The dates furnished are in some cases approximate. In many cases a color does not become generally available to attists until long after its discovery. The list may be useful to those who wish to verify in museums the permanence of certain colors. For example, the dates for the introduction of zinc and titanium whites indicate that until the early 1800s the only white pigments generally available to attists were the flake whites and chalks. Since we see that the whites have stood up well in paintings executed centuries prior to 1800, we can assume that flake white is indeed durable and useful.
In the case of commercially prepared colors, the same name is sometimes given to two distinctly difgerent pigments that resemble each other in color appearance but differ materially in permanence or toxity. Therefore it seems advisable for reference to include in our list the chief chemical constituents of each pigment we discuss, least there be any confusion as to the relevance of the listed description. In most cases manufacturers will supply on request a catalogue of their products, including the chemical ingredients of each color. It would , of course, be even more convenient if this information were to be included on the label of each tube--a practice sugested for the Commercial Standard for Artists' Oil Paints [currently CS 948-62] published and revised periodicaly by the U.S. Department of Commerce and already followed by some companies.
Symbols are used as follows:
Comparative Drying Rates in Linseed Oil Films
Comparative Film-forming Qualities in Linseed Oil
[Kay, Reed. The Painter's Guide to Studio Methods and Materials. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1983. p. 19]
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