Articles

The roots of Indian ink stretch back thousands of years. Find out how this artists’ staple was first used, and why it’s still so popular today.

Bright and opaque, cerulean blue is invaluable to artists. Find out why painters including Monet and Signac prized this beautiful sky blue.

Once considered more precious than gold, ultramarine was often used for the Virgin Mary's robes. Trace the evolution of this special colour.

Indian Yellow is a luminous golden pigment with excellent transparency and glazing qualities. It is widely admired for its depth, body and radiance in oil and watercolour painting.

Sienna was one of the first pigments used for painting. Learn why it took off in the Renaissance and remains a staple in artists’ palettes.

Ranging from warm light tones to deep brown, umber is part of the prehistoric palette of natural earth pigments, and the darkest. Discover the story behind raw umber, an artists'...

Discover the troubled history of emerald green, and learn about Winsor & Newton’s non-toxic, brilliant blue-green replacement, Winsor Emerald.

Trace the development of Indian red, an essential colour for watercolorists and oil painters alike with a history spanning thousands of years.

Brilliant, distinctive and dangerous, vermilion has made its mark on art history over thousands of years. Find out more about this dramatic red.