Concept · Color in Painting
How Pigments Behave
The same pigment can look different depending on the binder that holds it, how finely it is ground and how long it has been exposed to light.
In oil, azurite can darken or drift toward green, while ultramarine keeps its hue but looks darker. A mineral ground finer scatters more white light and turns paler. Light breaks down dyes. Red lakes are among the least stable, so pinks drain toward white and violets mixed with them turn bluer.
- Look for passages that seem oddly pale, dark or cool beside the rest of a picture.
- Choose lightfast pigments; the ASTM standards for artists' paints set lightfastness requirements.
- Fading cannot be reversed. Museums mainly slow it by keeping light low and filtering out ultraviolet.
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