Horadam Naturals, #530 Celadonite

About This Color:

#530 Celadonite is a variety of green earth, or terre verte, an historically important pigment in oil painting and known to artists since the ancient Romans. Today, most paints labeled "green earth" are synthetic alternatives, such as chrome green, because only small amounts of green clay deposits remain in the world.

This authentic green earth watercolor comes from mineral-rich clay that includes celadonite and glauconite, both greenish minerals of the mica group. This type of clay naturally occurs in Central Europe, which is part of the reason behind its widespread use in historical European art.

Transparent and granulating, #530 Celadonite is quite a subtle color, useful especially for natural subject matter like moss and sun-soaked foliage.

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 They are not often seen in artist colors today because they have been replaced by synthetic alternatives, like azo yellows, phthalo blues, and quinacridone reds.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.