Description
I associate Cobalt pigments with blues and violets not yellows, however thanks to Nikolaus Fischer who in 1848 created this semi-transparent straw/mustard yellow pigment we now have Cobalt Yellow also known as Aureolin.
Herr Fischer, perhaps unwittingly, created a less fugitive alternative to the popular yellow colour Gamboge, whose beautiful, mustardy yellow hues are visible in Aureolin.
Its semi-transparent nature makes it excellent for glazes and as with so many transparent paints their true beauty is only revealed fully in a glaze or used thinly. The tints are quite mid-value in temperature, neither too green or orange. It has decent tinting power so provides a wide range of hues when mixed with white.
With the opaque and fiery nature of Cadmium Yellow, this yellow with almost the opposite qualities really has a place on most palettes, it somehow feels more natural and has a more earthy look than other yellows.
The source of the pigment is in the UK where it is manufactured in very small batches.
Brighter and lighter than the Michael Harding version.
Technical Overview
Pigment - PY40
Opacity - Semi-Transparent
Drying time - Medium to fast
Binder - Linseed Oil
Munsell - Hue 7.5 Y - Value 9 - Chroma 12
Wallace Seymour Oil Paint
