Shades of Black

Black is a very contradictory colour: some artists even prefer not to have it in their palettes and mix it when needed. I personally think that black is a very important colour as it creates very beautiful mixes, as well as works better as mono pigment black rather a mixed one.

In ENL Watercolours in pans, I made 4 blacks for now.

• Brown Black is semi-transparent granulating colour made of two mineral pigments: PBr 8 and Iron Black PBk11.
• Vine black is called sometimes Black Ochre (PBk8) is made by burning vegetable matter in a low oxygen environment. Vine or willow charcoals are made in the same way and the name comes from the grape vines used in one of the manufacturing methods. This colour is transparent and gives almost no granulation.
• Mars Black, or PBk11, is the first black I’ve ever made in watercolours. This mineral colour provides transparent granulating coat, but the particles may seem gritty due to the nature of the pigment.
• Lamp Black is a new one here and I had big doubts to include it or not in the line. The problem is in the method of production, when petroleum or natural gas get burnt and then the soot is collected. Even though the pigment itself is safe to use, the manufacturing process contributes a lot into carbon pollution. The colour is opaque with a very strong tinting properties which makes it difficult to mix with other colours (whatever you mix, you get just another black). However, for crating backgrounds or very dark spots Lamp Black is essential.