Horadam Naturals, #470 Indigofera

About This Color:

#470 Indigofera is made from genuine indigo leaves. Plants from the Indigofera genus—primarily Indigofera tinctoria—produce the only natural blue colorant known to humankind. The process for making indigo dye has been known since antiquity: the leaves are soaked in water and fermented, turning the naturally-occurring indican into indigotin, which precipitates out of the solution as it oxidizes.

Today, most indigo is synthetically produced, but Schmincke has selected a genuine, plant-derived indigo for this special Naturals color. Deep and greyish, natural indigo has a gravitas and complexity that's unmatched by synthetic alternatives. It is also made without the petrochemical precursors that are required for synthetic indigo.

About Horadam Naturals:

New for 2024, Schmincke Horadam Naturals are a unique range of vegan and naturally-derived watercolors. The colorants used in Naturals all come from plants, earth, and rocks, including a few classic colors (like the gorgeous Yellow Ochre included in this line) and several colors that are quite rare in professional paint.

The plant-based colors included in Naturals, like turmeric, indigo, and madder, have been known to artists and craftspeople for centuries. They are not often seen in artist colors today because they have been replaced by synthetic alternatives, like azo yellows, phthalo blues, and quinacridone reds. Natural colors are typically not as lightfast as modern synthetics, but they have a unique and subtle beauty that is irreplaceable. It's lovely to see them in such an artist-friendly format.

The mineral colors in Naturals are more familiar: yellow ochre, green earth, white chalk, vine black, etc. But these are actually not the same as the earth pigments typically found in artist colors. Normally, art materials manufacturers prefer to use highly processed and standardized earth pigments, so that there is complete uniformity between batches and more predictable application in the studio. For the Naturals line, Schmincke has selected less-processed, single-origin pigments that retain more of their original character. Subtle variations of color and texture are waiting inside each tube.

Unlike many traditional watercolors, Horadam Naturals do not contain any animal products (like oxgall and bone black, both frequently found in artist colors.) The binder is simple, time-tested gum arabic, which dilutes beautifully and re-activates easily with water after it dries.

Available in 15 mL tubes. Made in Germany.