The Chemistry of Color and Art
Additional Funding Sources
The project described was supported in part by the American Chemical Society and Boise State University School of the Arts.
Presentation Date
7-2019
Abstract
For the new School of the Arts Building, we had a unique objective: To research, synthesize, and test potential pigments for a hands-on activity demonstrating the important relationship between chemistry and art. The pigments needed to be produced in a safe and efficient way for around sixty guests, the pigments also needed to be simple enough for the general public to create. Having started with seven potential pigments; we found that only five resulted in desirable characteristics: Charcoal Black, Burnt Sienna, Zinc Yellow, Zinc White, and Prussian Blue. To bind the paint, egg yolk, or ‘tempera’, was used because of the accessibility of eggs. The final result was of store-bought quality and proved to be very engaging and interesting to those using the paint.
The Chemistry of Color and Art
For the new School of the Arts Building, we had a unique objective: To research, synthesize, and test potential pigments for a hands-on activity demonstrating the important relationship between chemistry and art. The pigments needed to be produced in a safe and efficient way for around sixty guests, the pigments also needed to be simple enough for the general public to create. Having started with seven potential pigments; we found that only five resulted in desirable characteristics: Charcoal Black, Burnt Sienna, Zinc Yellow, Zinc White, and Prussian Blue. To bind the paint, egg yolk, or ‘tempera’, was used because of the accessibility of eggs. The final result was of store-bought quality and proved to be very engaging and interesting to those using the paint.
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