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Lac Dye is made of lac insect excretions that are gathered from trees (bugs don't have to die to obtain the pigment). It's non-toxic.
NOTE: the watercolor has a unique strong smell when it's wet (it's like a strong plant smell, distinct but not repulsive); it does not smell when dry (in pan or on paper).
Lac Dye is a rich dark purple-brown color with amazing granulation.
Specs:
Lightfastness: Medium
Granulation: Yes!
Staining: No
Transparency: Yes
Pigment: NR25
IMPORTANT NOTE: Lac Dye is an insect-based color, so it does not act like classic pigments. It needs pre-wetting before use. Add 2-3 drops of water to the pan and wait for 1-2 minutes before using the color. Keep paint wet while painting by adding drops of water or by using a watercolor spray bottle (it helps keep paints wet without flooding them). Lac Dye is a granulating color and it works best with larger brushes. Granulating paints are harder to handle with small/skinny brushes, as they do not hold granules well. Use a larger (size 6+) brush to pick up and disperse the granules. To get a dark color, you need to apply it in layers. For the darkest shade, apply several layers allowing them to dry in between.
Lac Dye is a rich color that is perfect for landscape painting. It works great for rich textured shadows. Lac Dye would be a great addition for plein air painting or limited palette painting as a shortcut for violet-brown blends with high granulation.
Available in half pans.
