Artists have long valued the subtle beauty and durability of natural pigments. For centuries, colors derived directly from minerals, plants, and insects have given artwork a richness that synthetic dyes struggle to reproduce. Today, as sustainability and eco‑consciousness take centre stage, there is renewed interest in earth‑based hues; natural pigments are making a comeback across art and design. These colorants offer unique, muted tones and are typically produced with minimal environmental impact. This shift toward natural materials is reflected in contemporary art trends: many artists now prioritise eco‑friendly materials and ethical sourcing, creating works that use natural materials and sustainable practices.
In response to this movement, Rublev Colours introduces a collection of five Armenian earth oil paints made with pure mineral pigments and linseed oil. The colors—Yellow Travertine, Orange Travertine, Red Barite, Olive Umber, and Violet Lalvarit—are derived from geological formations in the Caucasus region of Armenia. Each paint highlights the inherent qualities of its source rock or earth, bringing artists closer to the origins of their materials. To accompany this article, Natural Pigments will share videos of the tubes being squeezed onto canvas and spread with a palette knife, along with drawdown images showing each color at full strength and tinted with titanium white.
What Armenian earth colors mean to artists
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Earth‑derived colors: All five paints are made from naturally occurring mineral pigments, connecting artists to a long history of using ochres, umbers, and other iron oxides.
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Sustainability: Natural pigments are produced with minimal environmental impact, making them a more sustainable choice.
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Authentic hues: These pigments provide rich, earthy tones and subtle variations, lending depth to the painting. Many have been used since prehistoric epochs and have stood the test of time.
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Local geology: The colors come from specific Armenian deposits—travertine springs, barite‑rich clays, iron‑manganese earths, and volcanic andesite—offering a geographical story behind each tube.
Yellow Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone precipitated from mineral springs. In the Lori Province of Armenia, deposits of pale travertine contain small amounts of iron oxide that produce a soft yellow‑beige tint. The pigment is a natural, inorganic earth classified in the yellow iron‑oxide family (Colour Index PY43) and consists mainly of calcium carbonate with traces of silica and iron. When ground for oil paint, the pigment has a mean particle size of about 8 μm and an oil absorption of roughly 24 g per 100 g of pigment. This fine particle size produces a smooth film and semi‑opaque coverage.
Rublev Colours’ Yellow Travertine Oil Paint captures the delicate warmth of this stone. In mass tone, it appears a pale straw color; when tinted with titanium white, it yields gentle beige tints ideal for mixing skin tones, atmospheric landscapes, or luminous neutrals. The linseed oil binder gives a moderate drying rate and a slightly matte finish. As with all Rublev Colours paints, no additives, fillers, or extenders are used—just pigment and oil.
Origins
Travertine forms in mineral springs when dissolved calcium carbonate precipitates out of solution and forms porous stone—a form of calcite. The Armenian deposits used for this paint originate from spring waters in the Lori Province. These travertine beds have been quarried since antiquity for building and ornament; now they also provide a unique artist pigment.
| Yellow Travertine | |
|---|---|
| Color: | Yellow Travertine |
| Binder: | Linseed oil |
| Additive(s): | None |
| Pigment Information | |
| Pigment: | Yellow Travertine |
| Pigment Classification: | Natural inorganic |
| Colour Index: | Pigment Yellow 43 (77491) |
| Chemical Name: | Iron(III) oxyhydroxide |
| Chemical Formula: | FeO(OH) |
| CAS Numbers: | 1310-14-1 |
| Properties | |
| Code: | 316 |
| Series: | 3 |
| Opacity: | Transparent |
| Tinting Strength: | Low |
| Drying Rate: | Medium |
| ASTM Lightfastness: | I |
| Permanence: | A – Permanent |
| Safety Information: | No acute or known chronic health hazards are associated with this product’s anticipated use. Avoid ingestion, inhalation of dust or spray mists, and prolonged skin contact. Conforms to ASTM D‑4236. |
Note: The colors of the drawdown have been carefully scanned to represent the paint as accurately as possible; however, variations in lighting, monitor calibration, and display settings may cause the colors you see to differ slightly from the actual paint.
Orange Travertine
Like its yellow sibling, Orange Travertine comes from the same travertine springs but contains higher levels of iron oxide, which give it a warm orange hue. This unusual earth pigment is composed not only of calcite but also of germanite. Germanite is a rare, copper-iron-germanium sulfide mineral with the chemical formula Cu26Fe4Ge4S32. The pigment is classified as a natural inorganic earth (Colour Index PY43) and has similar physical properties to the yellow variety: mean particle size around 8 μm, density around 2.7 g/cm³, and oil absorption about 24 g per 100 g pigment. The composition, which includes calcite (calcium carbonate) with increased iron content, yields a color range from burnt orange in mass tone to soft apricot when mixed with white.
Rublev Colours’ Orange Travertine Oil Paint displays a semi‑opaque, medium‑strength tinting power. It is perfect for mixing warm highlights, autumnal landscapes, and lively flesh tones. Because the pigment is derived from stable iron oxide, the paint offers excellent lightfastness and permanence.
Origins
Both the yellow and orange travertine pigments originate from Lori Province, Armenia, where mineral springs deposit layers of calcite enriched with iron. These naturally colored stones connect artists with the geological processes that created them.
| Orange Travertine | |
|---|---|
| Color: | Orange Travertine |
| Binder: | Linseed oil |
| Additive(s): | None |
| Pigment Information | |
| Pigment: | Orange Travertine |
| Pigment Classification: | Natural inorganic |
| Colour Index: | Pigment Yellow 43 (77492) |
| Chemical Name: | Iron(III) oxyhydroxide |
| Chemical Formula: | FeO(OH) |
| CAS Numbers: | 1310-14-1 |
| Properties | |
| Code: | 420 |
| Series: | 3 |
| Opacity: | Transparent |
| Tinting Strength: | Low |
| Drying Rate: | Medium |
| ASTM Lightfastness: | I |
| Permanence: | A – Permanent |
| Safety Information: | No acute or known chronic health hazards are associated with this product’s anticipated use. Avoid ingestion, inhalation of dust or spray mists, and prolonged skin contact. Conforms to ASTM D‑4236. |
Note: The colors of the drawdown have been carefully scanned to represent the paint as accurately as possible; however, variations in lighting, monitor calibration, and display settings may cause the colors you see to differ slightly from the actual paint.
Red Barite
Red Barite is unlike typical red ochre. The clayey earth from northern Armenia contains hematite (red iron oxide) mixed with quartz and barite (barium sulfate). The presence of barite, rather than calcite, distinguishes this pigment; barite’s high density adds body to the paint and contributes to its opacity. The pigment’s colorant is hematite (Colour Index PR102), giving a deep, earthy red. Analyses show a mean particle size of about 10 μm and a composition of approximately 41.67% barite (Ba), 28.16% iron, 16.14% sulfur, 8.79% silica, and 2.06% aluminum.
The resulting Red Barite Oil Paint is a powerful, semi‑opaque red with a slightly granular texture. In mass tone, it appears as a warm brick red; when extended with white, it produces pinkish‑terracotta tints. The paint’s high density gives it body without requiring much additional oil, and it dries at a moderate rate.
Origins
This pigment is collected from earth deposits near Akhtala in the Lori Province of Armenia. Local miners have long extracted barite for industrial use; the mineral’s vivid color also makes it an exceptional artist’s pigment.
| Red Barite | |
|---|---|
| Color: | Red Barite |
| Binder: | Linseed oil |
| Additive(s): | None |
| Pigment Information | |
| Pigment: | Red Barite |
| Pigment Classification: | Natural inorganic |
| Colour Index: | Pigment Red 102 (77491) |
| Chemical Name: | Iron oxide (hematite) |
| Chemical Formula: | Fe2O3 |
| CAS Numbers: | 1309-37-1 |
| Properties | |
| Code: | 519 |
| Series: | 3 |
| Opacity: | Opaque |
| Tinting Strength: | Moderate |
| Drying Rate: | Medium |
| ASTM Lightfastness: | I |
| Permanence: | A – Permanent |
| Safety Information: | There are no acute or known chronic health hazards associated with the anticipated use of this product. Avoid ingestion, inhalation of dust or spray mists, and prolonged skin contact. Conforms to ASTM D‑4236. |
Note: The colors of the drawdown have been carefully scanned to represent the paint as accurately as possible; however, variations in lighting, monitor calibration, and display settings may cause the colors you see to differ slightly from the actual paint.
Olive Umber
Umber pigments derive their color from iron and manganese oxides. Olive Umber contains α‑Fe₂O₃ (iron oxide) and MnO₂ (manganese oxide) and is listed under Colour Index PBr 7. The combination of iron and manganese gives this earth a greenish‑brown hue, deeper and cooler than standard raw umber. Physical data show a particle size distribution with 80–85 % of particles under 15 μm and 15–20 % between 16 and 29 μm, with a density ranging from about 3.3–4.3 g/cm³.
In oil, the pigment yields a semi‑opaque paint with a fast drying time, thanks to the catalytic effect of manganese. Rublev Colours’ Olive Umber Oil Paint has strong hiding power and a dark, olive‑brown mass tone. When mixed with titanium white, it produces muted khaki and sage tints ideal for naturalistic shadows, foliage, and subdued palettes.
Origins
The olive‑umber pigment used in this paint comes from Armenian earth deposits rich in iron and manganese oxides. The natural combination of minerals gives this color its distinctive greenish cast.
| Olive Umber | |
|---|---|
| Color: | Olive Umber |
| Binder: | Linseed oil |
| Additive(s): | None |
| Pigment Information | |
| Pigment: | Olive Umber |
| Pigment Classification: | Natural inorganic |
| Colour Index: | Pigment Brown 7 (77492) See Note 1 |
| Chemical Name: | Iron oxide & manganese oxide |
| Chemical Formula: | α‑Fe2O3, MnO2 |
| CAS Numbers: | 1309‑37‑1 (Fe2O3), 1313‑13‑9 (MnO2) |
| Properties | |
| Code: | 620 |
| Series: | 3 |
| Opacity: | Transparent |
| Tinting Strength: | Low |
| Drying Rate: | Fast |
| ASTM Lightfastness: | I |
| Permanence: | A – Permanent |
| Safety Information: | No acute or known chronic health hazards are associated with normal use. Because manganese is moderately toxic, avoid inhaling the dry pigment and observe standard studio precautions. Conforms to ASTM D‑4236. |
Note: The colors of the drawdown have been carefully scanned to represent the paint as accurately as possible; however, variations in lighting, monitor calibration, and display settings may cause the colors you see to differ slightly from the actual paint.
Violet Lalvarit
The most unusual of the new colors, Violet Lalvarit, is ground from andesite lava rock found near Mount Lalvar in Armenia. Lalvarit is not a formally recognised mineral name but rather a local term for a unique grey‑violet andesite containing iron and manganese oxide impurities. The pigment contains about 30.26% silica, 8.17% aluminium, 5.89% iron, 1.59% potassium, and 1.17% manganese. It has a mean particle size of around 8 μm, a Mohs hardness of 7, and a relatively high oil absorption of 32 g per 100 g pigment. These physical characteristics create a smooth, yet slightly absorbent, paint film.
Rublev Colours’ Violet Lalvarit Oil Paint delivers a semi‑transparent grey‑violet tone with subtle warm undertones. In mass tone, it resembles dusty plum; when tinted with white, it shifts toward cool lilac and mauve. The hardness of the andesite gives the paint a delicate sparkle and ensures excellent permanence.
Origins
This pigment is sourced from andesite lava flows in the Alaverdi ore region near Mount Lalvar, a mountainous area of the Lori Province. The rock’s violet cast arises from iron and manganese oxides present in the lava.
| Violet Lalvarit | |
|---|---|
| Color: | Violet Lalvarit |
| Binder: | Linseed oil |
| Additive(s): | None |
| Pigment Information | |
| Pigment: | Violet Grey Lalvarit |
| Pigment Classification: | Natural inorganic |
| Colour Index: | N/A |
| Chemical Name: | N/A (andesite rock with iron and manganese oxides) |
| Chemical Formula: | Fe₂O₃ + MnO₂ |
| CAS Numbers: | 1309-37-1 (Fe₂O₃) / 1313-13-9 (MnO₂) |
| Properties | |
| Code: | 703 |
| Series: | 3 |
| Opacity: | Semi‑Opaque |
| Tinting Strength: | Medium |
| Drying Rate: | Medium |
| ASTM Lightfastness: | I (based on iron and manganese oxides) |
| Permanence: | A – Permanent |
| Safety Information: | No acute or known chronic health hazards are associated with this pigment’s anticipated use. Avoid inhaling or ingesting the powder and observe usual studio precautions. Conforms to ASTM D‑4236. |
Note: The colors of the drawdown have been carefully scanned to represent the paint as accurately as possible; however, variations in lighting, monitor calibration, and display settings may cause the colors you see to differ slightly from the actual paint.
Earth colors for a grounded palette
Natural pigments connect artists to the earth and to centuries of color‑making tradition. As sustainable art practices gain momentum, materials that are produced with minimal environmental impact become increasingly important. The new Armenian earth oil paints from Rublev Colours offer a palette of authentic hues—yellow, orange, red, olive, and violet—each rooted in Armenian geology and free from synthetic additives. Whether you’re painting luminous skin tones, rugged landscapes, or subtle shadows, these colors provide unique qualities that synthetic pigments can’t replicate. With their rich histories and eco‑friendly credentials, they invite you to explore a deeper connection between your materials and the natural world.
