Kremer Phthalo Pigmente

Product information "Kremer Phthalo Pigments" 

Heliogen® Pigments 

The group of heliogen shades is an organic dye from the group of phthalocyanines. These are derived from phthalic acid. In the middle of the molecule, a copper atom is chemically integrated in an extremely stable manner, similar to the natural dyes hemoglobin (containing iron) and chlorophyll (containing magnesium). A pigment that does not contain this central atom appears turquoise (Pigment Blue 16). The phthalocyanine colors that are on the market today have the highest lightfastness and are weatherproof. 

Further information: 

The concerns that otherwise apply to copper-containing pigments do not apply here, since the copper is integrated into the dye molecule in a complex bond. In acidic media, in alkali and lime, the phthalocyanine dyes achieve the best fastness values ​​(5). Unfortunately, the solvent resistance is not always good and it must be expected that pigment particles will dissolve, i.e. the color will bleed or bloom. However, this does not apply to all types of phthalocyanine blue. There are also solvent-resistant pigments of this type, for example Heliogen blue® royal blue (15:3) or Heliogen blue® reddish (15:6). Heliogen® or phthalo blue is one of the most color-strong pigments of all and has a naturally translucent character. The addition of various white pigments gives the color an opaque effect. The color is so intense that even with dilutions of 1:10, strong blue tones can still be achieved. When preparing water colors, it is essential to wet the color with isopropyl alcohol beforehand. It is up to the user whether he dilutes the paint with barite from the start (which reduces but does not eliminate the ability to glaze) or whether he prefers to work with the pure color, which can then be mixed as desired. Phthalocyanine pigments are particularly popular for watercolors due to their high lightfastness. When preparing tempera paint, a few drops of ox gall should also be added to prevent the emulsion from dissolving. This phenomenon often occurs with organic pigments, as they have a greater affinity for oily components than for watery ones. Wetting is also useful when making oil paint. It makes the work easier if you first rub the pigment with alcohol and then wait until it has evaporated. Then you scrape the pigment together with a spatula and work in oil. The paint is then rubbed thoroughly with the glass runner. It is possible to simply spread the pigment with oil, but the results may not be as good. Phthalocyanines were developed in the 1920s. In 1929, Scottish Dyes (now part of ICI) filed a patent for phthalocyanine blue, but it would be several years before reliable pigments were available to artists. After the war, the modern pigment was initially slow to establish itself on the market because the trade was sometimes unhealthyly skeptical of anything new. Heliogen blue® has the undeniable advantage of being a very pure tone and is ideal for mixing other blue, green and numerous violet tones. The comparable results with the still frequently used Prussian blue speak for themselves. It took decades until the manufacturers of watercolor boxes, especially for schools, finally decided to replace the Prussian blue with the more durable and more beautiful color phthalocyanine blue. Nowadays, it is hard to imagine the color scales without this blue. 

Variants:

Heliogen® dark green (23000) 

Heliogen® blue, primary blue (23050) 

Heliogen® blue, royal blue (23060) 

Heliogen® blue, reddish (23070) 

Heliogen® blue, highly lightfast (23080)