06/06/2026
In watercolour painting, colour is only part of the equation; lightfastness, transparency, staining strength, and granulation are equally important. While cadmium and cobalt pigments have long been valued for their permanence and natural granulation, concerns about cadmium toxicity have encouraged artists to seek alternatives. After extensive research, I selected several spinel-family pigments for the ENL Mineral and Rare Pigments line. These advanced mineral pigments offer exceptional lightfastness, durability, chemical stability, and beautiful natural granulation while providing unique alternatives to many traditional colours.
The range includes Zirconia Silica Orange (PR232), a warm, mineral orange with subtle rose undertones; Spinel Blue (PB72), a highly durable alternative to Cobalt Blue Medium; Cobalt Titanate Green (PG50), a soft yellow-green reminiscent of historic Paris Green; Spinel Yellow (PY119), a rich, non-toxic yellow with outstanding permanence; and Spinel Black (PBk28), a rare single-pigment black prized for its neutral, achromatic character. Together, these pigments combine the distinctive beauty of mineral colours with exceptional performance and are available in both half-pan and full-pan formats.
Full article - in our Blog: https://artmaterials.ca/posts/
