Handprint - Yellow

11/8/2016 handprint : colormaking attributes
yellow
Key to the Paint Ratings
PIGMENT PIGMENT PAINT
MANUFACTURER CODE Tr St VR Gr Bl Df HA HS Lf
C.I. NAME CHEMICAL NAME MARKETING NAME
blockx yellow
PY1 arylide yellow G (1909) Blockx 212 1 3 12 0 0 1 82 +5 6,5
[discontinued in 2008]
helio genuine yellow
PY1 light Lukas 1045 1 3 12 0 0 1 82 +5 4,6
Hansa yellow G PY1 is a marginally lightfast, opaque, staining, very light
valued, intense yellow pigment, offered by more than 40 chemical pigment
manufacturers worldwide. PY1 is one of many pigments where the ASTM and
independent lightfastness tests diverge: the ASTM (1999) rates it as having
"very poor" lightfastness (V), but my own tests put it in category III ("fair"),
with a tendency to darken in masstone and fade in tints. These differences are
possibly due to variations in the quality of the pigments tested by the ASTM
and used by Lukas and Blockx. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for hansa
yellow G (PY1) are: 84, 1, 70, with chroma of 70 (estimated hue purity of 55)
and a hue angle of 89.
The Blockx yellow and Lukas helio genuine yellow light were both a cheerful lightfastness test samples
sunny color, unresponsive to rewetting or wet in wet application, closely
unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
resembling most cadmium yellows (PY35). (right) Blockx, Lukas
AVOID. The arylides are (with the cadmiums and benzimidazolones) one of
the three major types of yellow pigment. However PY1 is less expensive and
clearly less lightfast than other arylides, and is appropriate only for student
grade or school paints. Many other yellow pigments have a similar color, and
most are more transparent in watercolors, so there is no reason to use this
impermanent and opaque product. Choose a cadmium yellow (PY35) or
benzimida yellow (PY154) instead.
arylide yellow 10G

PY3 hansa yellow light DaVinci 242 2 3 4 0 3 2 97 +3 7,6
(1909)
PY3 lemon yellow Schmincke 215 2 3 6 0 2 2 95 +4 7,6
helio genuine yellow
PY3 Lukas 1044 2 3 4 0 3 2 97 +3 7,6
lemon
PY3 lemon yellow Sennelier 501 3 2 5 0 0 1 96 +2 6,7
PY3 hansa yellow light Daniel Smith 070 3 4 7 0 3 2 94 +4 6,6
PY3 lemon yellow Utrecht 122 4 2 4 0 3 0 97 +3 5,6
PY3 lemon yellow Art Spectrum W12 2 3 4 0 3 2 97 +3 6,5
PY3 lemon yellow Rowney Artists 651 2 3 8 0 2 1 93 +2 3,7
PY3+PY42 aureolin [hue] Holbein 215 3 1 9 0 4 3 87 +5 7,7
Hansa yellow light PY3 is a marginally lightfast, semitransparent,
moderately staining, very light valued, intense green yellow pigment, offered
by almost 50 pigment manufacturers worldwide. The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for hansa yellow light (PY3) are: 88, -12, 72, with chroma of 73
(estimated hue purity of 58) and a hue angle of 99.
The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in watercolors as "very good" (II), but
my 2004 tests suggest this may be true of some paints but is not true for all.
The full strength color in most brands began to darken (brown) slightly after
about 6 weeks to two months of sunlight exposure (BWS 6); in some brands
this discoloration was significant. Frequently the tints faded noticeably.
http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/watery.html 1/17
hansa yellow light lightfastness samples (2004)

after 800+ hours of sunlight exposure: (left to right) Utrecht,
Sennelier, Daniel Smith, Schmincke, DaVinci
In watercolors PY3 undergoes a very small drying shift, darkening slightly

and losing less than 5% saturation. The color and texture are equivalent
across the different paint manufacturers, but brand formulations affect the
lightfastness, transparency, staining, saturation and reactiveness wet in wet
(which is usually sluggish). Typically, PY3 is slightly more intense than a
cadmium lemon of the same hue, because the cadmium paint is slightly
lighter valued. PY3 is a good choice for a "primary" yellow paint if you want
the palette to lean toward green; otherwise choose a neutral yellow such as
hansa yellow (PY97) or benzimidazolone yellow (PY154). PY3 is the greenest
synthetic organic yellow available in watercolors, and is popular with paint
manufacturers, particularly in student grade paints and green convenience
mixtures (it creates brilliant yellow greens when mixed with the green
phthalos, and interesting tan oranges, close to burnt sienna, when mixed with
quinacridone rose, PV19).
The brands shown in the samples above are the most lightfast among the
paints tested. All show discoloration in the masstone color, except for
Sennelier, which fades somewhat more in tints. Daniel Smith hansa yellow
light is slightly less green than the other lemon yellow paints and is more
heavily staining, but has noticeably higher tinting strength in mixtures and in
a tinting test, and is more transparent and saturated than the other paints
listed here. The Utrecht paint is the most transparent but is also less
concentrated, and therefore less saturated. The DaVinci paint is one of the
most lightfast but also the most opaque and least saturated, with a light
valued, chalky appearance. The Art Spectrum paint darkened in masstone
after a few weeks of sunlight exposure. Holbein's paint is a clever imitation of
aureolin that is more lightfast than PY40 but also less transparent.
CAUTION. I found significant differences in the sunstruck pigment color

across the various watercolor brands in both the full strength and tint
samples. To be sure of the paint you use, I suggest you do your own
lightfastness test, both on pure pigment paints and on any convenience
green paints made with PY3. See also the section on monoazo pigments.
chrome yellow deep

PY34 lead chromate (1797) Winsor & Newton - 2 4 11 0 1 3 79 +7 6,4
[discontinued]
lead chromate + lead chrome lemon yellow
PY34:1 Winsor & Newton - 2 4 8 0 1 2 91 +4 5,4
sulfate [discontinued]
Chrome yellow PY34 is an impermanent, semiopaque, heavily staining, very
light valued, intense yellow pigment, in hue most similar to hansa yellow
medium. Formerly a widely used industrial pigment, it is offered in a very wide
range of formulations by 20 pigment manufacturers, mostly for use in metallic
coatings, ceramics and plastics; its use is declining because it contains lead, a
polluting and toxic heavy metal. Note that the ASTM watercolor tests (1999)
gave the chrome yellows an "excellent" (I) lightfastness rating, while my 2004
tests put the Winsor & Newton paints in category IV ("poor"): the chroma
faded by more than 20%.
AVOID. To my knowledge, chrome yellow paints have been discontinued in

art materials available the USA and Europe (my Winsor & Newton samples
were retrieved from a retailer's discontinued inventory), but you should avoid
them if they reappear. Brighter and more reliable yellow pigments are available
at lower cost. The deep yellow hue most resembles a cadmium yellow (PY35),
but is noticeably duller (browner); the lemon yellow resembles zirconium
praesodymium silicate (PY159). Both are superior pigment alternatives.
cadmium zinc sulfide

PY35 cadmium lemon Winsor & Newton 080 1 4 7 0 1 2 91 0 8,8
(1844)
PY35 cadmium yellow pale Winsor & Newton 087 2 4 12 0 2 1 81 +6 8,8
cadmium zinc sulfide +
PY35+PO20 cadmium yellow Winsor & Newton 085 1 4 17 0 2 1 74 +8 8,8
cadmium sulfide
cadmium zinc
PY35+PR108 sulfide+cadmium cadmium yellow deep Winsor & Newton 086 2 4 23 0 3 1 67 +12 8,8
sulfoselenide
PY35 cadmium yellow light M. Graham 070 1 4 7 0 1 3 90 +3 8,8
PY35 cadmium yellow M. Graham 060 2 4 13 0 3 2 79 +7 8,8
PY35 cadmium yellow pale Rowney Artists 611 2 3 7 0 1 1 90 +6 8,7
PY35 cadmium yellow Rowney Artists 612 2 3 10 0 0 1 85 +8 8,6
PY35 cadmium yellow deep Rowney Artists 613 2 2 19 0 0 1 68 +12 8,7
PY37 cadmium sulfide (1842) cadmium yellow lemon Holbein 040 2 2 5 0 0 1 96 +1 8,8
PY37 cadmium yellow pale Holbein 041 2 2 8 0 1 1 90 +5 8,8
PY37 cadmium yellow light Holbein 042 2 2 10 0 1 2 83 +4 8,8
cadmium sulfide +
PY37+PO20 cadmium yellow deep Holbein 043 2 2 20 0 2 0 70 +11 8,8
cadmium sulfoselenide
PY35 cadmium yellow lemon DaVinci 218 1 3 3 0 1 3 99 +3 7,7
PY35 cadmium yellow light DaVinci 217 2 3 8 0 2 2 88 +6 8,7
PY35 cadmium yellow medium DaVinci 216 2 3 9 0 2 2 84 +5 8,7
PY35+PO20 cadmium yellow deep DaVinci 215 2 3 18 0 2 3 72 +10 8,8
PY35 cadmium yellow lemon Rembrandt 207 2 3 5 0 1 2 93 +3 8,8
PY35 cadmium yellow light Rembrandt 208 2 3 8 0 1 2 88 +4 8,7
PY35 cadmium yellow medium Rembrandt 271 1 3 13 0 2 2 80 +2 8,7
PY35+PO20 cadmium yellow deep Rembrandt 210 1 3 18 0 2 2 70 +5 8,8
PY35 cadmium yellow deep Lukas 1028 1 3 13 0 2 2 80 +2 8,8
cadmium yellow light
PY35:1 cadmium zinc lithopone Daniel Smith 087 2 4 5 0 2 2 93 +6 8,7
cadmium yellow
PY35:1 Daniel Smith 085 2 4 13 0 1 1 80 +6 8,8
cadmium lithopone cadmium yellow deep
PY37:1 Daniel Smith 086 1 4 19 0 3 1 67 +12 8,8
(1842) [discontinued in 2006]
PY35 cadmium yellow lemon MaimeriBlu 082 1 3 5 0 2 2 95 +4 8,7
PY35 cadmium yellow light MaimeriBlu 081 2 3 8 0 2 1 91 +6 7,5
PY35 cadmium yellow deep MaimeriBlu 084 1 4 23 1 2 1 62 +11 8,7
PY37 cadmium yellow light Utrecht 126 2 2 10 0 2 1 83 +7 8,8
PY37 cadmium yellow deep Utrecht 128 2 3 25 0 3 1 57 +5 8,8
PY35 cadmium pale Blockx 311 1 2 5 0 3 3 93 +5 8,8
PY35 cadmium medium Blockx 315 1 3 13 0 3 1 74 +7 8,8
TOP 40 PIGMENT Cadmium yellows (the reddish PY37, made of pure
cadmium sulfide, and the greenish PY35, compounded with zinc sulfide) are
semiopaque, staining, very light valued, intense green yellow and yellow to
light valued, intense orange yellow and yellow orange pigments. The
average CIECAM J,a,b values for the hue categories listed above are: (1)
cadmium yellow lemon: 89, -10, 71, chroma 72 (estimated hue purity 57)
hue angle 98; (2) cadmium yellow pale: 86, -4, 77, chroma 77 (estimated
hue purity 61) hue angle 93; (3) cadmium yellow light: 86, -2, 77, chroma 77
(estimated hue purity 60) hue angle 91; (4) cadmium yellow: 81, 11, 78,
chroma 78 (estimated hue purity 60) hue angle 82; (5) cadmium yellow deep:
71, 34, 68, chroma 77 (estimated hue purity 57) hue angle 63.
Generally the cadmiums are very lightfast, but in random instances can be
impermanent (see examples and comments below). Genuine cadmium [zinc]
sulfide is available from 10 registered pigment manufacturers worldwide; only
one manufacturer offers cadmium coprecipitated with barium sulfate
(lithopone). The ASTM (1999) requires cadmium lithopone to be labeled
"PY35:1" or "PY37:1" if it contains 15% or more of barium sulfate, as Daniel
Smith has done. In watercolors PY35/37 undergoes a very small to moderate
drying shift, depending on hue: all shades darken slightly, with a loss in
saturation of 2% (lemon yellow) to 15% (deep yellow). (Note that loss of
saturation has a greater impact in yellow colors, due to the apparent change
in hue from orange to brown or yellow to green.) High quality, pure cadmium
sulfide is completely permanent, covers very well, is easy to handle,
moderately active wet in wet, and blossoms readily if rewetted while still moist
(although it is relatively resistant to water discoloration once it has dried). It
has a powdery luster on the paper, and dilutes down to glowing, near
transparent tints. The cadmiums are (with the arylides and
benzimidazolones) one of the three major types of yellow pigment in artists'
paints. Although it has always been among the most expensive pigments since
the yellow hue was discovered and commercially introduced in the mid 19th
century (the orange and red hues were introduced around 1910), a
continuous decline in the relative cost of the pigment has made cadmium
yellow one of the most commonly used watercolor pigments. Some paint
manufacturers or regulatory agencies may impose a health warning on this
paint as it contains a poisonous metal (cadmium); but see my skeptical
comments under health & environmental issues.
The ASTM (1999) rates the lightfastness of PY35 and PY37 in watercolors as
"excellent" (I), and most independent tests agree. In my 2004 tests, which
allowed for heat and humidity from outdoor sunlight exposure, I encountered
an extreme blackish darkening in some hues from some manufacturers, which
appeared within a few weeks of sunlight exposure and is therefore easy to
detect.
discoloration in cadmium yellow lightfastness samples

(2004)
after 800+ hours of sunlight exposure: (left to right) DaVinci medium,
Maimeri light, Maimeri lemon, Rowney Artists medium, Grumbacher
light
Note that the darkening does not appear in all hues from the same brand, and
therefore seems limited to specific pigment lots. I assume this discoloration is
caused by chemical impurities left in the pigment by the pigment
manufacturer. (Cadmium watercolor paints can darken if exposed to excessive
heat and moisture, or if lead compounds or residual free sulfur have not been
washed from the pigment after manufacture.) So despite the widely repeated
conventional wisdom that cadmium pigments are totally lightfast, I
recommend you make your own lightfastness tests on the brands you use.
Cadmium hues can be precisely adjusted by the proportion of zinc sulfide or

cadmium sulfoselenide in the pigment blend, and this allows manufacturers to
choose their own placement and spacing of hues in the cadmium yellows they
offer. (This cadmium color key shows the major brand variations.) Paint
manufacturers customarily sample this hue range by offering two to four
cadmium yellow colors: (1) lemon yellow, with a hue angle around 90 to 95,
(2) pale yellow, with a hue angle around 90, (3) medium yellow, with a hue
angle around 80, and (4) deep yellow, with a hue angle less than 70.
However, the "pale" hue is frequently omitted (leaving three yellows), and the
term "light" is used inconsistently to mean a "lemon," "pale" or even
"medium" hue, in contrast to a medium or deep hue. The value and
saturation depend on the hue: a good quality cadmium middle yellow is (along
with hansa yellow, PY97) the most intense yellow paint available, with a
chroma that in some brands can exceed 99 (average chroma 96), while
cadmium yellow deep (chroma 92) and lemon (chroma 93) are always less
intense. As with all warm hues, even slight differences in the lightness or
value of a paint will affect the apparent saturation and hue. Hue also affects
the apparent size of the drying shift: cadmium lemon or light will shift little in
chroma or lightness as it dries, while the medium and deep yellow cadmium
can shift to a surprising degree. Most major brands (Winsor & Newton, Daniel
Smith and Holbein in particular) space the hues well; the hue spacing seems
to me less desirable in MaimeriBlu or Rowney Artists. Incidentally, most artists
will locate the transition from a "warm" to a "cool" yellow at around a hue
angle of 85 to 90, so an all purpose "primary" yellow will be within that range.
As a group, the M. Graham, Rowney Artists, Utrecht and Winsor & Newton
cadmium yellows are all comparably saturated, though M. Graham and
Winsor & Newton colors tend to be slightly darker, warmer and more intense.
All are staining, semitransparent to semiopaque when dried, blossom slightly
wet in wet, and provide nice sheen in thin washes. Rowney Artists cadmiums
are relatively transparent, inert, and staining, with a bright tone: much of
what you get is apparently a transparent brightener (making the paint less
opaque), and the masstone lightfastness is poor in the "light" yellow paint.
The two Utrecht cadmiums seem slightly chalky to me, and are badly spaced:
the "light" is really a middle hue, and the "deep" is actually orange, not deep
yellow. MaimeriBlu and Daniel Smith cadmiums are less intense, semiopaque
to opaque, and tend to bronze slightly when applied full strength. Blockx
cadmiums are thick, semiopaque to opaque, darker than most brands, and
also bronze heavily at full strength.
Within the three common hue categories, starting with a lemon yellow,
Holbein cadmium yellow lemon and Rembrandt cadmium yellow lemon
have the greenest hue, indistinguishable from a hansa yellow light (PY3).
However, these greenish lemon yellows are also very light valued, and their
whitish color has a lower chroma than other brands. The Winsor & Newton
cadmium lemon is slightly warmer but also more saturated. (As always, do not
choose paints on chroma or color appearance alone, but on the quality and
range of colors they mix with other paints.) For the middle yellow, M. Graham
cadmium yellow is a beautiful middle hue, slightly warmer than other
brands. The Daniel Smith paint is slightly cooler, the Winsor & Newton
noticeably warmer, mixed with a touch of cadmium orange (PO20) that
creates a subtle hue shift toward orange in masstone. The hue of Rembrandt
cadmium yellow light, at hue angle 88, is very close to the psychological
unique yellow (as described in the section on color vision) or a neutral
"primary" yellow. However, Winsor & Newton cadmium yellow pale may
be a better "primary" yellow choice, as it is a slightly warmer yellow and very
intense (chroma of 99), which makes it a good mixer with blues and greens.
For a deep yellow paint, Rowney Artists cadmium yellow deep is an
average deep hue, to my eye poised on the boundary between yellow and
orange, with the best saturation and transparency. The MaimeriBlu and
Utrecht may be too warm, but worth considering as a "cadmium orange light."
Cadmium yellow is among the most commonly and enthusiastically used

yellow pigments. Its radiant color, tinting strength and powdery texture make
it a joy to use, once you learn to adjust the mixtures to avoid bronzing and
excessive opacity. If a strong yellow is important to your palette, it's worth the
expense to experiment with a "middle" or "pale" ("primary") cadmium yellow
to see if the pigment works for you; if it does, sample the "lemon/light" and
"deep" paints to find the brands and hue spacing you prefer. Cadmiums are
especially affected by dark, strongly tinting pigments such as phthalocyanine
greens or blues, and some artists dislike this effect: I enjoy the velvety blends
that result. These mixtures can appear dull if darkened too far, and cadmium
mixtures must always be applied confidently, in a single brushstroke without
any fussing or reworking, otherwise a dingy color will result. Cadmiums also
dissolve quickly and densely charge a wet brush, which means you can waste
a lot of paint in your rinse water if don't wick your brush before rinsing. Finally,
cadmium paints may be toxic if swallowed or inhaled (for example, while
spraying the paint); cadmium lithopone is less dangerous, though as a matter
of record any toxic effects from using cadmium paints are highly unlikely.
This means the major drawback to cadmium is price, and if that is a
consideration then M. Graham or Rembrandt are probably the best value
overall for color appearance and lightfastness; Winsor & Newton and Daniel
Smith, though more expensive, are also generally reliable paints, and the
Holbein cadmiums are beautiful but now among the most expensive. See also
the section on cadmium pigments.
potassium cobaltinitrite
PY40 aureolin Rembrandt 242 2 2 18 0 1 2 84 +5 5,7
(1848; 1861)
PY40 aureolin Rowney Artists 601 2 2 15 0 2 2 87 +5 4,7
PY40 aureolin Sennelier 559 1 2 12 0 3 2 88 +5 4,6
PY40 aureolin Art Spectrum W32 2 2 16 0 1 2 84 +5 4,6
PY40 aureolin Winsor & Newton 063 4 2 16 1 4 0 85 +9 4,4
PY40 aureolin [cobalt yellow] Daniel Smith 063 3 1 11 0 2 2 86 +8 3,5
Aureolin (cobalt yellow or potassium cobaltinitrite) PY40 is an
impermanent, transparent, lightly staining, light valued, intense yellow
pigment, made in two grades by the only registered manufacturer worldwide
(Johnson Matthey, UK). The average CIECAM J,a,b values for aureolin (PY40)
are: 77, 2, 69, with chroma of 69 (estimated hue purity of 54) and a hue
angle of 88.
The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in watercolors as "very good" (II),
and Winsor & Newton's lightfastness ratings are also high. My lightfastness
tests across several manufacturers suggest it deserves at best a "fair" (III)
rating, as even the most durable paints (Rembrandt, Rowney and Sennelier)
developed a displeasing gray cast after a few weeks of direct sunlight exposure.
cobalt yellow lightfastness samples (2004)

after 800+ hours of sunlight exposure: (left to right) Rembrandt,
Rowney, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Aureolin has been an infrequently used light yellow since it was first
introduced in 1861 by Winsor & Newton. It was marketed as a replacement
for both natural gamboge (NY24) and indian yellow (a common alternative
name for aureolin in the late 19th century) and its transparency produces
some radiant glazing effects, but its high cost and dubious permanency limited
its use. It has in turn been replaced in most watercolor paint lines because it
turns gray or brown under exposure to moisture or light, or if incompletely
washed of impurities after manufacture. It also requires slow processing to
fully stabilize with the paint vehicle or it will expand in (and sometimes burst
open) a paint tube. Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith aureolin are the
warmest, most saturated and most transparent of the aureolins listed here,
and they acquire a grayish yellow and subtle granularity when applied full
strength. The Rembrandt and Rowney Artists paints are significantly duller,
more opaque and staining than the other brands, and the Sennelier aureolin is
semiopaque, light valued and rather dense; but they are marginally more
lightfast. (Holbein's "aureolin" hue is mixed from hansa yellow light and yellow
ochre, listed under PY3.)
AVOID. Aureolin (like alizarin crimson) is a pigment that modern chemistry

has made superfluous. There are many excellent yellows available with better
lightfastness. The authoritative article by Maura Cornman (in Artists'
Pigments: A Handbook of Their History and Characteristics, ed. Robert Fuller,
1986) observes that "Experimentation over the years has indicated that cobalt
yellow is given to apparently capricious reactions. Thus, the evidence in the
literature concerning its permanence is contradictory some reports suggest
it is extremely stable while others indicate it may turn brown on exposure [to
light].... Today it is generally considered to be a relatively unstable pigment."
In watercolors, the chemical purity of the pigment and any manufacturing
additives may affect the pigment's behavior; however my lightfastness tests
did not eliminate the effects of heat and moisture, which can affect the color
significantly. Substitutions. The same radiant transparent yellow is available
with excellent lightfastness in nickel azomethine yellow (PY150), which can
be paired with nickel dioxine yellow (PY153) or isoindolinone yellow (PY110)
as a deep yellow. The arylide hansa yellow medium (PY97) is a lovely
alternative and can be as transparent as aureolin and with better
lightfastness. See also the section on cobalt pigments.
cadmium sulfide +
PY37+PY42
synthetic yellow iron naples yellow [hue] Holbein 230 3 1 13 0 1 2 86 0 7,8
+PW4
oxide + zinc oxide
PY37+PY42
naples yellow [hue] Blockx 115 2 1 13 0 2 2 73 +8 8,8
+PW4
cadmium sulfide +
PY35+
cadmium sulfoselenide + naples yellow [hue] Rowney Artists 634 2 1 14 0 2 1 66 +13 8,8
PR108+PW6
zinc oxide
cadmium
PR108+
sulfoselenide + jaune brilliant #2 Holbein 232 1 2 16 0 2 1 54 +9 7,8
PO20+PW6
titanium oxide
cadmium sulfide +
PY35+ naples yellow [hue]
synthetic red iron oxide Winsor & Newton 031 2 0 14 0 3 2 75 +9 7,5
PR101+PW4 [discontinued in 2005]
+ zinc oxide
PY35+
naples yellow [hue] Daniel Smith 105 3 1 28 0 3 2 60 +14 6,5
PR101+PW4
arylide yellow FGL +
PY97+PY42
synthetic yellow iron naples yellow light [hue] MaimeriBlu 105 2 0 10 0 1 2 89 +7 2,4
+PW4
oxide + zinc oxide
Lead antimoniate or antimony yellow (PY41) is the traditional basis of genuine
naples yellow, manufactured as a pigment since at least the 1400's, though
similar antimony yellows appear in the middle east as early as 500 BCE. It is
still offered by 3 chemical pigment manufacturers worldwide as a colorant for
ceramics and glassware. The tone can vary from a light valued dull greenish
yellow to a dull pinkish orange (according to Ralph Mayer), so some
manufacturers (such as MaimeriBlu) offer two versions; the pinkish brown hue
is more common. Most of these convenience mixtures show a moderate
drying shift, actually increasing in saturation as the white pigment becomes
slightly more transparent. To my knowledge no commercially available art
materials use the highly toxic PY41 pigment, but imitate it with a mixture of
chinese white, cadmium yellow or red, and an iron oxide yellow or brown. lightfastness test samples
Unfortunately this combination of ingredients frequently turns out to be unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
impermanent, apparently because the zinc white degrades the mixture. (See (right) Daniel Smith, Maimeri,
the caution regarding the lightfastness of white pigment mixtures at PW4.) Winsor & Newton
Among the more permanent paints, the Rowney Artists is pinkish brown, close
to a stereotypical premixed flesh tone; the Holbein naples yellow is a
semitransparent, creamy light yellow; and the Holbein jaune brilliant #2 is
a whitish red orange that shifts toward yellow in undertone, a moderately dull
imitation of the pinkish hue of naples yellow (the name is a historical synonym
for naples yellow). The less permanent paints include Winsor & Newton naples
yellow, a lovely approximation to the original semiopaque, brownish yellow
tone, but regrettably the masstone color fades somewhat to white. The Daniel
Smith naples yellow is a more assertive, darker orange color, but also whitens
in masstone after moderate light exposure. The MaimeriBlu naples yellow light
is a semiopaque, greenish yellow shade, which also fades fairly quickly.
Naples yellow is a great convenience pigment for landscapes (mediterranean

scenes, deserts, sandy beaches). To me, it's too chalky to make a convincing
flesh mixture, even in tints, but some artists find it useful. Perhaps because of
the lightfastness problems described here, several paintmakers have opted to
use the yellow orange and naturally whitened chrome titanate (PBr24) as the
substitute pigment. Clearly, given the variety in paints marketed as naples
yellow, you'll have to experiment to see which version you prefer. See also the
section on lead pigments.
nickel titanium oxide

PY53 lemon yellow Winsor & Newton 070 1 4 9 1 0 1 94 +3 8,8
(1963)
PY53 nickel titanate yellow Daniel Smith 061 2 1 8 0 1 2 95 +2 8,8
PY53 nickel titanate yellow Rowney Artists 637 2 2 5 0 1 1 96 +3 8,8

PY53 nickel titanate yellow MaimeriBlu 109 1 3 6 0 2 2 96 +4 8,8
paint introduced after my last pigment
PY53 nickel titanate yellow DaVinci 2601 tests
nickel titanium yellow
PY53 Winsor & Newton 224 2 4 14 1 0 1 84 +9 8,6
Nickel titanate PY53 is a very lightfast, semiopaque, staining, very light
valued, moderately dull yellow pigment that can be either a pale middle
yellow (hue angle around 85) or pale lemon yellow (hue angle around 95),
depending on formulation or manufacturer (11 chemical manufacturers offer
the pigment worldwide). The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in
watercolors as "excellent" (I), and my 2004 tests agree, although in some
brands the paint becomes slightly more opaque in masstone after about 6
weeks of sunlight exposure. PY53 undergoes a very small drying shift,
darkening very slightly. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for nickel titanate
yellow (PY53) are: 85, -2, 46, with chroma of 46 (estimated hue purity of 36)
and a hue angle of 92.
Winsor & Newton nickel titanium yellow, the only paint I know that used the
middle yellow hue, has been discontinued. The Winsor & Newton lemon
yellow is the darkest valued of the "lemon" hued paints but still has a pastel
olive hue; as with all nickel titanate lemons, it appears slightly gray when
viewed obliquely under strong light. Daniel Smith nickel titanate yellow
and Rowney Artists nickel titanate yellow are equally chromatic, slightly lighter
valued, semitransparent and less staining; either one is a good choice.
MaimeriBlu is light valued but with a more opaque, weaker color. PY53
resembles aureolin's soft yellow hue and its tendency to dull in masstone. It is
a relatively weak pigment in tints and has moderate mixing strength with
other paints, but creates wonderful pastel greens, browns and blues; and
mixed with a touch of burnt sienna, it makes an interesting naples yellow. This
is my preferred light yellow pigment for an earth palette. See also the section
on titanium pigments.
nickel titanium oxide +

PY53+PY55 permanent yellow deep Holbein 123 2 0 16 0 3 1 71 +10 2,4
diarylide yellow (1952)
Diarylide yellow deep PY55 is a very fugitive, semitransparent, heavily staining,
light valued, very intense yellow orange pigment. Unrated by the ASTM
(1999), my own tests put it in the "poor" (IV) category. I could only find the
pigment in a convenience mixture from Holbein, where it adds chroma to the
more lightfast nickel titanate.
AVOID. This mixture is unacceptably fugitive, and the same hue with similar lightfastness test samples
color intensity and much better lightfastness is available by using hansa yellow
unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
deep (PY65) or nickel dioxine yellow (PY153). See also the section on
(bottom) Holbein
monoazo pigments.
arylide yellow 3RN

PY65 winsor yellow deep Winsor & Newton 214 2 4 16 0 3 1 73 +6 8,8
(1952)
PY65 hansa yellow deep Daniel Smith 031 3 4 16 0 4 1 71 +8 7,8
PY65 hansa yellow deep Utrecht 123 2 0 16 0 3 1 71 +16 7,8
Hansa yellow deep PY65 is a very lightfast, semitransparent, heavily
staining, light valued, intense orange yellow pigment, available from 10
pigment manufacturers worldwide. It's one of the more widely used synthetic
organic alternatives to cadmium yellow deep; you'll recognize the hue, which
is close to color point 2 on the color wheel, because it's used to paint the
yellow lines on streets and highways. The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness
in watercolors as "very good" (II), but my own tests consistently put it in the
"excellent" (I) category. In watercolors PY65 undergoes a small drying shift,
darkening slightly and losing about 14% in saturation. The average CIECAM
J,a,b values for hansa yellow deep (PY65) are: 77, 24, 75, with chroma of 78
This pigment is very consistent across manufacturers, and has the highest
chroma (saturation) of any deep yellow paint at or above 96 (cadmium
yellow deep averages around 93). Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton hansa
yellow deep are identical semitransparent, staining pigments. The Utrecht
paint by contrast is nonstaining. All are inert wet in wet, but blossom readily
when rewetted. One rarely sees PY65 used in artists' palettes: the hue is a
little too orange to be preferred over a middle yellow, and although it is slightly
less opaque than cadmium yellow deep, it is not as strong in mixtures.
Isoindoline yellow (PY110) has a nearly identical hue and may be a superior
pigment for lightfastness, transparency, and lyrical color shifts. See also the
section on monoazo pigments.
diarylide yellow HR 242- paint introduced after my last pigment

PY74 hansa yellow medium Da Vinci
(1940) 2F tests
Diarylide yellow PY74 is a lightfast to impermanent, semiopaque, moderately
staining, light valued, intense yellow pigment, available from 50 pigment
manufacturers worldwide for a wide range of industrial applications. Unrated
by the ASTM, my tests put it in the "excellent" (I) lightfastness category, with
a slight tendency to darken in masstone. It is a beautiful pigment, very close
in hue to PY65, slightly less orange than nickel dioxine yellow (PY153), and
noticeably duochrome, shifting toward a middle yellow in undertone. Old
Holland scheveningen yellow deep is apparently the only commercial source as
a single pigment paint. Holbein indian yellow enhances the duochrome effect
with the addition of another arylide yellow, creating one of the lightest (and
least lightfast) "indian yellows" available. See also the section on disazo
pigments.
diarylide yellow HR scheveningen yellow

PY83 Old Holland 015 2 2 21 0 3 2 70 +8 7,8
(1940) deep
diarylide yellow HR +
PY83+PY95 indian yellow [hue] Holbein 245 2 1 22 0 4 0 73 +12 3,6
arylide yellow FG
Diarylide yellow HR PY83 is a lightfast to impermanent, semiopaque,
moderately staining, light valued, intense orange yellow pigment, available
from 50 pigment manufacturers worldwide for a wide range of industrial
applications. Unrated by the ASTM, my tests put it in the "excellent" (I)
lightfastness category, with a slight tendency to darken in masstone. It is a
beautiful pigment, very close in hue to PY65, slightly less orange than nickel
dioxine yellow (PY153), and noticeably duochrome, shifting toward a middle lightfastness test samples
yellow in undertone. Old Holland scheveningen yellow deep is apparently unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
the only commercial source as a single pigment paint. Holbein indian yellow (bottom) Holbein
enhances the duochrome effect with the addition of another arylide yellow,
creating one of the lightest (and least lightfast) "indian yellows" available. See
also the section on disazo pigments.
arylide yellow FGL

PY97 hansa yellow medium Daniel Smith 039 2 3 10 0 2 2 85 +7 7,7
(1953)
transparent yellow
PY97 Winsor & Newton 219 3 4 9 0 3 1 87 +9 6,7
PY97 primary yellow MaimeriBlu 116 3 3 8 0 3 4 89 +7 6,7
PY97 arylide yellow FGL DaVinci 203 3 3 7 0 1 2 88 +4 6,7
PY97 hansa yellow deep M. Graham 106
tests
arylide yellow FGL +
permanent green
PY97+PG36 chlorobrominated copper MaimeriBlu 338 4 2 7 0 3 4 94 +3 7,7
yellowish
phthalocyanine
Hansa yellow PY97 is a lightfast, semitransparent, staining, very light
valued, intense yellow pigment, available from 9 pigment manufacturers
worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in watercolors as "very
good" (II) pending retesting; my 2004 tests rate it "very good" (II) with
substantial loss of color in tints in some brands but little or no color change in
masstone.
In watercolors PY97 undergoes a small drying shift, holding its value but
losing about 10% saturation. It deepens toward orange in masstone,
approaching the hue of PY1. It is very frequently used in convenience green
mixtures, because it holds its own when mixed with a wide range of other
paints: it has very good tinting strength, and consistently has the highest lightfastness test samples
chroma (saturation) of any yellow paint, at or above 99 (cadmium yellow
medium, which is also very bright, averages around 97). The average CIECAM
J,a,b values for hansa yellow (PY97) are: 85, -2, 80, with chroma of 80 unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
(estimated hue purity of 63) and a hue angle of 91. (right) Winsor & Newton, Daniel
Smith, Maimeri
Daniel Smith hansa yellow medium is slightly lighter, more intense and
more transparent than other brands, and is also one of the most lightfast
paints, making it the marginally better choice for a versatile middle yellow. It
darkens more toward orange in masstone, a lyrical quality I like. The
MaimeriBlu primary yellow is lighter, greener and less staining than the others.
The MaimeriBlu permanent green yellowish has the same hue angle as a
nickel titanate yellow (PY53), but has a more obvious greenish hue because it
is more intense. PY97 is a good choice for a "transparent bright yellow" (the
cadmiums providing an "opaque bright yellow" and the less intense pigments,
such as quinacridone deep gold PO49 or nickel azo yellow PY150, providing a
"transparent muted yellow"). Hansa yellow is a good general purpose yellow
paint, bright enough for botanical or floral palettes, and an intense but less
expensive alternative to cadmium paints for those concerned about cadmium's
cost or toxicity (for example, in paints for children). See also the section on
monoazo pigments.
PY108 anthrapyrimidine yellow indian yellow [hue] Daniel Smith 024 3 2 17 1 3 1 68 +19 7,7
PY108 gamboge modern Schmincke 210 2 3 21 0 4 2 71 +15 7,6
Anthrapyrimidine yellow PY108 is a lightfast, semiopaque, moderately staining,
light valued, moderately intense orange yellow pigment, a laked pigment
made from vat dyes, available from only 2 pigment manufacturers worldwide.
Unrated by the ASTM, my own tests put it in the "very good" (II) category,
with a slight darkening and reddening appearing in masstone after about 6
weeks (BWS 6), and slight fading in tints. It is two toned, showing a dark
almost ochre yellow in masstone and a summery, subdued yellow in tints. The
paints tested here were moderately active wet in wet, and blossomed readily.
The average CIECAM J,a,b values for anthrapyrimidine yellow (PY108) are:
72, 14, 65, with chroma of 67 (estimated hue purity of 52) and a hue angle of
78.
lightfastness test samples
Schmincke has the name right, since their version of PY108 is a very close
unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
match to the original gamboge pigment (as formerly manufactured by (right) Daniel Smith; Schmincke
Winsor & Newton). But Daniel Smith indian yellow is the color I'd
recommend: more lightfast, more transparent and less staining, with a
warmer, brighter hue in masstone and a larger undertone hue shift toward
yellow.
CAUTION. This is a beautiful muted yellow but its discoloration in the

Schmincke version suggests you do your own lightfastness test. In general,
unsaturated azo yellows such as PY108 or the more lightfast nickel azo yellow
(PY150) mix more pleasing landscape greens with green or blue pigments,
and their duotone character makes them very versatile for botanical
illustration. Well worth trying out as an alternative to yellow ochre or raw
sienna (PY42/43). See also the section on anthraquinone pigments.
isoindolinone yellow R
PY110 permanent yellow deep Daniel Smith 133 3 2 22 0 3 1 60 +7 8,8
(1964)
PY110 indian yellow [hue] M. Graham 190
tests
gamboge [hue]
PY110 M. Graham 105 4 2 18 0 4 3 71 +11 7,8
[discontinued 2001]
TOP 40 PIGMENT Isoindolinone yellow R PY110 is a lightfast, transparent,
moderately staining, light valued, intense yellow orange pigment, available
from 6 pigment manufacturers worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates this
isoindoline yellow as having "excellent" (I) lightfastness; manufacturer and
industry tests agree. My 2004 tests suggest it may be the most lightfast deep
yellow pigment available. In watercolors PY110 undergoes a small
drying shift, losing about 10% saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values
for isoindolinone yellow (PY110) are: 72, 34, 68, with chroma of 76
M. Graham gamboge was the first source of the pure pigment in watercolors,
which was discontinued in 2001 for a "gamboge" made with a PY151+PO62
mixture; in 2007 Daniel Smith came into the market with their permanent
yellow deep, and thereafter M. Graham brought the pigment back into their
line. The paint has a slightly dark, glowing, yellow orange color, with a
gorgeous chroma, but in tints it calms toward an ochre; it is relatively inactive
wet in wet but blossoms when rewetted.
PY110 is a beautiful warm yellow, with a hue between hansa yellow deep
(PY65) and benzimida orange (PO62), but it is more transparent, slightly
darker valued, somewhat more active wet in wet, and with a larger hue shift
toward yellow in tints. It provides superior landscape green mixtures with both
green or blue paints. For those concerned with paint lightfastness, toxicity and
transparency, PY110 may be the optimal choice for a deep yellow paint,
superior even to nickel dioxine yellow PY153. See also the section on
isoindolinone pigments.
azomethine copper
PY117 greenish yellow Holbein 046 2 2 30 2 3 3 88 +6 3,6
complex (1972)
Copper azomethine green (PY117), commonly but not always the ingredient in
a "green gold" paint, is an impermanent, semitransparent, staining, mid
valued, moderately intense yellow pigment, available from only 3 registered
pigment manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, manufacturer tests
rate it as having "very good" to "excellent" (I) lightfastness, but my
lightfastness tests revealed poor lightfastness in the Holbein paint, the only
source for this pigment in commercial watercolors. The hue is midway lightfastness test sample
between PY129 and PG10, slightly darker valued and more textured than unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
PY129. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for green gold (PY117) are: 58, -1, (bottom) Holbein
60, with chroma of 60 (estimated hue purity of 51) and a hue angle of 91.
For more information, see under PY129, below.
AVOID. As this pigment is impermanent and easily matched by other

pigments, there is no reason to use this paint. See also the section on metal
complex pigments.
benzimidiazolone yellow scheveningen yellow

PY120 Old Holland 014 3 3 13 0 1 3 82 +9 3,6
(1960) medium
Benzimidazolone yellow PY120 is an impermanent, semitransparent, staining,
light valued, intense yellow pigment, available from only 2 chemical pigment
manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, my 2004 tests put it in
lightfastness category III ("fair"), which makes it unsuitable for artist's
materials. It has a hue resembling hansa yellow (PY97) or a middle cadmium
yellow (PY35), but it turns toward a toasty nut brown after moderate
exposure to light (this is surprising, given the generally excellent lightfastness lightfastness test samples
of benzimidazolone pigments). The average CIECAM J,a,b values for unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
benzimidiazolone yellow (PY120) are: 80, 8, 75, with chroma of 75 (estimated (bottom)
hue purity of 59) and a hue angle of 84.
Old Holland scheveningen yellow medium is apparently the only commercial

watercolor source; the paint is active wet in wet and resists blossoming.
AVOID. As this pigment is impermanent and easily matched by other

pigments (see above), there is no reason to use this paint. See also the
section on benzimidazolone pigments.
azomethine copper
PY129 green gold Winsor & Newton 217 3 4 30 1 2 2 87 +6 7,8
complex (1972)
PY129 green gold Rowney Artists 373 3 1 35 1 3 0 85 +5 7,8
PY129 golden green Old Holland 295 3 1 39 1 3 0 82 +9 7,8
PY129 azo green M. Graham 016
tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT Copper azomethine green (PY129), commonly the
ingredient in "green gold" paints, is a lightfast, semitransparent, staining, mid
valued, moderately dull yellow pigment, available from only 3 registered
pigment manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, manufacturer tests
rate it as having "very good" to "excellent" (I) lightfastness, and my
lightfastness tests agree. In watercolors this "green gold" pigment undergoes
a moderately large drying shift, holding lightness but losing saturation by up
to 30%; in tints the color shifts from yellow green into a beuatiful light yellow.
This pigment is related to other copper (PG10) or nickel (PY150)
azomethines, other forms of metal complex pigment. The average CIECAM
J,a,b values for green gold (PY129) are: 53, 4, 49, with chroma of 49
Winsor & Newton green gold is the yellowest of the azomethines and (with
M. Graham) the most saturated, with a beautiful slight granulation in
masstone or wet applications. The paint shifts slightly further toward green
and becomes more chromatic in tints. Old Holland is slightly darker and lifts
more readily. "Green gold" copper azomethine is a delightful and extremely
useful category of pigment for all genres, but for landscape and botanical
painting especially. The M.Graham and Stephen Quiller paint brands have
recently added it to their inventory, and Robert Doak sells an especially
brilliant form as a liquid watercolor paint. Copper azomethine has a high tinting
strength in mixtures, and can produce beautifully transparent and brilliant
yellow greens when mixed with a green phthalocyanine, moody and luxurious
sap greens when mixed with iron blue, and a gorgeous range of botanical tans
and ochres, and portrait flesh tones, when mixed with quinacridone magenta.
Copper azomethine is useful as a glazing pigment to mute or warm other
colors; it works very well to brighten and shift to yellow all green pigments,
even the cobalts. And if you are an avocate of the split "primary" palette,
then copper azomethine is the perfect lightfast, transparent "cool yellow"
pigment to pair with its lightfast, transparent "warm yellow" twin, nickel
azomethine yellow (PY150).
CAUTION. Most green golds have very good lightfastness, but you should
specifically avoid the Holbein paint, which (given its impermanence) may not
be an azomethine pigment at all but a phthalocyanine/arylide convenience
mixture. (The Colour Index (4th edition online) currently shows no
manufacturers registered for PY117.) Any green gold paint you use should first
be tested for lightfastness. See also the section on metal complex pigments.
quinophthalone yellow
PY138 permanent yellow Rowney Artists 014 3 3 11 0 1 3 87 +9 7,7
(1973)
Quinophthalone yellow PY138 is a lightfast, semitransparent, staining, very
light valued, intense yellow pigment, available from just 2 pigment
manufacturers worldwide. It has a hue resembling cadmium yellow (PY35) or
hansa yellow (PY97). The ASTM (1999) rates it as having "very good"
lightfastness (II), and my own tests show a slight lightening of the pigment
after two months of daily sunlight exposure. Rowney permanent yellow is
apparently the only commercial source; the paint is active wet in wet and
resists blossoming. A lovely basic yellow color, in a relatively new category of
synthetic organic pigment. Possible alternative to the arylide hansa yellow
(PY97) or benzimidazolone yellow (PY154) in the same hue category.
PY139 isoindoline yellow (1964) permanent yellow deep MaimeriBlu 114 3 3 20 0 3 4 68 +5 8,8
isoindoline yellow + indian yellow [hue]
PY139+PO49 MaimeriBlu 098 3 3 24 0 2 4 68 +4 8,8
quinacridone deep gold [discontinued 2005]
Isoindoline yellow PY139 is a very lightfast, semitransparent, moderately
staining, light valued, intense yellow orange pigment, available from 4
pigment manufacturers worldwide. The hue is closest to a cadmium or hansa
yellow deep. Unrated by the ASTM, my tests found it has "excellent" (I)
lightfastness, with very slight fading in tints. The CIECAM J,a,b values for
isoindolinone yellow deep (PY139) are: 72, 35, 68, with chroma of 77
MaimeriBlu is currently the only manufacturer to use this pigment; their

formulations are very active wet in wet and blossom when rewetted.
MaimeriBlu permanent yellow is a very orangish, dark yellow; the
MaimeriBlu indian yellow is less intense with a slight brownish cast. The
pure pigment paint is worth investigating if you want a transparent warm
yellow for your palette (it is almost exactly the same hue and value as Daniel
Smith cadmium yellow deep). The "indian" convenience mixture is to me flat
and solid, not as attractive as nickel dioxine yellow (PY153) but very
predictable in mixtures. Both paints are very lightfast. See also the section on
isoindolinone pigments.
nickel azomethine yellow
PY150 (1970) nickel azo yellow Daniel Smith 108 3 2 25 1 3 1 66 +20 8,7
PY150 transparent yellow Winsor & Newton 653 4 3 22 1 4 2 78 +12 .,.

PY150 translucent yellow Schmincke 209 3 2 21 1 2 2 77 +12 7,8
PY150 nickel azo yellow M. Graham 123
tests
PY150+
+ quinacridone maroon quinacridone gold [hue] Winsor & Newton 547 3 3 42 2 4 2 62 +30 .,.
PR206+PV19
+ quinacridone violet
PY150+PO48 gamboge [hue] Rembrandt 238 3 2 31 1 2 2 72 +17 8,8
+ quinacridone orange
PY150+PO48 nickel quinacridone gold M. Graham 124
tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT Nickel azomethine yellow PY150 is a very lightfast,
transparent, moderately staining, nongranulating, moderately light valued,
moderately intense orange yellow pigment, available from 3 pigment
manufacturers worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in
watercolors as "excellent" (I); my own and manufacturer tests agree. In
watercolors PY150 shows a small drying shift, holding its lightness but losing
lightfastness test sample
about 15% saturation. An apt name for PY150 might be "new gamboge deep",
as it has the same two toned appearance: in masstone it is a dull deep yellow unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
(chroma of around 65) very similar to genuine gamboge (NY24); in tints it (bottom) Schmincke
rises to a sunny, noticeably cooler and more intense (chroma 75) middle
yellow. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for nickel azo yellow (PY150) are:
67, 14, 61, with chroma of 62 (estimated hue purity of 49) and a hue angle of
77.
Some paint manufacturers or regulatory agencies may impose a health

warning on this paint as it contains a heavy metal (nickel); but see my
skeptical comments under health & environmental issues.
Both Winsor & Newton transparent yellow and Daniel Smith nickel azo
yellow are rather dark, warm and subdued in masstone, but rise to a
wonderfully glowing middle to light yellow in tints; the Schmincke paint is
lighter and cooler in masstone and makes a smaller undertone hue shift
toward middle yellow, both indications of a lower pigment concentration in the
paint formulation (and lower tinting strength). All paints blossom moderately
and are among the most transparent yellows available.
The metal azomethines comprise a small and very interesting but

underutilized group of pigments that may (very unfortunately) be gradually
disappearing from pigment manufacturer offerings. However, the recent
discontinuation of quinacridone gold (PO49) may motivate the use of PY150
as a replacement, for example by Winsor & Newton. PY150 seems to me to be
a superb botanical yellow. Applied full strength, it is a yellow just on the border
of brown, and makes a beautiful series of vegetable yellows, oranges and reds
when mixed with a dull red or dark red violet paint. Mixed with a phthalo
green, nickel azo yellow creates beautifully varied, natural yellow greens
resembling the color of spring leaves and new lawns. (It works very well with
most blues, too: try it in particular with iron blue [PB27] to get an excellent
"hooker's green".) And in tints it is a gentle floral yellow, close in hue to
aureolin, the hue of many varieties of flowers. Overall, I strongly recommend
you try it. See also the section on metal complex pigments.
benzimidazolone yellow azo yellow (aureolin

PY151 M. Graham 018 3 3 7 0 3 4 89 +7 7,8
(1960) [hue])
PY151 aureolin modern Schmincke 208 2 4 11 0 3 1 85 +10 7,7
Benzimidazolone yellow PY151 is a very lightfast, semitransparent, staining,
very light valued, intense yellow pigment, available from 9 pigment
manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, my tests assign it "excellent"
(I) lightfastness. Even though its saturation is high, the light yellow hue
position means it can easily take on a slightly brownish cast. In watercolors
PY151 undergoes a very small drying shift, barely shifting in lightness or
saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for benzimidazolone yellow
(PY151) are: 84, -1, 75, with chroma of 75 (estimated hue purity of 59) and a
hue angle of 91.
M. Graham azo yellow (aureolin) is a very good "primary" yellow, leaning
neither to red nor to green, with a bright, clear appearance. It is very active
wet in wet and blossoms readily. The Schmincke paint is warmer, and
although it is as saturated as the M. Graham paint this hue difference gives it
a slight brownish cast. It is also semiopaque and bronzes when applied full
strength. Both paints are good mixers and remain bright in tints. The
benzimidazolones are (with the cadmiums and arylides) one of the three major
types of artists' yellow pigment. Confusingly, the "azo" is often pulled from the
"benzimidazolone" as a generic nickname, though "azo" equally applies to a
very large family of yellow, orange and red synthetic organic pigments.
(Paint manufacturers are quite certain that artists are incapable of accepting
"benzimidazolone" in paint names, though DaVinci's "benzimida" works for
me.) This pigment closely resembles benzimidazolone yellow H3G (PY154),
and either of them works well as a hue replacement for aureolin (PY40). See
also the section on benzimidazolone pigments.
nickel dioxine yellow

PY153 new gamboge Winsor & Newton 319 3 4 14 0 2 2 71 +13 8,8
(1963)
PY153 new gamboge Daniel Smith 020 3 1 22 0 4 1 66 +16 8,8
PY153 indian yellow [hue] Rowney Artists 643 3 1 24 1 3 1 67 +13 8,8
PY153 indian yellow [hue] Sennelier 517 4 4 16 2 1 2 74 +10 8,8
PY153 indian yellow [hue] Utrecht 129 4 0 17 0 3 2 70 +17 7,8
PY153+PO62 indian yellow [hue] Winsor & Newton 267 2 2 21 0 3 1 66 +16 7,8
TOP 40 PIGMENT Nickel dioxine yellow PY153 is a very lightfast,
semitransparent, lightly staining, nongranulating, light valued, intense
orange yellow pigment. First produced as paliotol yellow by BASF, it is now
available from only 3 pigment manufacturers worldwide. The ASTM (1999)
rates its lightfastness in watercolors as "very good" (II), but both
manufacturer and my tests rate it "excellent" (I). In watercolors PY153
undergoes a very small drying shift, barely shifting in lightness or saturation.
Most of the formulations blossom readily and are moderately active wet in wet.
The average CIECAM J,a,b values for nickel dioxine yellow (PY153) are: 71,
29, 69, with chroma of 74 (estimated hue purity of 55) and a hue angle of 67.
Daniel Smith new gamboge and Winsor & Newton new gamboge are both
warm, duochrome pigments; the Daniel Smith is more transparent and less
staining and has the edge in color warmth. Both verge on a radiant yellowish
orange in masstone. Rowney's and Utrecht's are only slightly darker and less
saturated, but this makes a noticeable (attractive) difference in the apparent
hue; Utrecht is the least staining and most transparent. The Sennelier paint is
somewhat dull and homogenous. The convenience pigment Winsor & Newton
indian yellow is quite a bit more orange and more monochrome than the
original gamboge pigment (NY24), and it stains strongly.
PY153 seems most often named after the historical pigments indian yellow
(described under magnesium pigments) or gamboge (NY24). Neither
historical pigment has anything to do with (or much resembles) the modern
color category, which varies across manufacturers from an intense yellow
orange to a slightly brownish deep yellow. In any case, PY153 is a splendid
deep yellow pigment from almost every point of view. Though typically not as
strongly tinting or textural in mixtures as cadmium yellow deep, its
transparency, versatility and hue shifts (in the darker brands) make it one of
the most evocative and effective yellow pigments you will find. See also the
section on metal complex pigments.
NOTE: Manufacturing of this pigment was discontinued and supplies ran out in
2012. Both Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith have reformulated their new
gamboge paints without it. I recommend any of the orange yellow or
yellow orange pigments to replace it, especially PY35, PY65 and PY110.
benzimidazolone yellow
PY154 winsor yellow Winsor & Newton 058 3 4 9 0 1 3 87 +10 8,8
H3G (1960)
PY154 sennelier yellow light Sennelier 578 3 3 11 0 0 0 84 +8 8,8
PY154 azo yellow light Rembrandt 268 3 3 11 0 0 0 83 +9 8,7
PY154+PO43 azo yellow deep Rembrandt 268 3 3 21 0 0 0 67 +9 7,7
+ perinone orange
PY154+PO48 indian yellow [hue] Rembrandt 244 3 3 21 0 0 0 73 +15 8,7
+ quinacridone gold
PY154+PO62 + benzimidazolone azo yellow medium Rembrandt 268 3 3 15 0 0 0 71 +15 8,7
orange
TOP 40 PIGMENT Benzimidazolone yellow PY154 is a very lightfast,
semitransparent, staining, very light valued, intense yellow pigment,
available from 4 chemical pigment manufacturers worldwide. The ASTM
(1999), manufacturer and my own tests rate its lightfastness in watercolors
as "excellent" (I). In watercolors PY154 shows almost no drying shift.
Offered by four watercolor manufacturers, this (or PY151) is an excellent
"primary" yellow pigment, leaning neither toward orange nor green, although
the undertone does shift noticeably toward green. The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for benzimidazolone yellow (PY154) are: 83, 1, 77, with chroma of 77
Winsor & Newton winsor yellow is a clear, bright yellow color. With a hue
angle of 87, it is very close to the psychological unique yellow, as defined in
the section on color vision. The Sennelier is warmer, darker, and slightly
chalky. PY154 is one of the most widely used benzimidazolone pigments. As
a group, the benzimidazolone yellows seem not to be preferred in artists'
palettes to the cadmium yellows (which are more opaque and more intense in
tints) or the less expensive arylide (hansa) yellows, I think primarily because
the benzimidazolones are relatively newer and unfamiliar pigments. However,
they have good tinting strength when compared with many other pigments,
and produce rather crisp, vivid mixtures with the phthalo blues and greens.
Well worth trying out as a basic yellow paint. See also the section on
benzimidazolone pigments.
zirconium praesodymium
PY159 lemon yellow deep Winsor & Newton 348 2 1 9 2 1 1 90 +5 .,.
silicate
Zirconium praesodymium silicate PY159 is a semitransparent, staining, light
valued, dull yellow pigment, manufactured by BASF (Germany) and Heraeus
as a ceramics colorant (Sicocer F Yellow) for wall, floor and bath tiles, and sold
to the artist's trade by Kremer Pigments. Unrated by the ASTM or by me,
chemistry and prior use plausibly puts it in the "excellent" (I) lightfastness
category. Winsor & Newton lemon yellow deep is the only source of
this pigment in commercial watercolor paints. It is a pale, muted yellow, with
an intrinsic whiteness similar to nickel titanate (PY53), which it apparently
replaces in the brand color range. The name "praesodymium yellow" refers to
a similar metallic oxide containing the atomic element praesodymium (Pr).
PY175 winsor lemon Winsor & Newton 211 3 4 8 0 1 2 94 +6 7,8
H6G (1960)
PY175 permanent yellow lemon MaimeriBlu 112 4 3 5 0 1 4 96 +3 7,8
Benzimidazolone lemon PY175 is a lightfast, semitransparent, staining, very
light valued, moderately intense green yellow pigment, available from only 2
registered pigment manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, my own
and manufacturer tests put it in the "excellent" (I) lightfastness category. In
watercolors PY175 undergoes a very small drying shift, barely changing in
lightness or saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for benzimidazolone
lemon (PY175) are: 83, -8, 64, with chroma of 65 (estimated hue purity of
51) and a hue angle of 97.
Winsor & Newton winsor lemon gives the more intense, clearer tone; the
MaimeriBlu is slightly chalky and noticeably less saturated. Like some
brands of quinacridone gold, PY175 has an unpleasant tendency to gum up
and thicken mixtures (holding brushstrokes visibly on the paper). It is also
weak in cool mixtures (with phthalo green or phthalo blue), and because it is
lighter but less saturated than other yellows, it produces rather bland, artificial
looking greens. I don't like it for those reasons. Because it is more lightfast, it
should be preferred to hansa yellow light (PY3) if a lemon yellow paint is
required; it also lacks the unpredictable quality lapses of cadmium yellows. See
also the section on benzimidazolone pigments.
PY184 bismuth vanadate bismuth yellow Winsor & Newton 222 2 4 6 0 1 1 94 +3 8,8
(1924)
PY184 bismuth yellow Rowney Artists 629 1 3 6 0 1 1 93 +5 8,8
PY184 vanadium yellow Schmincke 207 1 3 7 0 1 1 94 +4 7,8
PY184 permanent lemon yellow Rembrandt 254 1 3 8 0 1 1 93 +5 6,4
PY184 bismuth yellow M. Graham 019
tests
Bismuth yellow PY184 is a lightfast, semiopaque, staining, very light
valued, intense green yellow pigment, offered by 8 chemical pigment
manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, my own and manufacturer
tests put it in the "excellent" (I) lightfastness category, with a single fugitive
exception. In watercolors PY184 undergoes a very small drying shift, barely
shifting in lightness and saturation. It is almost indistinguishable from Holbein
or MaimeriBlu cadmium lemon, and is very inert with water. The average lightfastness test sample
CIECAM J,a,b values for bismuth yellow (PY184) are: 87, -8, 68, with chroma unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
of 69 (estimated hue purity of 54) and a hue angle of 97. (bottom) Rembrandt
This is a very consistent pigment across watercolor brands. Winsor &

Newton bismuth yellow is an attractive color, very bright and crisp, with a
negligible hue shift toward green in undertone. The Schmincke paint is slightly
more opaque. The Rembrandt paint (right) unexpectedly darkened in
masstone and grayed in tint after just two weeks of daily sunlight exposure.
PY184 is one of the greenest inorganic yellows available and has very good
tinting strength, even when pitted against the cool, dark phthalo greens and
blues. These greens can seem unnaturally bright, but if that is your aim then
this yellow will serve well. Its main drawbacks are opacity and its tendency to
rinse reluctantly out of the brush, but this just means the pigment mimics the
powdery texture and lightfastness of a good cadmium lemon.
titanium zinc antimony

PY216 turner's yellow [hue] Winsor & Newton 649 2 2 16 0 3 2 79 +11 .,.
stannate
PY216, a complex of tin, antimony, zinc and titanium oxides, is a lightfast,
semiopaque, moderately staining, light valued, dull orange yellow pigment.
Unrated by the ASTM and not tested by me, chemistry and pigment
manufacturer tests plausibly give it "excellent" (I) lightfastness. James Turner
patented the original turner's yellow (lead oxychloride) in 1781; it was a bright
yellow to orange artist's pigment that was popular in the early 19th century; it
was fugitive and now obsolete. Winsor & Newton turner's yellow is the
only commercial source for the metallic oxide pigment, which has roughly the
same hue and lightness as nickel azomethine yellow (PY150) but with a less
saturated, opaque and whitish color. I find it to be excellent as a diluted
foundation tint for flesh mixtures, especially in portraits; in masstone
applications it can appear chalky and dense. A recent addition to the Winsor &
Newton line, it indicates a trend among art materials manufacturers to utilize
the relatively new, very stable complex metallic colorants formulated for
automotive and ceramics applications.
garcinia gum resin gamboge genuine

NY24 Winsor & Newton 069 4 2 19 1 2 2 78 +10 3,6
(1640) [discontinued in 2005]
Genuine gamboge NY24, the resin of the indian garcinia tree, is an

impermanent, transparent, nonstaining, light valued, moderately intense
orange yellow pigment that has roughly the same hue, value and hue shifts
as nickel azomethine yellow (PY150); the less lightfast anthrapyrimidine
yellow (PY108) is also a close color match. The only source in watercolors was lightfastness test samples
Winsor & Newton, which no longer (2005) manufactures it.
unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
(bottom)
yellow paints made with pigments in a different color index category
azomethine nickel green gold

PG10 Daniel Smith 037 3 4 33 2 4 3 94 +3 7,7
complex (1946) [discontinued in 2000]
australian green gold
PG10 [discontinued in 2005] Art Spectrum W39 2 4 27 0 1 0 97 +1 7,7
Nickel azomethine green PG10 is a lightfast, semitransparent, heavily staining,

mid valued, moderately intense green yellow pigment. Unrated by the ASTM,
my own tests give it a "very good" (II) lightfastness rating. This pigment is
apparently no longer available to paint manufacturers and there are no
pigment manufacturers registered with the Colour Index. This is regrettable,
as PG10 is the brightest of the yellow green nickel azomethines, a luminous
olive color shading into a greenish yellow. (The average CIECAM J,a,b values
for nickel azomethine green (PG10) are: 58, -8, 55, with chroma of 56
(estimated hue purity of 47) and a hue angle of 98.) The other yellow green
azomethines (PY117 and PY129) as used in art materials are darker,
yellower and less intense. See also the section on metal complex pigments.
KEY TO THE PAINT RATINGS. Summarized as numbers: Tr = Transparency: 0 (very opaque) to 4 (transparent) - St = Staining: 0
(nonstaining) to 4 (heavily staining) - VR = Value Range: the value of the masstone color subtracted from the value of white paper, in
steps of a 100 step value scale - Gr = Granulation: 0 (liquid texture) to 4 (granular) - Bl = Blossom: 0 (no blossom) to 4 (strong
blossom) - Df = Diffusion: 0 (inert) to 4 (very active diffusion) - HA = Hue Angle in degrees of the CIELAB a*b* plane - HS = Hue
Shift as the undertone hue angle minus the masstone hue angle, in degrees of the CIELAB a*b* plane - Lf = Lightfastness: 1 (very
fugitive) to 8 (very lightfast) for paint in tint,full strength - Mentioned in pigment notes: Chroma: For the masstone paint on white
watercolor paper. - Drying Shift: Change in masstone color appearance from a glistening wet to completely dry paint swatch, in units of
lightness, chroma and hue angle in CIELAB. For more information see What the Ratings Mean.
Last revised 07.I.2015 2015 Bruce MacEvoy

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11/8/2016 handprint : colormaking attributes

arylide yellow 10G

hansa yellow light lightfastness samples (2004)

In watercolors PY3 undergoes a very small drying shift, darkening slightly

CAUTION. I found significant differences in the sunstruck pigment color

chrome yellow deep

AVOID. To my knowledge, chrome yellow paints have been discontinued in

cadmium zinc sulfide

discoloration in cadmium yellow lightfastness samples

Cadmium hues can be precisely adjusted by the proportion of zinc sulfide or

Cadmium yellow is among the most commonly and enthusiastically used

cobalt yellow lightfastness samples (2004)

AVOID. Aureolin (like alizarin crimson) is a pigment that modern chemistry

Naples yellow is a great convenience pigment for landscapes (mediterranean

nickel titanium oxide

PY53 nickel titanate yellow Rowney Artists 637 2 2 5 0 1 1 96 +3 8,8

nickel titanium oxide +

arylide yellow 3RN

diarylide yellow HR 242- paint introduced after my last pigment

diarylide yellow HR scheveningen yellow

arylide yellow FGL

CAUTION. This is a beautiful muted yellow but its discoloration in the

For more information, see under PY129, below.

AVOID. As this pigment is impermanent and easily matched by other

benzimidiazolone yellow scheveningen yellow

Old Holland scheveningen yellow medium is apparently the only commercial

AVOID. As this pigment is impermanent and easily matched by other

MaimeriBlu is currently the only manufacturer to use this pigment; their

PY150 transparent yellow Winsor & Newton 653 4 3 22 1 4 2 78 +12 .,.

Some paint manufacturers or regulatory agencies may impose a health

The metal azomethines comprise a small and very interesting but

benzimidazolone yellow azo yellow (aureolin

nickel dioxine yellow

This is a very consistent pigment across watercolor brands. Winsor &

titanium zinc antimony

garcinia gum resin gamboge genuine

Genuine gamboge NY24, the resin of the indian garcinia tree, is an

yellow paints made with pigments in a different color index category

azomethine nickel green gold

Nickel azomethine green PG10 is a lightfast, semitransparent, heavily staining,

Last revised 07.I.2015 2015 Bruce MacEvoy

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