The Journey of Studio La Primitive Arts ZineGuest Editor: Robyn Werkhoven

Preamble
For your convenience I have listed below all of the Guest Artists/Editors posts on this blogspot:
My Voice using Disperse Dyes on Cloth (Jennifer Libby Fay)
An Artistic Dialogue With My Immediate Environment (Lesley Turner)
The Art of Fascinators (Flora Fascinata)
Reality, Influence and Invention (Shirley McKernan)
The Mythical Beasts (Eric and Robyn Werkhoven)
Studio La Primitive Fashion Fantastic (Eric and Robyn Werkhoven)
The Art of Mary Edna Fraser: Poetic Landscapes
The Journey of Studio La Primitive Arts Zine

Introduction
In 2013, artists, Robyn and Eric Werkhoven, established the successful Arts and Literary online magazine – Studio La Primitive Arts Zine - a free, independent, advertising-free digital publication.

The Arts Zine focussed on contemporary art, featured artist interviews, studio visits, exhibition reviews, poetry, essays, and art news. The Zine gave a comprehensive, curated glimpse into the creative concepts and methodologies of established and emerging Australian and international artists. I was honoured to have been a contributor to the Zine from May 2018, Issue 25, through to July 2025, Issue 62.

After 12 years of commitment and hard work, the last issue of the Zine was published in November 2025, Issue 64, to glean more time for their own art practice. A true pioneer and inspirational force of nature, Robyn’s editorial vision, generosity and contribution to the arts will leave a lasting legacy. Thank you to you both!

All issues of the Studio La Primitive Arts Zine are available at the State Library of New South Wales as digital publications, see website link - https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au. The journals will also be available in pdf format at the Studio La Primitive website sometime in the future, check the following website link for updates - https://www.studiolaprimitive.net

Below is an article that traces the evolution of the Studio La Primitive Arts Zine by Editor Robyn Werkhoven. Hope you enjoy their journey as much as I do.

Marie-Therese.
PS: Please note Robyn and Eric’s exciting upcoming film, and exhibition news, which follows the article.

The Journey of Studio La Primitive Arts Zine
Guest Editor, Robyn Werkhoven
January 2026

The Arts Zine was conceived one early morning in 2013, when I was lying in bed reading a book about one of my most favourite artists, namely, Francis Bacon's, 'Anatomy of An Enigma by Michael Peppiatt.'

Just a few lines from the book sparked me off: Paris in the 1920s – “Montparnasse acted like a magnet on artists and writers throughout the world.” The legendary Surrealist writer, Andre Breton, lived there in 1921 with several major publications to his credit, including the Surrealist Manifesto. Many of the magazines featured art exhibitions, reviews, essays and poetry. Hence, I decided I would work on producing and publishing an art and literature online magazine, now made possible with modern technology and the availability of the internet.

Since a young age, I have always enjoyed looking, reading and collecting art and fashion magazines. At seventeen I attended art school, followed by Graphic Design course in Sydney. Design and creative layout of articles I have always immensely enjoyed working on.

Eric and Robyn Werkhoven.

In the 1980’s I created “Studio La Primitive” with my husband, artist Eric Werkhoven, together we exhibit under this title. We have been involved professionally in the visual arts for many years – including performance/event art, painting, sculpture, printmaking, jewellery design, exhibition curation, management of galleries, and in recent times I had been interviewing Hunter Valley artists and publishing the articles in the Hunter Professional Arts magazine.

Front cover of the 1st issue of Studio La Primitive Arts Zine, October 2013.

Eric and I decided to title our magazine 'Studio La Primitive Arts Zine' and would feature artists’ interviews - a glimpse into the artists’ world, to gain an insight into how their creative concepts evolve. Incorporate exhibitions, art related articles, essays, poetry and art news. The magazine would also feature emerging and professional artists and writers. We would include all genres of the Arts for public interest and diversity. The one thing we did not want our zine to become was another overly academic art magazine.

We compiled an interview sheet of interesting questions to send to artists. We set no limit on contributor’s subject content. Invitations for an article/interview were emailed out, but as our reputation grew, many artists and writers were now submitting their work to us for publication.

What began with a timid 50 pages grew to over 200 pages and reached 64 issues over the twelve years, as more artists and readers became aware of our uniique online magazine. Our mailing list became huge with galleries, art collectors and art lovers subscribing for the bi-monthly issue.

The Zine was free, with no advertising from sponsors. It was not about making big money - just something we wanted to do for the Arts, which has been our lifelong passion since we believe art and culture are extremely important for a healthy society.

Early in 2014 I had an accident resulting in a stay in hospital for seven months, six of which I was confined to a bed. However, thanks to my sister, arriving in the hospital with a laptop computer, her words were - "You should keep producing your Arts Zine!" Furthermore, I had wonderful support from the art community, sending me interviews and articles. Three 2014 issues – March, May and July were published from my hospital bed.

Front cover of the 5th issue of Studio La Primitive Arts Zine, May 2014.

Arts Zine has been a voice for the artists and writers - not only from the Hunter Region, NSW - but nationally and internationally. Moreover, in 2017 Arts Zine was selected by the NSW State Library to be preserved as a digital publication of lasting cultural value for long-term access by the Australian community.

The magazine has featured 400 artists and writers including many emerging and high profile Australian & international artists – Del Kathryn Barton, Blak Douglas, Wendy Sharpe, Kathrin Longhurst, Nigel Milsom, Loribelle Spirovski, Kim Leutwyle, Matthew Quick, Braddon Snape, and many more. Renowned artists and award-winning film makers, George Gittoes and Hellen Rose, have been wonderful supporters and contributors to the magazine. We have had fabulous resident contributors such as Lorraine Fildes, travel writer and art photographer, poet and artist Maggie Hall, artist and writer Bernadette Meyers, and international, award-winning Spanish artist and photographer Jose Luis Seijas Garcia- SEIGAR. Resident poets such as Reese North, Brad Evans, Peter J Brown, Bea Jones and Eric Werkhoven.

Featured artist Del Kathryn Barton, 2008 and 2013 Archibald Prize winner.

Featured artist Blak Douglas, 2022 Archibald Prize winner.

Featured artist Kathrin Longhurst, 2021 Archibald, Packing Room Prize winner.

Featured artist Loribelle Spirovski, 2025 Archibald, ANZ People’s Choice Award winner.

Featured artist Braddon Snape, 2022 Lake Art Prize winner.

Featured renowned artist and filmmaker George Gittoes, 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Sydney Underground Film Festival, Awarded the 2015 Sydney Peace Prize.

Some of the featured artists who appeared in Issue 34, November 2019.

Some of the featured artists who appeared in Issue 39, November 2020.

Some of the featured artists who appeared in Issue 63, September 2025.

We wish to sincerely thank all the artists and writers for their wonderful contributions of interviews and articles over the years. It has been a privilege to work with all of them.

Sadly, the November issue in 2025 was our last magazine, since we needed more time to concentrate on our own art practice. Nevertheless, we do have other art projects in the pipeline!

Front cover of the 64th and final issue of Studio La Primitive Arts Zine, November 2025.

Exciting News
Firstly, a film about Eric and Robyn’s art practice and life will be released this year, 2026, by Australian filmmaking duo, Nicky Eliott and Peter Delahunty titled, ‘Eric & Robyn and the Mythical Beasts’. Click on the following link to the trailer of the film - Film Trailor - and hit on the link to the film's Facebook page, namely, - Banksia Brights - where the launch date will be announced.

Secondly, their art exhibition, STUDIO LA PRIMITIVE-ANTICS, will be held at the Cstudios Art Gallery, Newcastle, along with the book launch of their art from 7 November 2026.

Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part II [1]Art ResourceMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
This is the fifty-third post in a new Art Resource series that specifically focuses on techniques used in creating artworks. For your convenience I have listed all the posts in this new series below:
Drawing Art
Painting Art - Part I
Painting Art - Part II
Painting Art - Part III
Painting Art - Part IV
Painting Art - Part V
Painting Art - Part VI
Home-Made Painting Art Materials
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part I
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part II
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part I
Historical Notes on Art - Part II
Historical Notes on Art - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part IV
Historical Notes on Art - Part V
Tempera Painting
Oil Painting - Part I
Oil Painting - Part II
Oil Painting - Part III
Oil Painting - Part IV
Oil Painting - Part V
Oil Painting - Part VI
Pigments
Classification of Pigments - Part I
Classification of Pigments - Part II
Classification of Pigments - Part III
Pigments for Oil Painting
Pigments for Water Color
Pigments for Tempera Painting
Pigments for Pastel
Japanese Pigments
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part I
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part II
Selected Fresco Palette for Permanent Frescoes
Properties of Pigments in Common Use
Blue Pigments - Part I
Blue Pigments - Part II
Blue Pigments - Part III
Green Pigments - Part I
Green Pigments - Part II
Red Pigments - Part I
Red Pigments - Part II
Yellow Pigments - Part I
Yellow Pigments - Part II
Brown and Violet Pigments
Black Pigments
White Pigments - Part I
White Pigments - Part II
White Pigments - Part III
Inert Pigments
Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part I
Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part II

Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part II [1]
Many printing inks and industrial paint pigments have the word "permanent" included in their names, and they are permanent in so far as their uses are concerned. A brilliant yellow, which will maintain its general hue on a shop sign under severe outdoor conditions, as long as the paint film will last (i.e., three or four years) that has a right to be called permanent for this use.

A badly weathered shop sign.

However, the same pigment used as an artists' paint may fade, at least enough to destroy pictorial or decorative effects, after five or six years in daylight - even in diffused, indoor daylight.

Signs of a worn out yellow oil paint on a canvas painting.

The fading of a pigment or dye on exposure to daylight is not an evanescence, or the disappearance of the substance itself into thin air, but is actually the result of a chemical change, the ultraviolet wavelengths in the light reacting with the substance or triggering a reaction, sometimes with the combination of air and moisture, the pigment changing over to a colorless or less highly colored compound. Color stability is therefore linked with chemical stability.

Factors that can impact on color stability.

Not only as regards to pigments, but also in connection with paints and varnishes, the artist should remember that his/her requirements are different from those of the industrial consumer, and that products which are in all sincerity labeled permanent are not always permanent for her/his purposes. No one expects the paints which are used in ordinary wall decoration to last fifteen years, still less, paints which have to withstand more severe conditions, such as those used in houses, store signs, and boats; yet a material which displayed defects in a work of art after twenty-five or fifty years would certainly be considered a failure by artists.

The painting above was repaired even though it was structurally sound, with no tears or holes. It was suffering from flaking paint and in some areas, paint loss, which was most urgently addressed and so it was perfectly restored.

Bleeding. An obstacle in the way of the adoption of organic colors of really superior permanence to light, is that many of them have the property of bleeding or striking through, when used with oil or oily mediums. If a coat of white paint is applied over a coat of red which has this property of bleeding, even if the red is first thoroughly dry and hard, the color will eventually be observed coming through the white - apparently dissolving into the film of white paint, running through it in a streaky and spotty manner, or occasionally imparting a uniform pink tint to it. Some so-called non-bleeding colors are really semi-bleeding, the defect manifesting itself only after a period of years. Bleeding will never occur when insoluable inorganic colors are used and the undercoat is perfectly dry, no matter how finely the pigment has been ground. Any light-proof pigment, regardless of its bleeding or other faults when mixed with oil, may be used in pastel, where such defects are of no significance.

A bleed in watercolor is when your paintbrush touches an area that is still wet on your painting, and the color from your brush bleeds into the wet area. Many artists use this effect for their own particular artistic purpose.

Many thoroughly permanent inorganic colors, which have been known for years, have never gone beyond the laboratory stage because of economic reasons. With the development of new industrial processes, such as the coloring of lacquers and plastics, mass production of some of these becomes feasible, and occasionally a pigment of known reliability is thus made available to artists for the first time. An example of this sort is manganese blue, which was barely noted at first and some ten yearts later came into wide, general use. Many past examples of the lag between discovery and development of a pigment and its introduction to artists will be found in the general pigment list.

Manganese Blue.

Reference:
[1] The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, R. Mayer (ed. E. Smith) 4th Edition, Faber and Faber, London (1981).

Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part V [1]Art QuiltsMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
Art Quilts have featured on this blogspot and so for your convenience I have listed below previous posts in this series:
Art Quilts - Part I
Art Quilts - Part II
Art Quilts - Part III
Art Quilts - Part IV
Art Quilts - Part V
Art Quilts - Part VI
Art Quilts - Part VII
Art Quilters of the Netherlands - Part I
Art Quilters of the Netherlands - Part II
Art Quilters of the Netherlands - Part III
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part I
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part II
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part III
Art Quilts of Jane Sassaman
Art Quilts of Michael A. Cummings
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part IV
Art Quilts of Carolyn Crump
Jan Myers-Newbury
Art Quilts of Karin Franzen
Art Quilts of Emily Richardson
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part V

Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part V [1]

Claire Higgot (Towcester, United Kingdom)

Full View.
Title: Ampersand (2014).
Materials and Techniques: Cotton sateen, linen, silk organza, felt. Screen printing with inks and discharge paste, chenille, machine quilting.
Size: 102 x 90 cm.
Comment[1]: Part of an on-going series inspired by the roots of modern communications.
Ampersand is a corruption of the phrase 'and per se,' and is sometimes used as a suffix when reciting the alphabet. The symbol is formed by a ligature of the letters 'e' and 't' from the Latin 'et.'
Unlike many old English characters, the Ampersand has not only survived in common usage, but has also found a new lease of life in computer coding and programming languages - a pleasing evolution for this ancient and elegant symbol.

Detail View 1.

Detail View 2.

Marielle Huijsmans (Breda, the Netherlands)

Full View.
Title: Lelie (2013).
Materials and Techniques: Cotton, silk. Free application, free motion quilting.
Size: 105 x 160 cm.
Comment [1]: I'm touched by the dramatic beauty of a Lily.

Detail View 1.

Detail View 2.

Pirjo Kekäläinen (Järvenpää, Finland)

Full View.
Title: Ode to the vanishing rural lanscape (2014).
Materials and Techniques: Hand-dyed cotton, linen and tyvek. Machine pieced and quilted.
Size: 120 x 100 cm.
Comment [1]: The gradually changing northern rural landscape has served as an inspiration for this work. Old hay barns in the middle of fields turn grayer until they collapse. Red ochre has traditionally been the color of old cottages and barns.

Detail View 1.

Detail View 2.

Susie Koren (Hatfield, United Kingdom)

Full View.
Title: Yellow Sticks (2014).
Materials and Techniques: Black cotton, silk organza, cotton and linen thread. Freehand writing in wax as a resist (batik) on black cotton, then discharged. Hand stitched with linen and cotton thread.
Size: 112 x 80 cm.
Comment [1]: Yarrow Sticks is a part of an on-going series using my personal interpretation of the 'I Ching.' I've used words for 'Obstruction' to create the lines of a hexagram. The stitching in the center represents scattered thoughts and the yarrow sticks used to consult the 'I Ching.' The ordered bundles of 'sticks' also form the lines of the hexagram.

Detail View 1.

Detail View 2.

Reference:
[1] European Art Quilt Foundation, Molenschat, Netherlands (2014).

Optical Illusions - Part II [1]Art EssayMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
For your convenience, I have listed below other posts in this series:
Optical Illusions - Part I
Optical Illusions - Part II

Introduction [1]
Most of us take vision for granted. We seem to do it so effortlessly; however, perceiving images, objects and motion is a very complicated process. Only in the last one hundred or so years, and especially in the last twenty years, have scientists started to make some progress in understanding vision and perception.

Optical Illusions - Part II [1]

Man on the Moon.
This image of Buzz Aldrin's helmet was made out of a collage of space images.

Melancholy Tunes on a Flemish Winter's Day.
Flemish artist Jos De May captured this incredible scene on a winter's day. How does that left column come forward?.

Crazy Nuts.
Can you figure out how the straight steel rod miraculously passes through the seemingly perpendicular holes?

Figure/Ground.
What is hiding here? Before you check out the answer, search carefully, because once you perceive the hidden image, you will never be able to see this image in its meaningless state again.

Kissing Couple Illusion.
An illusory kiss by American artist Jerry Downs.

Impossible Stair case.
What happens when you walk around this peculiar staircase? Where is the bottom or top step located?

Ball and Shadow Illusion.
Are the balls in the two illustrations in different positions relative to the background?

Reference:
[1] A. Seckel, The Fanatastic World of Optical Illusions, Carlton Books Limited (2002).

Abby Thomas [1]Designer ProfileMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
For you convenience I have listed below other posts in this series which were sourced from the book - The Pattern Base[1]:
The Pattern Base by Kristi O'Meara - Book Review
The Art of Lorenzo Nanni
The Geometric Abstract Designs of Kristi O'Meara
Representational Designs of Kristi O'Meara
Geometric Patterns Designed by Patrick Morissey and Jasmin Elisa Guerrero
Fabric Swatches - Part I
Hannah Truran
Fabric Swatches - Part II
Fabric Swatches - Part III
Fabric Swatches - Part IV
Abby Thomas

Abby Thomas [1]
Abby Thomas began her studies at the School of Art Insitute of Chicago in 2007. She first focussed on fiber and material studies and then moved onto fashion design and construction. She graduated in 2012.

Abby Thomas.

Her early collection entitled 'June' (after her late maternal grandmother) was about savouring a heritage. Born and raised in a small town in North Carolina, Thomas rooted her concept centered on southern history. Unusually within the fashion industry, she chose to work with both menswear and womenswear. She created a synthesis between the two genres.

'They play upon each other,' she observed, 'and feed off one another in a certain way. I want people to notice that, embrace it, and use it to their advantage.'

Abby Thomas, Men's and Women's Fashion.

The collection began to take form as Thomas collapsed the boundaries between her own, her mother's, and her grandparents' histories. She blended the comforts, traditions and manners into silhouettes that both defy and embrace Southern gentility and tradition.'It's a pride that is engrained in your being. It's who you want to be. I come from a place often misunderstood, but when I leave it, it's all I can do not to pine away for it.'

Abby Thomas, Men's and Women's Fashion.

Although her early collection alludes to the South's troubled past of decadence and decay, it is balanced by a highly personal foundation. Looking through old family photographs sparked sun-bleached, tobacco-stained memories. The color theme was inspired in part by 1960s dye-transfer prints of Southern photographer William Eggleston.

Detailed view of female fashion accessories.

Detailed view of male fashion accessories.

Thomas' collection is classic in silhouette, but contemporary in its mix of color, cut and materials. Sheer vintage flocked silk connects the present with the past in the form of wide-leg pants and baby-doll tops. Chambray jumpsuits for both genders remind us of the hard-working middle class. Clusters of vintage and constume jewels accompanying a debutante gown that is corseted to show a young woman's figure. With an attached silk chiffon coverlet and ankle-length brocade, there is a suggestion of a gaudy old-moneyed world of plantations, excess and an innocence of 'Sunday best'. Tobacco brown and peach linen cotton-blend suits are cut from Thomas' own cotton blossom print design and produced by North Carolina based company - Spoonflower.

Thomas' classic female and male silhouettes.

Thomas' classic female and male silhouettes

Reference:
[1] The Pattern Base, Kristi O'Meara (Ed. A. Keiffer) Thames & Hudson (2015).

Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part I [1]Art ResourceMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
This is the fifty-second post in a new Art Resource series that specifically focuses on techniques used in creating artworks. For your convenience I have listed all the posts in this new series below:
Drawing Art
Painting Art - Part I
Painting Art - Part II
Painting Art - Part III
Painting Art - Part IV
Painting Art - Part V
Painting Art - Part VI
Home-Made Painting Art Materials
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part I
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part II
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part I
Historical Notes on Art - Part II
Historical Notes on Art - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part IV
Historical Notes on Art - Part V
Tempera Painting
Oil Painting - Part I
Oil Painting - Part II
Oil Painting - Part III
Oil Painting - Part IV
Oil Painting - Part V
Oil Painting - Part VI
Pigments
Classification of Pigments - Part I
Classification of Pigments - Part II
Classification of Pigments - Part III
Pigments for Oil Painting
Pigments for Water Color
Pigments for Tempera Painting
Pigments for Pastel
Japanese Pigments
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part I
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part II
Selected Fresco Palette for Permanent Frescoes
Properties of Pigments in Common Use
Blue Pigments - Part I
Blue Pigments - Part II
Blue Pigments - Part III
Green Pigments - Part I
Green Pigments - Part II
Red Pigments - Part I
Red Pigments - Part II
Yellow Pigments - Part I
Yellow Pigments - Part II
Brown and Violet Pigments
Black Pigments
White Pigments - Part I
White Pigments - Part II
White Pigments - Part III
Inert Pigments
Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part I
Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part II

There have been another one hundred and thirteen posts in a previous Art Resource series that have focused on the following topics:
(i) Units used in dyeing and printing of fabrics;
(ii) Occupational, health & safety issues in an art studio;
(iii) Color theories and color schemes;
(iv) Optical properties of fiber materials;
(v) General properties of fiber polymers and fibers - Part I to Part V;
(vi) Protein fibers;
(vii) Natural and man-made cellulosic fibers;
(viii) Fiber blends and melt spun fibers;
(ix) Fabric construction;
(x) Techniques and woven fibers;
(xi) Basic and figured weaves;
(xii) Pile, woven and knot pile fabrics;
(xiii) Durable press and wash-and-wear finishes;
(xvi) Classification of dyes and dye blends;
(xv) The general theory of printing.

To access any of the above resources, please click on the following link - Units Used in Dyeing and Printing of Fabrics. This link will highlight all of the one hundred and thirteen posts in the previous a are eight data bases on this blogspot, namely, the Glossary of Cultural and Architectural Terms, Timelines of Fabrics, Dyes and Other Stuff, A Fashion Data Base, the Glossary of Colors, Dyes, Inks, Pigments and Resins, the Glossary of Fabrics, Fibers, Finishes, Garments and Yarns, Glossary of Art, Artists, Art Motifs and Art Movements, Glossary of Paper, Photography, Printing, Prints and Publication Terms and the Glossary of Scientific Terms. All data bases in the future will be updated from time-to-time.

If you find any post on this blog site useful, you can save it or copy and paste it into your own "Word" document for your future reference. For example, Safari allows you to save a post (e.g. click on "File", click on "Print" and release, click on "PDF" and then click on "Save As" and release - and a PDF should appear where you have stored it). Safari also allows you to mail a post to a friend (click on "File", and then point cursor to "Mail Contents On This Page" and release). Either way, this or other posts on this site may be a useful Art Resource for you.

The new Art Resource series will be the first post in each calendar month. Remember - these Art Resource posts span information that will be useful for a home hobbyist to that required by a final year University Fine-Art student and so undoubtedly, some parts of any Art Resource post may appear far too technical for your needs (skip those mind boggling parts) and in other parts, it may be too simplistic with respect to your level of knowledge (ditto the skip). The trade-off between these two extremes will mean that Art Resource posts will be hopefully useful in parts to most, but unfortunately may not be satisfying to all!

Permanence of Pigments: New Pigments - Part I [1]
Permanence in an artists' pigment means that the color will not be altered during the life of the work of art in which it is used, by any condition which it is likely to encounter. Some colors may be altered or destroyed by subjecting them to strong heat or to the action of chemicals, but since works of art are not normally expected to endure such conditions, the term "absolutely permanent" means that a color complies with all of the normal requirements for pigments as previously listed.

Pigments are tested for resistance to fading by subjecting them to concentrated ultraviolet light with laboratory apparatus, whereby the effect of months of exposure to direct sunlight is duplicated in a relatively short time. The action of an ultraviolet lamp is not exerted to the same degree as that of direct sunlight; that is, x number of hours under ultraviolet light cannot be calculated as a reciprocal of y number of hours under direct or diffuse light to obtain a time relationship. But it does supply an accurate indication of relative degree of resistence to fading, as well as to age embrittlement, that is possessed by various materials, and its results conform closely to the tests described in detail in a future blogpost. Industrial pigments are tested by outdoor weathering.

Faded Swatch.

In the past, new discoveries in artificially made pigments were introduced in various ways. Sometimes a valuable color was allowed to remain in obscurity, or as a laboratory curiosity, for many years until circumstances caused or allowed its introduction to the palette. At other times, novelties were immediately introduced, and later discarded when artists found them to be impermanent or otherwise unsatistfactory. When the organic colors appeared during the second half of the nineteenth century, painters and others concerned with permanence of pigments envied the brilliance and variety of these colors, but realized that few of them could be utilized for purposes requiring any degree of permanence. In the early twentieth century, pigments of greatly improved light-resistence began to appear on the market, and were adopted by makers of decorative paints, printing inks, and other industrial products. Because they were so much more light-proof than the earlier colors, some of them, such as Harrison red, were introduced to the artists' palette, but none were sufficiently light-proof to have warranted their adoption; the degree of their improvement over the older coal-tar colors was responsible for the optimism with which they were received. Sometimes new colors, which belong to the same chemical family as a successful older one and which theoretically should share the older color's desirable chartacteristics, fail under actual test.

We now have organic pigments of far greater permanence than those of a few years ago. In the laboratory, some will test three or four times as resistant to exposure like madder lake. Yet we are proceeding very slowly toward their adoption, and today we await the results of very exhaustive tests before including such colors in our permanent palettes because of the earlier premature adoption of improved colors. For example, in the 1950's only three synthetic organic pigments were universally approved for use in artists' permanent paints: alizarin crimson, phthalocyanine blue, and phthalocynanine green.

Phthalocyanine Blue.

Phthalocyanine Green.

Since that time approval has been given to Hansa yellow and a strong recommendation to quinacridone red (yellow shade). The words "coal-tar colors" or "aniline colors" which were formerly used pejoratively, need no longer be used in that way, since so many of the newer pigments are permanent.

Alizarin or madder lake, which is universally accepted as a necessary and permanent color for easel paintings, provided they are kept under the normal conditions of preservation of works of art, might well be adopted as a standard of permanence for such pigments. They would then be required to equal it in all respects when subjected to tests.

Madder Lake.

Reference:
[1] The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, R. Mayer (ed. E. Smith) 4th Edition, Faber and Faber, London (1981).