BLACK Art Supply Pigment Database Watercolor Acrylic Ink Pencil Color Chart Swatch

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Artist reference guide to Black pigments in art supplies. Color chart swatch cards of common pigments in watercolor, gouache, acrylic paint, inks, graphite, charcoal and colored pencils. Each entry includes lightfast ratings from the brand (and any fugitive test result notes from me), index by pigment number code, brand, manufacturer color name, how the color appears in masstone (full strength) or diluted (with water). Each image displays opacity, lifting (erasing with a damp brush), layering (see how dark of a value can be obtained by a 2nd coat of paint) and if it's capable of holding a smooth gradient blend in wet.

 

PBk1 , PBk6 , PBk7 , PBk8 , PBk9 , Graphite PBk10 , PBk11 , PBk12 , PBk13 , PBk14 , PBk17 , PBk18 , PBk19 , PBk22 , PBk23 , PBk24 , PBk25 , PBk26 , PBk27 , PBk28 , PBk29 , PBk30 , PBk31 , PBk32 , PBk33 , PBk34 , PBk35

Natural, antiquity, mineral or unique black pigments: NBk1, NBk2, NBk3, NBk4 , NBk6 , Acetylene Black , Antimony Black , Black Earth , Black Tourmaline Genuine , Bloodstone Genuine , Cobaltic Oxide , Cuprous Sulfide , Hartshorn Black , Ivory Black Genuine , Lead Sulfide

 

Grayscale swatch card information panel

 

Why salt swatch color separating mixtures identify similar pigment differences 

PBk1 Aniline Black:

Also known as Aniline, Azine, Jet or Peach Black. Considered the least lightfast black, with variable fading from LFII to LFIV depending on the brand and form. It has been used as a clothing dye and most often present in student grade gouache paints. This dark value matte black is also mixed in with the more stable PBk7 or PBk9 in some brands to increase its lightfastness. Shinhan Korea and Holbein Japan both offer PBk1 in watercolor form, lightfast test in progress (any updates will be added to the fugitive pigments list page) (C.I. 50440). 

PBk1 Holbein Acrylic Gouache Acryla D922 Jet Black pigment swatch card art watercolor test fugitive lightfast color database

PBk1 Mixtures:
PBk9 PBk1 Schmincke Horadam Gouache Ivory Black Art Pigment Database

 

PBk6 Carbon Black:
Also known as Lamp Black. LFI / BW8. Staining black made synthetically from petroleum residue, or found naturally in Shungite. Many companies have labeled their PBk6 paint as Lamp Black, but that should not be confused with PBk7. (C.I. 77266)

PBk6 Schmincke Horadam Watercolor Lamp Black Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk6 Daniel Smith Watercolor Lamp Black Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk6 Kremer Furnace Black watercolor pro student lightfast test swatch card art color pigment database water 

PBk6 Mixtures:

PB60 PB15 PBk6 Paul Rubens Hint of Glitter Pan Set Watercolor Sea Blue Swatch Card Color Chart PB29 PBk6 PG50 Schmincke Horadam Ocean Grey Cesc Farre watercolor pigment color separating granulating blue wool lightfast swatch art PY110 PG7 PBk6 Rosa Gallery Sap Green Watercolor Paint Pigment Database Handprint Color Chart PB15:4 PY153 PBk6 PY97 Blick Artists Watercolor Hooker's Green Deep Art Pigment Database PR101 PBk6 Winsor and Newton Professional Van Dyke Brown Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PBr7 PBk6 Blick Artists Watercolor Sepia Art Pigment Database PG17 PBk6 PBk19 PW5 Winsor and Newton Professional Davy's Gray Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PBk6 PV19 PB15 Winsor and Newton Professional Indigo Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PV19 PB15 PBk6 Paul Rubens Standard Pan set Indigo art swatch card color pigment database stain test masstone diluted PBk6 PV19 PB15 Winsor and Newton Professional Payne's Gray Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PB60 PBk6 Daniel Smith Watercolor Payne's Blue Gray pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PBk6 PB15:6 Schmincke Horadam Payne's Grey Bluish watercolor pigment granulating lightfast vibrant swatch database art color PB15:4 PB29 PBk6 Grumbacher Academy Payne's Gray Watercolor Swatch Card PBk6 PV19 PB15 Winsor and Newton Professional Neutral Tint Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PV19 PR101 PBk6 Daniel Smith Watercolor Neutral Tint pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PBk6 PBk7 Winsor and Newton Professional Lamp Black Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart

 

PBk7 Lamp Black:
Also known as Carbon Black or Ivory Black. LFI / BW8. Made from the soot residue of petroleum, natural gas, or lamp oil burning. (C.I. 77266)
PBk7 Schmincke Horadam Watercolor Anthracite Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk7 Prima Art Philosophy Confetti Black Watercolor Swatch Card PBk7 Paul Rubens Hint of Glitter Pan Set Watercolor Coal Black Swatch Card Color Chart PBk7 Schmincke AeroColor Acrylic Black texture diluted masstone glazed dip pen writing swatch card PBk7 Schmincke Aqua Drop Deep Black Watercolor Swatch Card PBk7 Paul Rubens Standard Pan Coal Black swatch card pigment art set half full pan lightfast fugitive art PBr7 Holbein ACRYLIC INK Burnt Umber pigment swatch card color colour database PBk7 Arrtx Gouache Black Color Pigment Database Paint PBk7 Jo Sonja's Matte Fluid Acrylic Carbon Black chroma opaque flow vibrant pigment swatch card database PBk7 Holbein Acrylic Gouache Acryla D193 Primary Black pigment swatch card art watercolor test fugitive lightfast color database 

 

PBk7 Mixtures:
PBk7 PY83 Prima Art Philosophy Confetti Sand Watercolor Swatch Card PBk7 PY74 PW6 Daler Rowney Aquafine INK Yellow Ochre Pigment Database Student PBk7 PV23 PW6 Arrtx Gouache Lilac Color Pigment Database Paint PB29 PV23 PBk7 PW4 Old Holland Classic Watercolors Blue Grey pigment swatch rare mineral paint art professional PW4 PV23 PB29 PBk7 Old Holland Classic Watercolors Violet Grey swatch pigment dark paint art pro grade PG36 PBk7 Liquitex Basics Acrylic Deep Green color separating granulating pigment shimmer metallic PY42 PG7 PBk7 Old Holland Classic Watercolors Hooker's Green Lake Deep Extra swatch pigment dark paint art pro grade PY153 PY151 PG7 PY42 PBk7 Old Holland Classic Watercolors Sap Green pigment swatch rare mineral paint art professional PBk7 PG7 PY42 Calli Sennelier Watercolor Forest Green pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PG7 PBk7 PY43 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Forest Green lightfast fugitive database pigment art swatch card test rare water color colour PG7 PBk7 PY43 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Dark Forest pigment art swatch color colour water hue lightfast rare test PG17 PY1 PBk7 Rosa Gallery Watercolor Olive Green Pigment Database Color Chart Swatch Card PY83 PO13 PBk7 Prima Art Philosophy Confetti Brown Watercolor Swatch Card PBr6 PBk7 PY42 Rosa Gallery STUDIO Raw Umber student grade pigment art swatch color card colour sonnet comparison PY42 PBr6 PBk7 PW6 White Nights Watercolor Dunes PBk7 PR101 Winsor and Newton Professional Sepia Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PBr7 PR177 PBk7 Rosa Gallery Watercolor Sepia Transparent handprint color chart Pigment PY42 PR101 PBk7 Rosa Gallery Watercolor Mars Brown handprint database color chart Pigment PY150 PBr7 PBk7 Schmincke Horadam Watercolor Vandyke Brown Art Pigment Database PBk7 PY42 Arrtx Gouache Burnt Umber Color Pigment Database Paint PR101 PBk7 Daler Rowney Aquafine INK Burnt Umber Pigment Database Student PR101 PBk7 PY42 Rosa Gallery STUDIO Sepia student grade pigment art swatch color card colour sonnet comparison PB15 PBK7 PW6 WHITE NIGHTS WATERCOLOR MARENGO ART PIGMENT PAINT DATABASE PBk7 PB15 PV19 Jackson's Store Brand Payne's Grey smooth pigment database sennelier art color swatch card PB15:1 PV19 PBk7 Rosa Gallery Watercolor Indigo Art of Pigment Tube Full Pan Color Chart PB15:1 PV19 PBk7 Rosa Gallery Watercolor Payne's Gray Watercolor Database Peynes PB19 Pigment PBk7 PB29 Daler Rowney Aquafine Payne's Grey watercolor student grade pro professional pigment pan PB15 PBk7 PG7 Rosa Gallery Black Green watercolor swatch card pigment art colour water masstone diluted astm database PBk7 PV19 PV3 Rosa Gallery Black Grape watercolor swatch card pigment art colour water masstone diluted astm database PB60 PBk7 PR209 Sennelier Pro Watercolor Neutral Tint Art Pigment Database PR122 PB60 PBk7 Schmincke Horadam Neutral Tint watercolor pigment granulating lightfast vibrant swatch database art color PR102 PR187 PBk7 Sonnet Sepia pigment swatch card PB15:1 PBk7 PV19 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Payne's Gray art color colour mixture pigment watercolor water swatch test PBk7 PB15:3 PV19 Qor payne's Gray art swatch PB15:1 PR177 PBk7 Rosa Gallery Neutral Black Watercolor Art Pigment Database Tube Pan Color Chart PBk6 PBk7 Winsor and Newton Professional Lamp Black Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PBk7 PB15-1 Rosa Gallery STUDIO Lamp Black student grade pigment art swatch color card colour sonnet comparison PR101 PB29 PBk7 Schmincke Horadam Schmincke's Paynes Grey watercolor pigment granulating lightfast vibrant swatch database art color PBk7 PR63:1 PB15 Sonnet Lamp Black pigment swatch card PR254 PBk7 PW6 Rosa Gallery Warm Grey watercolor swatch card pigment art colour water masstone diluted astm database PR102 PBK7 PW6 WHITE NIGHTS PEARL GREY WATERCOLOR GRAY NEUTRAL PIGMENT SLATE

 

PBk8 Vine Black: Lightfast. Usually made from plant matter that has been burned in a low oxygen container to make charcoal. PBk8 can also include mineral deposits, such as when a forest fire caused a charcoal sediment layer. Often mildly granulating, sometimes with tiny speckles of burned plant particles that will no longer smooth out in wet washes. This pigment is overall uncommon in watercolor (Roman Szmal, Old Holland), but Schmincke and Nitram also make "liquid charcoal" which works very similarly with a matte gouache-like finish. Powder charcoal is available from more than a few manufacturers (Coates, General Pencil, Jackson's etc) which make willow and grape vine charcoal for drawing. In addition to those pre-made powders, you could DIY Pbk8 by placing dry vines/sticks into an altoids tin or covered pot and placing it into a campfire for several hours. Can be easily ground with a mortar and pestle, then mixed with gum arabic for DIY watercolor. Schmincke's liquid charcoal uses fruit seeds and is one of the most finely ground, deep valued and high quality products of them all. Schmincke's Grape Seed Black is remarkably cool, with hints of blue undertones. I have read that "cork black" was considered "the poor man's ultramarine" historically, because it was the most blue of black pigments made for a time. (C.I. 77268)

 PBk8 Schmincke Liquid Charcoal Watercolor Cherry Pit Black Swatch Pigment Card Database Image Dark Matte PBk8 Schmincke Liquid Charcoal Watercolor Peach Stone Black Swatch Pigment Card Database Image Dark Matte PBk8 Schmincke Liquid Charcoal Watercolor Grape Seed Black Swatch Pigment Card Database Image Dark Matte PBk8 Roman Szmal Watercolor Vine Black Swatch Pigment Card Database Image Dark Matte PBk8 Nitram Watercolor Fusains Liquid Charcoal Swatch Pigment Card Database Image Dark Matte

PBk8 Mixtures:
PY42 PBK8 PW6 PETERSBURG OCHRE WHITE NIGHTS WATERCOLOR PAINT PIGMENT SWATCH CARD PR102 PBk8 White Nights Watercolor Van Dyke Brown

 

PBk9 Bone Black:
Also known as Ivory Black. LFI / BW8. Made from the burning (calcined/heated) animal bones, resulting in a mixture primarily made up of carbon and calcium. Paints labeled as Ivory Black should mention that it is a hue, since true Ivory Black requires elephant tusks & is banned in most countries. Sadly this pigment is rarely properly named Bone Black and hardly ever referred to as Ivory Black "Hue" (replica), but rest assured no Elephants were harvested for their Ivory to make PBk9. (C.I. 77267)
PBk9 Winsor and Newton Professional Ivory Black Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PBk9 Shinhan Korean Color A Black 1 Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PBk9 Turner Watercolor Ivory Black Color Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk9 Paul Rubens Standard Pan set Ivory Black pigment art watercolor medium transparent color separation PBk9 Holbein Watercolor Ivory Black Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk9 Schmincke Horadam Watercolor Ivory Black Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk9 Liquitex Basics Acrylic Ivory Black color separating granulating pigment shimmer metallic PBk9 Daniel Smith Watercolor Ivory Black pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PBk9 Old Holland Classic Watercolors Ivory Black Extra swatch pigment dark paint art pro grade PBk9 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Ivory Black art color colour mixture pigment watercolor water swatch test PBk9 Talens Gouache #703 Black Intenso 

 

PBk9 Mixtures:

PBk9 PB15-3 PR177 Old Holland Classic Watercolor Indigo Extra pigment swatch database card color separation swatch PB15:1 PBk9 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Midnight Blue art color colour mixture pigment watercolor water swatch test PG7 PBk9 PY74 Liquitex Basics Acrylic Hooker's Green Hue Permanent color separating granulating pigment shimmer metallic PY150 PBk9 PG17 PBr25 Roman Szmal Aquarius Olive Green Deep water color pigment swatch card image art granulate separate PR101 PBk9 Schmincke Horadam Burnt Sienna Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart  PY42 PBk9 PW6 Liquitex Basics Acrylic Neutral Gray Value 5 color separating granulating pigment shimmer metallic PBr7 PBk9 Old Holland Classic Watercolors Sepia Extra swatch pigment dark paint art pro grade py42 pr101 pbk9 Old Holland Vandyck Brown Cassel Extra watercolor paint granulating color separation PBr7 PBk9 Daniel Smith Watercolor Sepia pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PB15:1 PBr7 PBk9 Schmincke Horadam Sepia Brown Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PR242 PBr7 PBk9 Schmincke Horadam Sepia Brown Reddish watercolor pigment granulating lightfast vibrant swatch database art color PBk9 PBr7 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Sepia art color colour mixture pigment watercolor water swatch test PB29 PY42 PBk9 Daniel Smith Watercolor Payne's Gray pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PB15 PB29 PBk9 Paul Rubens Standard Pan Payn's Grey swatch card pigment art set half full pan lightfast fugitive art PB29 PBk9 Old Holland Classic Watercolor Payne's Grey pigment swatch database card color separation swatch PBk9 PB29 Utrecht Watercolor payne's Gray Art Pigment Database PBk9 PBk1 Schmincke Horadam Gouache Ivory Black Art Pigment Database

  

PBk10 Graphite:
LFI / BW8. Pigment made from the crystallized mineral form of Carbon. There are many natural forms of Graphite, including micaceous flake embedded in layers of other rocks which has a glittering mica appearance. Graphite is often synthetically processed (separating particles via elutriation or flotation and then purified) to allow for up to 99% pure carbon. It ranges from silvery gray to black, often with a luster. Even if the luster/sheen is not visible when painted, it can often be polished/burnished/buffed to a metallic shimmer or sheen (flattening the particles into a reflective surface, like a shoe-shine).

 

PBk10 graphite pigment coarse micaceous silver black high carbon paint

 

Many graphite products are made using a synthetic resin, starch or gum binder to be used as watersoluble paints. Most dry graphite paints can be buffed to a sheen, but this is reduced when the carbon content is high and the graphite is nearly black. Schmincke Horadam watercolor can not be polished even when rubbing the dried paint very hard with a smooth hard object (paint brush handle, back of a spoon or even a finger nail). This is mostly because Schminke's watercolor is very dark, high carbon, but also very fine particle size and above average amount of gum sealing the pigment. If you're looking for a metallic-like lustrous effect, I recommend another brand - such as ArtGraf. In heavy body acrylic paints, this luster effect can mimic real metal. Sennelier, Golden or Vallejo make wonderful PBk10 heavy body acrylics (with Vallejo being my favorite for most pigment to binder ratio, allowing for easy buffing without being too sealed in the binder). In acrylics raised brush strokes or held surface texture patterns can be allowed to dry, then rubbed to a shine resembling polished dark silver to gunmetal colored metals. (C.I. 77265)

PBk10 GRAPHITE pencil grades chart difference h f b pigment database

Graphite pencils are sometimes called "lead pencils" but modern pencils are made using graphite mixed with clay and other non-toxic binders - they do not contain toxic lead. The most common school pencils (standard "2b") as well as artist grade pencils (ranging from pale hard formulas to soft and highly pigmented darker ones) as seen in the image above can be rubbed onto sand paper to create a powder. You can use a blending stump (paper tortillon) for smoothly blended painterly effects, or stir it into some gum arabic on a dish to create easy DIY watercolor paint. This is a great way to use up some pencils you may have laying around while testing out if this pigment color is a good fit for your art style.
PBk10 Jackson's Artist Pigment Powder Graphite Silver shiny pigment art swatch card colour water color binder buff metallic PBk10 Jackson's Artist Pigment Powder Graphite Black shiny pigment art swatch card colour water color binder buff metallic PBk10 Viarco Artgraf Watercolor Graphite pigment watersoluble tailor shape PBk10 Daniel Smith Watercolor Graphite Gray pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PBk10 Derwent Graphitint Graphite Grey water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 Kuretake Gansai Tambi Fluid Graphite pigment art swatch card test metallic shimmer shine lightfast fugitive PBk10 Schmincke Horadam Watercolor Graphite Grey Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card

 

PBk10 Mixtures:

PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Russet water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 Mixture Kuretake Gansai Tambi No 240 Graphite Yellow pigment art swatch card test metallic shimmer shine lightfast fugitive PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Autumn Brown water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Port water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 Mixture Kuretake Gansai Tambi No 230 Graphite Red pigment art swatch card test metallic shimmer shine lightfast fugitive PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Juniper water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Aubergine water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 Mixture Kuretake Gansai Tambi No 261 Graphite Violet pigment art swatch card test metallic shimmer shine lightfast fugitive PBk10 Mixture Kuretake Gansai Tambi No 260 Graphite Blue pigment art swatch card test metallic shimmer shine lightfast fugitive PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Dark Indigo water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Ocean Blue water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Slate Green water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 Mixture Kuretake Gansai Tambi No 250 Graphite Green pigment art swatch card test metallic shimmer shine lightfast fugitive PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Meadow water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 Mixture Kuretake Gansai Tambi No 270 Graphite Brown pigment art swatch card test metallic shimmer shine lightfast fugitive PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Green Grey water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data PBk10 mixture Derwent Graphitint Steel Blue water color art swatch colour inktense metallic shimmer shine gray data  

PBk11 Mars Black:
Lightfastness not rated. Black Iron Oxide, formula Fe3O4. Can be made from chemically altering (heating) other Iron Oxides, or found naturally as Magnetite. Some pigment suppliers will provide you with information regarding the source of their Black Iron Oxide. Unfortunately, this pigment code does not benefit from the standard synthetic or natural distinction that has been assigned to other iron oxides. The others have received multiple pigment codes (such as synthetic PY42 vs natural PY43 Yellow Iron Oxide, synthetic PBr6 vs natural PBr7 Brown Iron Oxide or synthetic PR101 vs natural PR102 Red Iron Oxide). Most "natural" PBk11 pigment powders will usually need to be filtered in some way (particles separated from impurities), since rocks containing magnetite often form side by side with other materials such as quartz (SiO2) and hematite (Fe2O3). PBk11 watercolor is offered in many particle sizes, with the finest smallest ones being smoother and the most coarse large particles being extremely granulating. The most textural options I've seen include Lunar Black from Daniel Smith and Aquarius Black from Roman Szmal. (C.I. 77489 / 77499)
PBk11 Winsor and Newton Professional Mars Black Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Watercolor Mars Black Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card  PBk11 Turner Watercolor Mars Black Color Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk11 Daniel Smith Watercolor Lunar Black Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card PBk11 Liquitex Basics Acrylic Mars Black color separating granulating pigment shimmer metallic PBk11 Van Gogh Student Oxide Black pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PBk11 Roman Szmal Aquarius Roman Black Fine Grain natural pigment art fugitive water color colour swatch card example lightfast PBk11 Roman Szmal Aquarius Mars Black Medium Grain natural pigment art fugitive water color colour swatch card example lightfast PBk11 Roman Szmal Aquarius Black Coarse Grain natural pigment art fugitive water color fe3o4 colour swatch card example lightfast PBk11 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Roman Black Earth art color colour mixture pigment watercolor water swatch test 

 

PBk11 Mixtures:

PY42 PBk11 PR101 Liquitex Basics Acrylic Bronze Yellow color separating granulating pigment shimmer metallic PBk11 PY110 Paul Rubens Shi Yun set Yue Huang Hun # 413 pigment water color swatch card dark lightfast masstone diluted PR122 PBk11 Rembrandt Dusk Pink watercolor swatch card art color separating granulating lightfast fugitive pigment PBk11 PV19 Van Gogh Dusk Pink student watercolor swatch card art color separating granulating lightfast fugitive pigment PBk11 PV23 Van Gogh Dusk Violet student watercolor swatch card art color separating granulating lightfast fugitive pigment PBk11 PBV23 Paul Rubens Shi Yun set Ning Ye Zi # 452 pigment water color swatch card dark lightfast masstone diluted PBk11 PB15 Daniel Smith Lunar Blue Watercolor color separating granulating swatch database pigment PBk11 PB15 Paul Rubens Shi Yun set Lan Dai Qing # 461 pigment water color swatch card dark lightfast masstone diluted PB36 PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Forest Blue super granulating tundra and forest swatch pigment card color watercolor art PBk11 PG7 Van Gogh Dusk Green student watercolor swatch card art color separating granulating lightfast fugitive pigment PBk11 PG7 Paul Rubens Shi Yun set Lu Chuang Sha # 478 pigment water color swatch card dark lightfast masstone diluted PBk11 PY128 Van Gogh Dusk Yellow student watercolor swatch card art color separating granulating lightfast fugitive pigment PBk11 PBr7 PG50 Schmincke Horadam Forest Grey super granulating tundra and forest swatch pigment card color watercolor art PY159 PR108 PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Desert Brown watercolor pigment swatch art cart shire volcano new set pan tube PBr7 PBk11 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Verdaccio pigment art water color colour swatch card sample lightfast fugitive PBr7 PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Haze Brown swatch card pigment watercolor art color jacksons exclusive granulating PR108 PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Volcano Brown new art watercolor colour swatch card pigment granulating lightfast tube PBk11 PR254 Paul Rubens Shi Yun set Xiang Gong Fen # 442 pigment water color swatch card dark lightfast masstone diluted PY159 PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Desert Grey watercolor pigment swatch art cart shire volcano new set pan tube PY159 PB74 PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Shire Grey watercolor pigment swatch art cart desert volcano new set pan tube PBk11 PB29 Schmincke Professional Watercolor Galaxy Black Granulating Special Edition PBk11 PB74 PB35 Schmincke Professional Watercolor Deep Sea Black Granulating Special Edition PV15 PBk11 Daniel Smith Watercolor Lunar Violet pigment dip pen swatch card color colour database PBk11 PB29 Paul Rubens Shi Yun set Yong Di Qing # 462 pigment water color swatch card dark lightfast masstone diluted PBk11 PB29 PB15 Isaro Payne's Grey watercolor art swatch pigment card water color colour database comparison opaque hue PBk11 PB35 Schmincke Professional Watercolor Glacier Black Granulating Special Edition PB36 PBr33 PBk11 Schmincke Horadam Haze Black swatch card pigment watercolor art color jacksons exclusive granulating PW6 PY42 PBk11 PR101 Liquitex Basics Acrylic Unbleached Titanium color separating granulating pigment shimmer metallic 

 

PBk12 Iron Titanium Brown Spinel:
Uncommon. LFI / BW8. Made by heating Iron Oxide & Titanium Oxide, or found in Ilmenite ore with the chemical formula FeTiO3. (C.I. 77543)

 

PBk13 Cobalt Black:
Uncommon. LFI. Slightly toxic. Usually produced from various forms of Cobalt Oxide. (C.I. 77322)

 

PBk14 Manganese Black:
AKA Pyrolusite. Uncommon. LFI. Slightly toxic. Can be prepared synthetically from Manganese ores, or found naturally in Pyrolusite or Polianite. (C.I. 77728)

PBk14 Prodigal Son's Handmade Watercolor Pyrolusite rare pigment art swatch violet shade lightfast test card water colour color  

PBk17 Zinc Sulfide:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Chemical formula of ZnS, found naturally in the mineral Sphalerite or made synthetically from mixing Zinc salts with Hydrogen Sulfide. (C.I. 77975)

 

PBk18 Mineral Black:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Typically an aluminum silicate, but may contain varying amounts of carbon. (C.I. 77011)

 

PBk19 Slate Black:
AKA French Ardoise Grey. LFI / BW8. Very few paint makers offer this pigment. It is a dull, weak gray that may produce unpleasant texture in watercolor (as seen in Qor). Has been called Davy's Grey Deep by Williamsburg oil paint, which offers two options for PBk19 including a lighter greenish and darker cooler gray version. Most brands of "Davy's Grey" are a pale greenish-gray multi pigment mixture (including a black and white mixed with a green like PG18 or PG23). PBk19 can be made synthetically with Aluminum Silicates, or found naturally as Slate (a sedimentary rock made up of clay or volcanic ash, often a combination of minerals such as quartz, illite and chlorite). (C.I. 77017)

PBk19 A Gallo Handmade Watercolor Scisto Slate Gray pigment art swatch color colour water hue lightfast rare test 

PBk19 Mixtures:
PG17 PBk6 PBk19 PW5 Winsor and Newton Professional Davy's Gray Watercolor Swatch Card Color Chart

  

PBk22 Copper Chromite Black:
Uncommon. LFI. Slightly toxic. Made from crystalline Copper Chromite (Cu2Cr2O5). (C.I. 77429)

 

PBk23 Tin Antimony Gray:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Slightly toxic. Made by heating varying mixtures of Tin Oxide & Antimony Oxide, but can contain other materials (C.I. 77865)

 

PBk24 Titanium Vanadium Antimony Gray:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Slightly toxic. Product of heating Titanium Oxide, Vanadium Oxide & Antimony Oxide. (C.I. 77898)

 

PBk25 Cobalt Nickel Gray:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Slightly toxic. Heating Cobalt Oxide with Nickel Oxide results in a Cobalt Nickel matrix. May contain other trace minerals. (C.I. 77332)

 

PBk26 Manganese Ferrite Black:
Rare, lightfast deep black that comes from ferrous or ferric iron mixtures with Manganese, and can be diluted to a huge value range of neutral grays. Offered as Spinel Grey by Rembrandt or Neutral Tint by Maimeri Blu, this pigment is new to the watercolor world being present in just two brands as of 2018-2021. I am hopeful it will be added to more brands in the future, as it is one of the most impressively smooth, non-granulating, fine particle, extremely neutral (very little warm or cool bias) black pigments with a useful pitch-black ink-like masstone. The Rembrandt version is slightly easier to lift, salt react and dries more flat (very matte, non-glossy) in comparison to Maimeri Blu's version. (C.I. 77494)
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Rembrandt spinel grey pbk26 pigment black grayscale neutral monochromatic paint
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This pigment does not reflect light, but rather seems to absorb it - giving the appearance of a black hole. It can be remarkably helpful to design work as an alternative to black gouache, but also as a way to darken colors when mixing instead of using a neutral tint mixture. Notably dark in masstone (see bottom right square). The area above the LIFT stripe does have a second layer stripe added after dry, but it does not appear different because this color was capable of being pitch black in a single layer
PBk26 Rembrandt Watercolor Spinel Grey Art Pigment Database PBk26 Maimeri Blu Watercolor Swatch Neutral Tint rare spinel awesome database pigment hue color vibrant opaque

 

 

PBk27 Iron Cobalt Chromite Black:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Slightly toxic. Mixture of Iron, Cobalt & Chromium Oxides is heated, ideally to form the compound CoCrFeO4.(C.I. 77502)
PBk27 Mission Gold Watercolor Cobalt Black Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card

 

 

PBk28 Copper Chromite Black:
Uncommon. LFI. Slightly toxic. Chemical compound of CuCr2O4,differing very slightly from PBk22. (C.I. 77428)

 

PBk29 Iron Cobalt Black:
Uncommon. LFI. Slightly toxic. Typically found in the formula CoFe2, but amounts of Cobalt & Iron Oxides mixed can vary. (C.I. 77498)

 

PBk30 Chrome Iron Nickel Black:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Mixed metal oxide consisting of Chromium, Iron & Nickel in the ideal formula of (Ni,Fe)(Cr,Fe)2O4. (C.I. 77504)

 

PBk31 Perylene Green:
Also known as Shadow Green. Typically rated LFI /BW8, but some minor fading has been reported in tints. Synthetic organic. Very deep green color produced from the Perylene series of hydrocarbons (also used in the creation of Perylene Violet/Red/Maroon and other colors). (C.I. 71132)
PBk31 Winsor and Newton Perylene Green pigment Professional Watercolor Paint Swatch PBk31 Schmincke Horadam Perylene Green Watercolor Swatch Color Chart Pigment Database

 

 

PBk32 Perylene Black:
Uncommon, I have only found this pigment used in Roman Szmal's Aquarius watercolors. LFI. Very dark green with slightly warmer, yellow-brown leaning coloration compared to the cooler PBk31 version. Inorganic. Produced from the Perylene hydrocarbon compounds. (C.I. 71133)
PBk32 Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolor Perylene Green Deep Color Swatch Granulating

 

PBk33 Iron Manganese Oxide:
Uncommon. LFI. Mixture consisting of Iron Oxide & Manganese Oxide, ideal formula of Fe2MnO. (C.I. 77537)

 

PBk34 Molybdenum Disulfide:
Uncommon. LFI. Compound of Molybdenum & Sulfur, to create the formula Fe2. Pigment color is usually a silvery black color that can be found naturally in the mineral molybdenite. (C.I. 77770)

 

PBk35 Titanium Dioxide Black:
Uncommon. LFI. Typically produced by chemical reduction, this compound has also seen use as a photocatalyst & material for energy production. (C.I. 77890)

 

NBk1, NBk2, NBk3, NBk4 Logwood:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Logwood Dye mixed with pigments to form a Lake. Also known as Hematoxylin or Hematein. The compound comes from the heartwood of the Logwood tree. (C.I. 75290 / 75291)

 

NBk6 Asphaltum:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Naturally occurring hydrocarbons that results in compound similar to coal tar-based asphalt.

 

Acetylene Black:
Uncommon. LFI. A crystalline Carbon Black pigment of high purity made via decomposition of Acetylene (the simple hydrocarbon C2H2 Ethyne).

 

Antimony Black:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Highly Toxic. Usually in the form of powdered Stibnite. The mineral is a natural source for Antimony (Sb), and has the chemical formula Sb2S3.

 

Black Earth:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated, but likely to be fugitive (similarly to Brown Earth/Vandyke Brown NBr8) due to the nature of minerals mixed with surrounding organic matter. The stable core composition of this pigment can vary, containing Iron Oxides, Magnetite, Graphite etc. (C.I. 77268)

 

Black Tourmaline Genuine: A rare mineral pigment offered by Daniel Smith.
Mineral Daniel Smith Watercolor Black Tourmaline Genuine Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card

 

Bloodstone Genuine: A rare mineral pigment offered by Daniel Smith. Bloodstone gets its name from the red spots of hematite mixed throughout green jasper. Lightfast, granulating near-black red-brown.
Mineral Daniel Smith Watercolor Bloodstone Genuine Color Granulating Art Pigment Database Swatch Card

 

Cobaltic Oxide:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Co2O3 is rare & reportedly less stable than other oxides of Cobalt. (C.I. 77323)

 

Cuprous Sulfide:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Also known as Copper(I) Sulfide, with formula Cu2S - found naturally in Chalcocite. (C.I. 77449)

 

Hartshorn Black:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Made by heating the horns of male Red Deer, which can be commonly found throughout most of Europe.

 

Ivory Black Genuine:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Illegal in most countries, due to the creation involving calcined (burnt) elephant tusks. This dark black pigment has been replaced by the use of cattle and other animal bones (typically obtained as a waste product from the food industry) and charred into making the common "Ivory Black" pigment known as PBk9.

 

Lead Sulfide:
Uncommon. Lightfastness not rated. Chemically, it is Lead Sulfide (PbS), which can be found in nature as the ore Galena.

 

 

 

 

Swatch card template available for download here, or get the rubber stamp here. Swatch cards were painted on Legion Black or Arches Cold Press 100% cotton watercolor paper. Paper and brushes are available at Jackson's or Amazon here:

 

 

 

I purchase most of my art supplies at Blick or Jackson's art materials.

 

https://www.dickblick.com

 

I use affiliate links only to stores that I have personally shopped with. When available I'll include multiple reputable stores so you can compare and decide where you'd like to shop. Dick Blick ("DB" links below) is a large art supply chain store here in the USA that ships worldwide. Jackson's ("Jack" links below) is a great UK based art supply store which also ships worldwide, but carries some harder to find European products with quick low cost shipping to the USA. Amazon USA ("Ama" links below) often offers unique brands, including small business and Chinese off brand watercolor sets, that can not be found anywhere else. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Arches 100% cotton cold press 140# watercolor paper is one of the most durable surfaces for technical pen, scrubbing and lifting. It's surface sizing (coating) and texture is a good middle ground compared to the extremes of different brands. Due to these traits, and it being around for long enough to be the most commonly recommended paper for professionals, all of my swatches are done on this paper for consistency. Only white (and mica paints that do not show up on white) use the Legion Black paper instead. I buy my arches paper at Blick, and if you are in the USA this is likely the most affordable place to buy it: https://shrsl.com/2765w

 

Alpha by brand shopping directory:

 

Daniel Smith watercolors -- available on DB, Jack or Ama.
Rembrandt watercolors -- available on DB in Pans or TubesJack or Ama.
Rosa Gallery can be found through the following links: 12 set, 24 set, 21 pans in tin, 28 pans in tin, and if none of those sellers are still active or ship to your country you can try the manufacturers website here

 

Interested in other ways to help this project? Visit me at Kimberly Crick Art on YouTube or Patreon. If you have supplies that you would like to donate, such as watercolor dot cards or samples from your company that you would like reviewed or displayed in this pigment directory, please email me at enchantedgallery@gmail.com or use the contact form with details. Thank you :)

 

Pigment directory index yellow navigation dictionary Pigment directory index orange navigation dictionary Pigment directory index red navigation dictionary Pigment directory index violet navigation dictionary Pigment directory index blue navigation dictionary Pigment directory index green navigation dictionary Pigment directory index brown navigation dictionary Pigment directory index black navigation dictionary Pigment directory index white mica metallic navigation dictionary Pigment directory index dye based ink navigation dictionary

 

Lightfast Tests and Art Supply Reviews Pigment Database

Note: this page contains affiliate links. All product opinions are my own. I am committed to honest reviews showcasing both the pros and cons of each product. I have not received payment from any brand for a review. I earn a commission from sales made through this web page's clickable banners or links to Amazon, Arteza, Scrapbook, Jackson's or Blick Art Materials websites.