Saffron

Usage List

Acrylics
Alcohols
Calligraphy ink
Candle overdipping
Casein
Cements: compatible but limited tinting strength
Clay paints and plasters
Distemper
Egg tempera
Encaustic
Epoxy resins
Fabric: use in paints but not as dye
Flour paints
Fresco
Glazes
Glue paint
Iconography
Lime Coatings: compatible but limited tinting strength
Milk Paints
Oil Mediums: moderately high oil absorption
Oil paints
Pastels
Paste wax
Plastic resins
Polymer Clay
Resins
Shellac
Soap
Solvents
Stains
Swedish Paint
Temperas
Water based Mediums
Watercolor
Waxes

Mixing Instructions

For liquid binders: Place desired amount of pigment in mixing vessel or on a palette. Add liquid slowly and work with palette knife or tool to create a smooth color paste or syrup. The liquid used may be either the binder itself or a compatible vehicle depending upon the chosen medium. To avoid flocculation, do not introduce pigments into a large volume of liquid all at once as this will cause micro clumping.

For dry binders such as plasters and cements: Pigment may be added into dry ingredients directly prior to mixing. If micro-bursting of particles appears in plasters, creating a color syrup may be necessary first.

Mixing tools: Artist mixing tools may include a palette with a palette knife, a mortar and pestle or a slab and muller. Which tool you use depends upon the amount mixed and the pigment’s need for mulling. Decorative binders may require the use of mechanical mixers to fully incorporate pigment.

Ratios: To be determined by individual binders and/or color result desired. Visit our How-To pages for in-depth recipes with suggested ratio's and detailed instructions.

What are French Minerals?

French minerals are among our exclusive pigments from our parent company Ocres de France. They include colors of the French countryside in soft, semi transparent pigments best featured in transparent and semi transparent bases. They find favor in tempera, resins, watercolors, oils as well as in milk paints and clay paints or plasters. Their unique composition is over 90% natural. As with all the pigments we offer, they are non toxic and responsibly produced for people and the planet.

How Composite Colors Are Made

Our mission here at The Earth Pigments Company is to provide our customers with safe, non toxic art materials. There are ingenious ways the industry is creating these new pigments to meet the high standards artists and manufactures demand. We refer to them as Composite colors. Composite colors are two component pigments, a natural base and a color that either starts out as a dye or an Oxide pigment. The base may be magnesium or calcium and will comprise most of the composition, anywhere from 90 to 99%.

The process involves using heat and pressure to fuse the color component onto the natural base, thus creating a mineral based pigment. The manufacturing process is sustainable, environmentally friendly, and creates a very small amount of residual water. The colors created have an archival quality and UV rating for fine art materials. Not only does this technology open up a wide range of available colors, but it replaces many toxic or expensive traditional pigments and dyes.

Technical Data