Description
Manganese blue is almost an urban myth among painters, revered for it's beauty and transparency
It's production was ceased in the 1980's, sometimes very small amounts become available from old stocks and it is made into oil paint (this particular batch was sourced from Stoke-on-Trent in the UK).
So why is it special? The hue and transparency are unavailable in any other pigment/paint, it is a wonderfully luminous, intense, icy blue. A paint of light and air would be a poetic way to describe it, the second image on the left shows this aspect the best.
In masstone it is a luminous, rich, deep blue, it's real beauty is exhibited when brushed out thinly and then it really comes alive showing wonderful transparent cool blues. It maintains these qualities in mixes and doesn't overpower like a transparent phthalocyanine would.
It is a mid-power tinter, and when mixed with white you can get sky blues like I haven't seen with any other oil paint. It is ground in Walnut Oil to slow its drying somewhat and to maintain its crispy icyness, although it still dries pretty quickly. Please be aware it needs careful handling and good studio practice due to its toxicity.
A utterly overused word nowadays, but this is awesome in the true sense!
Please note this is a 20ml tube.
Technical Overview
Pigment - PB33/Manganese Blue
Binder - Walnut Oil
Opacity - Transparent
Drying Time - Fast
Munsell - Hue 5 PB - Value 5 - Chroma 12
