos those art videos want to be soooo bad the reason that a lot of premium supplies are pricy isn’t as immediatly visable. bc like. with makeup its cool and fine to find a dupe cuz its on ur face for like. a few hours. but even if an art supply is alike in every other way cheap pigments and papers r not gonna survive very long. which becomes an issue if you’re selling your work. bc like. yeah you can sell anything but if you’re doing a commision theres an expectation that if you put in on the wall its going to stand the test of time and if you use acidic paper and poor quality pigments that shit is probably like a year or so at most without looking very different. While i understand that these videos are meant for kids and there are adult art videos meant for professionals, its very true that a lot of ppl these days who later become professionals start off with art youtube as kids and its pretty important to not spread misinfo. bc like, fuck the art supply prices but they aren’t priced like that for no reason. how pigmented something is tends to matter a bit less than what something is pigmented with. Cheap art supplies are really good for practice, but when selling work its important to make sure you understand how your work will hold up over time, bc its not fun for anyone when your paper starts to degrade and your pigements fade.

#different products for different uses! understand the lightfastness rating on paints! understand which contain heavy metals and how to #protect yourself! use acid free paper for everything that you dont want to degrade #keep a flat work portfolio and keep it safe as possible #just like. learn about and research your materials. bc there is a difference #im a big believer in using what you have and selling work using cheap materials isnt always bad but you should inform your buyer how to #store it and how to keep it out of direct sunlight.#like. work smart. i buy my practice watercolor paper in the clearance section if possible but when im doing a peice i plan to sell or #display i only use the high quality stuff.

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