Earth & Mineral Pigments

Description Technical Data Video

Natural Earth & Mineral Pigments are beautifully archival, eco-friendly, and sustainably-harvested from around the world. They contain no added fillers, additives, preservatives, stabilizers, or heavy metals. Each 3 oz. pigment packet contains four natural paint recipes inside.

Each pigment is available in 3 oz. and 1 lb. packages.

Each natural pigment has a different set of characteristics, such as liquid absorption, volume, tinting strength, and granulation. Because of these characteristics, they each require a different volume of binder to create the desired paint consistency.

Now in Home Compostable Pouches as of January 2021! Please note: we are in the process of phasing out our old packaging, so some products may still be packaged in biodegradable plastic, especially products purchased outside of our US site.

Click on the Technical Data Tab for more information, and see below for pigment details.

Venetian Red (Venetian Red MSDS), Color Index #PR102
After testing many red earth pigments from around the world, we chose this vibrant red from a family- owned quarry in Italy for its luminous, rich red color and mixing quality.

Natural Iron Oxide
Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 microns
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Orange Ochre (Orange Ochre MSDS), Color Index #PY43

This vibrant and warm natural orange pigment comes from a quarry in France.

Natural Iron Oxide
Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Yellow Ochre (Yellow Ochre MSDS), Color Index #PY43

This beautiful yellow ochre comes from a quarry in France.

Natural Iron Oxide
Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 300 degrees F

Terre Verte (Terre Verte MSDS), Color Index #PG23

After testing many green earth pigments from around the world, we chose this rich green from a quarry in France. With yellow undertones, it is more translucent when used alone and becomes a rich, opaque green when mixed with white.

Natural Earth Loam
Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Semi-Transparent
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Ultramarine Blue (Ultramarine Blue MSDS), Color Index # PB29

This radiant blue pigment is our only color that has been fired to get its vibrant color. It is composed of 90% earthen clay and 10% man-made, non-toxic minerals, and it is heated in an oven to a high temperature. The composition of the mineral is Si4O10(OH)2Mg3. Throughout history, blues in nature were very rare and usually made with precious stones like Lapis Lazuli. These stones are now unsustainably harvested in Afghanistan, so we have found this beautiful, non-toxic and sustainably- made alternative from France.

Lightfastness: Excellent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Semi-transparent
Color Stable to 300 degrees F
Warning: If this pigment is mixed with a high content of acid, it can release hydrogen sulfide gas.

Burnt Umber (Burnt Umber MSDS), Color Index # PBr7

This rich and beautiful deep brown pigment comes from a quarry in France.

Natural Iron Oxide
Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 microns
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Violet Ochre (Violet Ochre MSDS), Color Index #PR102

This violet earth hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. It is a beautiful earthy reddish, brownish violet. If you would like a more true color spectrum purple, try our Ultramarine Purple.

Natural Iron Oxide
Lightfastness: Excellent
Opacity: Opaque

Black Ochre (Black Ocher MSDS), Color Index #PBK11

This earthy black natural ochre comes from a quarry in France.

Natural Iron Oxide
Lightfastness: Excellent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 300 degrees F

Titanium White Rutile (Titanium White MSDS), Color Index #PW6

This is an opaque white pigment with high opacity, perfect for using alone or lightening other colors. Titanium Dioxide, not to be confused with Titanium Metal (Ti), occurs in nature as the well-known mineral, Rutile, found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. Rutile is the second most abundant mineral sand and is processed to extract the pure white mineral that we use in our paint kits.

Lightfastness: Excellent
Particle Size: 50 microns
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Note: Titanium Dioxide is toxic to breathe in large amounts because it contains silica (which is abrasive to the lungs), so please wear a mask when mixing this pigment in dry form.

Natural Mica Gold (Natural Mica Gold MSDS), Color Index #PW-20

Very fine, non-tarnishing, brilliant gold that adds a lovely sparkle to paintings. Note: If added to white or opaque paint, it will get buried. Because this pigment is so fine, it tends to float and disperse easily into the air; we recommend wearing a Niosh certified mask while mixing. Even though this particular item only has 2 ounces of weight, it fills the normal 3 ounce pouch in terms of volume.

Natural Mica Silver (Natural Mica Silver MSDS), Color Index #PW-20

Very fine, non-tarnishing, brilliant silver that adds a lovely sparkle to paintings. Note: If added to white or opaque paint, it will get buried. Because this pigment is so fine, it tends to float and disperse easily into the air, and the Silver Mica contains a small percentage of Titanium Dioxide, which can be harmful if inhaled in large quantities; we recommend wearing a Niosh certified mask while mixing.

Natural Mica Copper (Natural Mica Copper MSDS), Color Index #PW-20

Very fine, non-tarnishing, brilliant copper that adds a lovely sparkle to paintings. Note: If added to white or opaque paint, it will get buried. Because this pigment is so fine, it tends to float and disperse easily into the air; we recommend wearing a Niosh certified mask while mixing.

Ultramarine Purple (Ultramarine Purple MSDS), Color Index #PV15
This pigment is a beautiful and unique bright purple, similar to Dioxazine Purple, that no other combination of pigments can create. Our Ultramarine Purple is a 10% man-made, non-toxic pigment affixed to an earthen clay mineral base and heated at high temperatures - from France.

Lightfastness: Excellent
Particle Size: 30-50 micron
Opacity: Semi-Transparent
Color Stable to 300 degrees F
Not Lime or Cement Stable

Burnt Sienna (Burnt Sienna MSDS), Color Index #PR102

This rich and beautiful reddish-brown pigment comes from a quarry in France.

Natural Iron Oxide
Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Raw Sienna (Raw Sienna MSDS), Color Index #PY43

This light, raw sienna is a beautiful golden color with a slight greenish/yellowish undertone. It comes from a quarry in France.

Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Semi-transparent
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Raw Umber (Raw Umber MSDS), Color Index #PBr7
This rich, raw brown earth has a cool greenish undertone. It comes from a quarry in France.

Lightfastness: Excellent / Permanent
Particle Size: 50 microns
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

Brilliant Yellow (Brilliant Yellow MSDS), Color Index #PY53

This is a primary yellow pigment, similar to Lemon Yellow. It is a 10% man-made pigment affixed on an earthen clay mineral base - from France.

Lightfastness: Excellent
Particle Size: 50 microns
Opacity: Transparent
Color Stable to 1100 degrees F

Emerald Green (Emerald Green MSDS), Color Index #PG17

This is a rich, opaque, bright green pigment that is UV resistant and has a powerful tinting strength. It is man made from natural elements.

Lightfastness: Excellent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Opaque
Color Stable to 300 degrees F

Mayan Red (Mayan Red MSDS), Color Index #PR287

After years of searching for a completely non-toxic and professional-grade primary red, we chose this vibrant, bright red pigment that is archival and humidity-resistant. It makes beautiful, bright pinks when mixed with white and is semi-transparent on its own. It is composed of a natural calcium carbonate base and a man-made, non-toxic pigment.

Lightfastness: Excellent
Particle Size: 30-50 micron
Opacity: Semi-Transparent

Note: Our former Mayan Red is no longer available as the Mayan Pigment Co. closed, but this pigment is equally beautiful and more affordable.

French Turquoise (French Turquoise MSDS)

This is a beautiful and true turquoise shade from France. It is composed of 10% man-made mineral pigment affixed on a natural base (calcium carbonate).

Lightfastness & UV Stability: Excellent
Particle Size: 50 micron
Opacity: Semi-Transparent
Color Stable to 330 degrees F

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Safety:

Use care when handling any dry pigment; it’s not healthy to breathe any type of dust into your lungs, even if it is non-toxic and natural (like our pigments). Avoid inhaling pigment dust and use a mask when mixing if needed.

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Since computer monitors, tablets and smartphones may differ in how they display colors, the actual pigment powders we sell may differ slightly from their product image as displayed on your device. We do not guarantee colors based on these images.

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We ship Priority Mail (2-3 day delivery) for all packages except orders under 14 oz. which ship USPS First Class. We ship within one business day of receiving an order, and a shipping confirmation is automatically sent with USPS tracking numbers for all packages.

All European Orders should go through natural-earth-paint.com

We do ship internationally all over the world and USPS estimates 8-15 days for delivery. You may incur customs fees upon delivery. We unfortunately never know when or if this will happen - it is quite random.

We regret that we cannot provide a real-time shipping calculator on our site since it is cost prohibitive, but you can use the USPS shipping calculator on their website to get an approximate cost and time frame for your delivery. Please contact us if you would like to purchase an expedited service such as USPS Express.