How to use Lapis Pigment

Why use ultramarine pigment?

Natural ultramarine is the painters dream; the natural ultramarine pigment with its crystalline structure and multiple surfaces reflects light like a finely faceted jewel thereby exhibiting ever changing display of rich vibrant blues. This creates a three dimensional, gem like effect which is not at all possible with a very small, round and uniformly shaped particles of the synthetic ultramarine pigment.

The natural ultramarine has a high stability to light and records have shown a painting 500 yrs old which has as pure and intense a blue color as freshly painted. It is suitable for every medium, equally excellent with oils, water and egg tempera. Ultramarine is well suited to make works of art more distinguished and alive with its gemstone energy.

Techniques in which it can be used in oil paintings:

With ultramarine pigment mixed in oil you can paint wet on wet (i.e. mix paint both on the palette and the canvas)
Layered (apply a layer of ultramarine paint once the previous has dried)
Glaze – ideally suited for glaze (you can work with very thin transparent layers)
Blending – it can be blended with any colour, giving smooth and velvety brush strokes. It imparts luminosity to every color it is blended with.

For Water color technique

Lapis pigment is equally splendid for water colors, mixing it with a little gum Arabic ,it yields smooth brush strokes and can be mixed with any color.

For Egg Tempera technique

Mix the pigment with little water(optional)and egg yolk and apply it for egg tempera painting,also a little linseed oil can be added to make egg oil emulsion paints ,good for impasto.

Whatever technique you choose to use, ultramarine pigment is the ideal choice.As its hue,chroma,or value do not alter with time,it is resistant to changes in temperature and weather.

De Mairo Natural Lapis Lazuli pigment is ideal for painting with oil, water, tempera etc.

As Lapis Lazuli pigment is an inorganic pigment, it does not chemically react with other materials therefore it can be safely used with water oil and other chemically based products.

HOW TO MAKE ARTIST’S OIL PAINTS WITH LAPIS LAZULI PIGMENT.

OIL PAINTING AND ITS GLORIOUS HISTORY:The earliest record of oil painting dates back to the 7^th century cave paintings in Afghanistan .Then in the 15^th century Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck innovated the technique of oil painting substituting the Egg tempera technique used in those days. With oil painting technique he made such marvelous realistic paintings that his contemporaries were left awestruck. Oil painting was quickly taken up by the artists and is a very popular medium of painting to date.

ARTIST’s OIL PAINT RECIPE:

Constituents:

· Dry Lapis Lazuli pigment.
· Good quality refined Linseed oil

Preparation method:

Take a spoonful of De Mairo lapis lazuli pigment on a nonabsorbent surface.

Now pour the linseed oil drop by drop into the pigment mix the pigment with a palette knife or a small glass muller

into the linseed oil .Keep on adding oil into the pigment until it attains the right consistency; now it is ready to use like any other tube color. You can use it separately or mix it with any other color . It adds luminosity to every color it is added to.

The De Mairo Lapis pigment is pure gemstone pigment which adds enormous value to your work both aesthetically and monetarily.

HOW TO DO EGG TEMPERA PAINTING WITH LAPIS LAZULI PIGMENT?

Most Tempera artists prefer to make their paints fresh and use them within 24 hours .Fresh tempera paints are far better than the tube paints available in the market as they don’t have any preservatives in them.

HISTORY OF EGG TEMPERA

Tempera is a fast drying painting medium in which egg yolk is used as a binder.

This method of painting is marked by its durability.It was the most popular method of painting from 1^st century to 16th century.

MAKING OF EGG TEMPERA PAINT WITH LAPIS PIGMENT

PREPARING THE BINDER(egg)

Take a fresh egg. Separate the yolk without breaking it. Dry it on a paper towel moving it gently to and fro. Now break the egg yolk discarding the yolk sac.

Take lapis lazuli pigment in equal proportion with egg yolk, mix the egg yolk with dry pigment with spatula after dispersing the pigment .Keep adding the yolk slowly mixing it with spatula simultaneously till it attains the paste like form of right consistency. You can put it in a small glass jar with lid to prevent speedy drying.

WATER COLOR PAINTING

Water color is a kind of painting method in which a water-soluble binder like gum Arabic is used for the pigment.

The main beauty of water color painting is its transparency and luminosity as water is used instead of oil for painting.

It can be done on paper , wood , fabric, canvas etc

MAKING OF ARTIST’S WATERCOLOR PAINTS WITH LAPIS PIGMENT

PAINT RECIPE

CONSTITUENTS

Liquid Gum Arabic
Lapis dry pigment
METHOD OF PREPARATION

Place the pigment on a non absorbent surface. Slowly add drop by drop gum Arabic in the pigment .Mix well till a paste of right consistency is attained. Check its consistency on paper.

Now it is ready to be used for painting you can apply it by thinning it with water if you like. Water color made with real lapis pigment ,yields smooth brush strokes and can be mixed with any other color .

Lapis pigment is transparent as it has a crystalline structure reflecting light like a jewel so it is wonderful for water color painting.