Paris Green PG21, making the most toxic pigment in my collection into a handmade watercolor paint!
Channel: Dirty Blue Tube
Date: 2023-06-14

This is the notorious Paris Green! The one and only, original PG21 version! Also known as Emerald Green, Schweinfurt Green, Veronese Green or that arsenic stuff you actually don’t want to use but really just have to see in real life! 

Although captured in 4K at 60fps… a camera doesn’t do it justice. 

As a pigment itself, it’s a real dream to work with. Comparable to a creamy cobalt blue when it comes to ''disolvability'' and structure as a paint. This particular version of the pigment gives a greenish blue, almost pastel like color that lays down beautifully transparent. It also has a real nice granulation when applied a bit heavier on some cold pressed cotton paper.

About the history of this pigment:

AS A COLOR ITSELF, AS WE KNOW IT NOW, IT'S NOT THAT SPECIAL
(YOU CAN MIX THIS WITH COMMON GREEN PIGMENTS AND WHITE, ALTHOUGH IT WILL LACK THE GRANULATION).

IT'S THE HISTORY OF THIS PIGMENT THAT MADE ME HUNT FOR IT, TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS NOTORIOUS PIECE OF COLOR HISTORY HAS BEEN A DREAM FOR A LONG TIME!

SO WHAT MAKES THIS PIGMENT SO SPECIAL?
BEFORE THE 1800'S THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY BRIGHT GREEN PICMENTS TO WORK WITH. SURE ONE COULD MIX A GREEN, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO PICMENTS PEOPLE USED VERDIGRIS AND MALACHITE.

THEN THE PIGMENT KNOWN AS SCHEELE'S GREEN WAS MADE. A COPPER ARSENITE PIGMENT THAT WAS VERY TOXIC DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF COPPER AND ARSENIC. BUT IT WAS A VERY BRICHT GREEN!

EMERALD CREEN WAS DEVELOPED IN 1808 AS AN IMPROVED VERSION OF SCHEELE'S GREEN. IT WAS MORE DURABLE BUT, SINCE THIS IS A COPPER ACETOARSENITE, THE ARCENIC IN IT WOULD STILL BROWN THIS BRICHT CREEN WHEN IT CAME IN CONTACT WITH SULPHUR CONTAINING COLORS.

SHORTLY AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PIGMENT, PEOPLE FOUND OUT THE WALLPAPERS PRINTER WITH IT, GAVE OF FUMES OF ARCENIC AS A REACTION WITH THE HUMIDITY IN THE AIR. IT WAS PROHIBITED IN 1815 FOR THIS PURPOSE.

AFTER THIS, IT HAS BEEN USED AS A TOXIC DETERGENT FOR CROPS AND AS RAT POISON.
BUT EVEN WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF IT'S TOXICITY, THE PIGMENT HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION AS A PAINT UNTIL THE 1960'S!

TO HIDE THE NATURE OF THIS DEADLY PIGMENT, IT HAS BEEN GIVEN MANY NAMES. IT'S KNOW AS VERONESE GREEN, SCHWEINFURT GREEN AND PARIS GREEN. BUT AS MANY AS 88 NAMES WERE USED FOR IT IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.

THE WASHES OF THIS PICMENT CAN BE ALMOST A LICHT
TURQUOISE, MORE BLUEISH GREEN. WHILE IN MASS TONE IT DOES THE NAME EMERALD GREEN JUSTICE.

NOTE THAT THE NAME VERT ÉMERAUDE, ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME TRANSLATION FROM FRENCH TO ENGLISH, ISN'T USED FOR THIS COLOR, BUT FOR HYDRATED CHROMIUM OXIDE; VIRIDIAN

ALTHOUGH VERDIGRIS OR MALACHITE AREN'T THE HEALTHIEST PIGMENTS WHEN INHALED, PLEASE USE PRECAUTIONS WHEN WORKING WITH (THESE) PIGMENTS, IT'S BEEN THE ARSENIC CREEN PIGMENTS THAT MADE GREEN THE COLOR OF POISON!

ONLY NOW, SINCE WERE MORE AWARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, GREEN IS COMING BACK AS A COLOR OF NATURE, A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND SO ON. BUT MOST WITCHES CAULDRONS ARE FILLED WITH A GREEN SUBSTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO CARTOONS, AND THIS IS IT'S ORIGIN!

AS A PIGMENT NERD AND LOVER OF COLORS, I FEEL VERY HONOURED THAT I AM ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS PIGMENT


If you want to make paint, check out these affiliate links where you'll help my channel with an tiny percentage of your purchase: 

Empty pans:
https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/studio/palettes/watercolor-boxes?___store=jacksonsart_us&acc=dd055f53a45702fe05e449c30ac80df9

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Pigment:
https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/jackson-s-artist-pigment?___store=jacksonsart_us&acc=dd055f53a45702fe05e449c30ac80df9

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Gum Arabic:
https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/sennelier-gum-arabic-100g-us?___store=jacksonsart_us&acc=dd055f53a45702fe05e449c30ac80df9

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Silicon carbide:
https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/jackson-s-carborundum-powder?___store=jacksonsart_us&acc=dd055f53a45702fe05e449c30ac80df9
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Mullers:
https://www.jacksonsart.com/studio/painting-tools/paint-making-tools?___store=jacksonsart_us&acc=dd055f53a45702fe05e449c30ac80df9

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Palette knifes: 
https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/studio/painting-tools/palette-knives?___store=jacksonsart_us&acc=dd055f53a45702fe05e449c30ac80df9
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