Schmincke Vault: Horadam Watercolor, Porphyry Green (2018)

Green porphyry is a semi-precious stone, known for its ornamental use throughout history, including in medieval altars. It has also been used since antiquity as a pigment. When dispersed in watercolor medium, green porphyry produces a gorgeous, bluish-green color with strong granulation, a deep masstone, and light, delicate glazes when applied thinly.

We love this unique color for all kinds of natural subjects, and especially for outdoor shadow areas and complex foliage. In our studio tests, we liked it in combination with lemon yellow (the result is a multifaceted green gold) and ultramarine (which produces a range of textured turquoise shades.)

Please note that the large, dense pigment particles in this type of watercolor tend to separate from the watercolor binder. Schmincke recommends mixing the color before use, by squeezing the paint from end to end in the tube, repeating this process for about 30 seconds. If you still notice separation, don't worry; it's normal. Simply mix the pigment into the medium with a brush or palette knife.

From the Schmincke Vault:
This special Horadam tube was produced in 2018 for a limited edition of watercolors made from stone ground, semi-precious gemstones. Earlier this year, a cache of vintage stock from this edition was found in the stock of a defunct retailer, and these rare tubes made their way back to Schmincke. The Schmincke laboratory performed tests to ensure that the colors were still in excellent condition. We purchased the entire supply at a discount, so we are able to offer these colors for a very special price, 40% off the original MSRP.

5 mL tube. Made in Germany.