Dyers, coloring professionals, metal workers and gemologists seek vibrant colors and tones since early civilization. The first use of...

"Hematite" comes from the ancient Greek for blood. The stone makes red dust when cut and polished. The red color isn't always visible at...

Hematite, an iron oxide mineral with the chemical formula Fe2O3, is prevalent around the world. Known for metallic luster and red earth...

Hematite, an iron ore with the chemical formula Fe2O3 (ferric oxide), is known for its metallic luster. In earthy form the stone offers a...

Copperas, known chemically as ferrous sulfate (FeSO₄), has been a vital compound across various industries for centuries. Although...

Caput mortuum (Latin "dead head") is a purple hematite iron oxide pigment, used in oil paints and dyes. Due to cultural significance of...

Caput mortuum, Latin for as "dead head" is an ominous name for a valued color. As an iron oxide it's easy to make at home. As a purple...

Lapis lazuli or "blue stone" is prized for its depth and brilliance in paint as the color ultramarine. Before the 1800s, ultramarine...

Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria) is a plant related to borage, also a popular medicinal herb. Alkanet is used in folk magic, alchemy, natural...

Vermilion (vermillion) is a brilliant red, orange-red or scarlet pigment obtained by grinding cinnabar (HgS), a sulfur and mercury ore. A...

Cinnabar or mercury sulfide (HgS) is a rock composed of mercury (Hg) and sulfur (S). Historically it's used to make vermillion or scarlet...

Verdigris is the green rust or patina on copper, created as the metal reacts with oxygen in the environment. Copper corrodes green to...

White pigments used in ancient art, spirituality and beauty include bone, limestone variations like chalk and other natural sources....