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Violet Sensual, regal, and full of psychological depth
On the color wheel violet is a mixture of red and blue, 2 colors that
are direct opposites in terms of temperament. Small wonder that small
differences in the mix can lead to large differences in mood for this
color. Consequently there are more variations of violet with special
names (and are claimed to be separate colors by many) than any other
spectral color. Some violet's are purples, some rose, some magenta,
some mauve , some lavender each with their emotional associations.
Imperial Purple (Tyrrian Purple) was actually a dark red worn by the
Ceasars and is symbolically imperious, while lavender is always
soothing and calming. Deep violets are mysterious while rose is simply
beautiful.
Violet is the darkest spectral color and is at the edge of vision. It
was always a rare color for the ancients. Amethyst is the only violet
gemstone, and it is only in flowers that the color is easily found in
nature. Thus when William Henry Perkin's invented the first affordable
mauve dye in the mid 19th century it immediately became a fashion
color. Even in the arts it is no accident that the mauve type colors
became prevalent in pre-Raphaelite and Victorian art immediately
followed the introduction of Perkin's Mauve and related colors. For the
artist Violet is like black - never an essential color because it can
easily be mixed from the primaries, and in many ways the violets made
from a mixture of say Ultramarine and either Permanent Rose or Pyrrole
Alizarin are far more interesting than the violets from violet pigments.
Cobalt Violet PV
14 ASTM l
Chemical type and
description
Inorganic synthetic mixed metal oxide. Cobalt violet phosphate in the
19th century was prepared by refining a natural ore which also
contained
arsenic and so was a very dangerous pigment. Introduced about 1860. The
synthetic version, although considered toxic, as are all cobalt colors,
is far safer. It can be made in several shades but for artists use the
light (reddish) and dark or deep (blue-violet) are the ones of
interest. Absolutely permanent, and makes a hard and fairly flexible
oil paint film. It is not suitable for dry media.
Toxicity
Cobalt is considered toxic, do not ingest. Do not breath dust.
Media suitability
Linseed oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache, Tempera,
Encaustic, Fresco.
Manganese Violet PV
16 ASTM l
Also known as Mineral Violet
Chemical type and
description
Inorganic synthetic metal salt Introduced in 1868 this absolutely
permanent violet. It is available in both reddish and a blue shade very
similar to the blue shade of Cobalt Violet. It is absolutely permanent
and moderately priced but has low tinting strength. It is fast drying
and makes a hard and fairly flexible oil paint film. Not suited to
Fresco or Acrylic, but an excellent violet in oils and
watercolors.
Toxicity
Manganese is considered toxic, do not ingest. Do not breath dust.
Media suitability
Linseed oil, Alkyd, Watercolor, Gouache, Tempera,
Encaustic, Pastels, Chalk.
Quinacridone Violet PV 19
& PR 122 ASTM l
Chemical type and
description
Organic synthetic Quinacridone. These two pigments are clear bright
transparent pigments of great strength and are the most light fast
organic pigments in this shade range. There are no inorganic pigments
with this brilliance and purity of color. Paradoxically PV 19 comes in
a red version as well as a red-violet, while PR 122 is a beautiful
magenta color. PV 19 can be problematic during paint making. They all
make hard and fairly flexible oil paint films and are average drying,
Suitable for all media.
Toxicity
Not considered toxic. Do not breath dust.
Media suitability
Linseed oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache, Tempera,
Encaustic, Fresco, Pastels, Chalk.
Dioxazine Violet PV 23
ASTM l l
Also known as Carbazole Violet
Chemical type and
description
Organic synthetic Oxazine. Although not as light fast as any of the
other violets on this page it is well liked by industry due to high
tinting strength, non toxicity and suitability for all media.
Personally I prefer to choose mixtures of far more permanent colors
than use this color. Average drying and makes a hard and fairly
flexible oil paint film.
Toxicity
Not considered toxic. Do not breath dust.
Media suitability
Linseed oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache, Tempera,
Encaustic, Fresco, Pastels, Chalk.
Mars Violet PR
101 ASTM l
Chemical type and
description
Inorganic synthetic iron oxide. In Roman times the natural equivalent
of this was called Caput Mortuum which means 'the head of the dead' a
bizarre name referring to the color of dried blood. The synthetic
pigment is a beautiful soft violet that makes perfectly the sort of
soft mauvey browns when mixed with white that is the natural color of
lips. It makes the sort of violets that are found in tree trunks and
old wood or in summer landscapes. Used far less than it deserves this
violet is confusingly indexed as a red and only the name reveals its
true color family. Average drying and makes a hard and fairly flexible
oil paint. Suitable for all media. Superb pigment in all respects.
Toxicity
Not considered toxic. Do not breath dust.
Media suitability
Linseed oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache, Tempera,
Encaustic, Fresco, Pastels, Chalk.
Other Violets Excellent but
not necessary
Ultramarine Violet
(PV 15)
A pale violet of low tinting strength but great permanence this pigment
is too weak to be of much use in oil but performs better in water based
mediums and is actually very useful for lavender shades in Pastels and
Chalks. Average drying and makes a hard and fairly flexible oil paint
film. Is able to be used in all media except Fresco. Non Toxic.
Available as both bluish and reddish versions.
Isoviolanthrone
Violet (PV 31)
An excellent pigment of high light fastness (ASTM l). Non toxic and
suited to all media.
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Miscellaneous pigments
References
Alberti, L B, On Painting 1435
(Penguin Classics)
Cellini, B, The Life Of Benvenuto
Cellini, finished 1562 but not published until 1730
(Heron)
Cennini, C d'A, The Craftsman's
Handbook. 1437 (Dover)
Doerner, M, The Materials Of The Artist And Their Use
In Painting, 1921 (Harcourt Brace)
Eastlake, Sir C L, Materials For A History Of Oil
Painting, 1847 (Dover)
Feller, R L, Artists Pigments 1986
(National Gallery Of Art / Cambridge University)
Gettens, R J, and Stout, G L, Painting
Materials: A Short Encyclopedia, 1942
(Dover)
Gottsegen, M D, A Manual Of Painting Materials And
Techniques, 1987 (Harper & Row)
Maire, F, Colors: What They Are And What To Expect Of
Them, 1910 (Drake)
Mayer, R, The Artists Handbook Of Materials And
Techniques, fifth edition 1991 (Faber
& Faber)
Merrifield, Mrs. M P, Medieval And Renaissance Treatises
On
The Arts Of Painting 1849 (Dover)
Muther, R, The History Of Painting From The Fourth
Century To The Early Nineteenth Century, 1907 (Putnam)
Parkhurst, D B, The Painter In Oil 1898
(Lothrop, Lee & Shepard)
Patton, T C, Pigment Handbook, 1973
(Wiley)
Porter, N Webster's Revised Unabridged
Dictionary, 1913 (Merriam)
Pliny, The Elder (Gaius Plinius), Natural
History, 77 AD (Penguin Classics)
Roy, A Artist's Pigments: A Handbook Of
Their History And Characteristics, 1994
(Oxford University Press)
Taubs, F, A Guide To Traditional And Modern Painting
Methods, 1963 (Thames & Hudson)
Theophilus, On Divers Arts, 1125 (Dover)
Various, Encyclopedia Britannica,
fifteenth edition 1981 (Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc)
Various, Paint And Painting, 1982,
(Winsor & Newton / The Tate Gallery)
Various, The Artist's Colormen's
Story, 1984 (Winsor & Newton)
Vasari, G, The Lives Of The Most Excellent Painters,
Sculptors And Architects, 1568 (Penguin Classics)
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