Thank you for your report!
We have received your report and it is currently under investigation by a forum moderator.
Anthraquinone blue
Welcome to the forum.
Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.
Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.
Hang on Studio Wall
This is a Studio member-only feature!
Join our Studio membership and save your favourite Painters Online content, from gallery artwork to step-by-step guides, to your own online mood boards. Create your go-to place for inspiration and learning. Plus, members can also enjoy a range of exciting features including monthly art videos and a digital magazine library.
If you are already a Studio member, simply login to your account.
Not a Studio member? Why not try our free 30-day trial - no commitment, no credit card required
Message
Posted
I was talking today to a lecturer at my college (where I am studying part time...Im not really a youngster), who paints in oil and acrylic. We were talking about my little venture into black paper and night scene when she mentioned a good night blue as "anthraquinone blue". Now she uses acrylic, not watercolour, and the only water colour I can find is about the same cost as a body part - acrylic isnt cheap but less expensive, but water colour anthraquinone...phew.
Is there a cheaper source, is there a similar colour or a way of blending it?
David
PS...even as I sit typing the nice Amazon man has delivered my gouache paints for this project.
Posted
LOL, trying to keep birds of the seeds David? (Sorry biochem edu here, I am already thinking about pigmentation on colon when in its natural form used as laxative. Also it is being investigated for positive effects in treatment of Alzheimer´s I think).
In any case as a pigment, I think that you can mix it through indigo while trying to get out the grey tinge from it. I would try ultramarine mixed with indigo perhaps?
Posted
No,is the short answer. It's a single pigment, you can't mix it.
http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net
http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk
Posted
There's much talk at the moment of a new blue, to beat all the others - I say much talk, I saw a couple of articles and have, typically, forgotten where. I do remember they referred to both Cobalt and Prussian Blue as being "toxic", which absurdity undermined my confidence in whatever else they were saying (Cobalt, being a metal, is bit toxic, but not very; and Prussian Blue, which I don't use at all often, is a dye - I wouldn't want to drink it, but it's not particularly toxic - the real thing does have a particular smell, though, which I find oddly off-putting).
You can mix blues together, up to a point - I'm reasonably happy with cobalt, cerulean, ultramarine, and pthalo - with caution, but would try any new blue if it weren't fantastically expensive: which rules out this one.
http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net
http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk
Posted
Cobalt is ok, we used huge quantities of cobalt oxide when I was at glass school (I am Czech- meaning smalt glass is a big part of glass practice). Since we were 14-18 yo, I would think they would cover us head to toe if it was dangerous when we were mixing loads for oven ;-). Cobalt carbonate which is used as a pigment too is light pink to deep fuchsia in colour, it is dietery element (binds B12). I would say to use fabric mask if you are mixing any pigments, as if nothing else (white is the most toxic pigment I think) you could end up with COPD after years of it. If it is in paint, already mixed- you are safe, just don´t eat any of the colours and wash your hands ;-).
Still, yes, I think sniffing Prussian blue is odd habit :-D Then again, I hate the smell of the iron pan that my OH uses to fry his steaks on. Might be similar smell, as Prussian blue are ferrocyanide salts- yuck. Again, not very dangerous. There is actually pharma Prussian blue which is used to negate radioactive particles. I must consider here now which blue is the dangerous one then as I talked myself out of these two.
Posted
Carol...brave????? Aghhhh!!!!!!!!
Actually I started playing, I mean experimenting with bravery, today.
I can report that anthraquinone blue acrylic is identical in colour to the eye to indanthrene blue watercolour from white nights (as they say).
I have done some preliminary sketches and show those here. I'll try the yellow and black on black - I bought a batch of gouaches quite cheaply off ebay (royal langnickel essentials).
Amongst my playing I mustnt forget that my friend wants a painting of Lancasters!
I have attached two sketches, one on black paper which I quite like and two on white two compare the two blues. I think the effect of the rather thickly applied acrylic does make quite a nice sea - with practice it might become acceptable! This is the anthrawotsit blue acrylic with addition of white and yellow gouache. The white works a bit, the yellow moonlight spoils it. The black paper piece is acrylic sea, watercolour sky of the indanthrene. The green mess is Southwold but it's suffered recently from the German bombers. (or from being chucked on in haste just "to see")
And finally, ain't acrylics messy? I can see now why art class at school was always such a mess....but great fun adding big dollops of paint everywhere.
D
Posted
Thanks Syd
I have a book of the Taylor work, excellent stuff...but I'd rather not be compared!!
Appreciate the advice
David
PS I then added the following, which on reflection is me babbling...but since I write it, here it is
I do think sometimes though that the subject of the painting isnt always the subject of the painting! I recall someone once asked to paint a Lightning for the RAF, for a sqn based I think at Shobdon, but might be wrong. They EXPECTED a big picture of a Lightning of course, but what they got was a big picture of a black, scary sky and lost in it was a tiny fast pin sharp Lightning. When they saw it they all said "Oh!" Then "Yes! Thats how it was to fly a lightning at night! Well done!"
Im not suggesting that this is my ideal, but the more I paint (with my vast experience of a few months) the more I think I want to distance it from my photography. I think. Then I go and do that Mosquito. Maybe Im still searching for a style.