What is the chief difference in Iron Oxide pigments for industrial purposes, versus Iron Oxide pigments sold with the stated function of the production of artist’s oil paint?
Iron Oxide Pigments | Yipin USA
Thank you very much, MITRA.
PY 42 (synthetic iron oxide yellow-brown) has had lightfastness problems in some batches over the years, at least in watercolor. I have never heard of problems with the natural alternative, PY 43.
I have never heard of any problems with PR 101 opaque, PR 101 transluscent, PR 102, PBr 7, and PBk 11.
— SRS
The art materials industry is a relatively small consumer of pigments, especially those also used in industry, so there areother uses for the very same pigments used to make paint. It is possible, however, that a given source might not provide the purity or particle size that’s best for art materials manufacture. Anything sold as an industrial supply may have different standards of safety from art supplies or consumer products- there might be an additional step needed to make them safer to use. There was a big batch recall I remember involving marbledust that was found to have asbestiform particles, and as a result it couldn’t be sold as an art supply. You may want to reach out to the supplier and ask directly if there’s a difference between the oxides you’re considering and pigments for artist’s colors, or if there are any safety concerns. They might just tell you it’s OK to proceed, or they might give you a reason why not to use them.
