History of Paint – Mocomi.com

HISTORY OF PAINT
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
History for kids
mocomi.com/learn/history/

HISTORY OF PAINT
Humans have felt the need to leave
their mark on the world in the form
of painted images since prehistory.
If we look at how art evolved over
the years we can know a number of
things about the people that created
them and the societies they lived in.
At some point early man figured out
that by mixing colour giving particles
known as pigments into a medium
like water or saliva- paint was
invented!
If you look at paint under a micro-
scope you will see that paint is col-
oured pigment that is suspended in a
medium. Pigments come from multiple
sources such as minerals or elements,
plants and vegetables, and some are
even extracted from insects. The
medium could be a variety of sub-
stances from oil or egg-yolk in paint-
ings, plaster in frescos or plastic alloys
in the case of automobiles.
PIGMENTS
WATER
PAINT
Egg Yolk
Vegetables
Minerals
Plants
Insects
INTRODUCTION

HISTORY OF PAINT
We began using colour pigment as
early as prehistoric times when
humans drew on the walls of caves
and their own bodies. They used
moss, chewed ends of branches and
their own fingers to apply mixtures
of natural materials as paint.
The prehistoric palette of paints
were all made from pigments ob-
tained from the earth. The earliest
pigments were earth pigments
(ochre and umber), charcoal
(carbon black and bone black), and
white (calcium).
PREHISTORIC
(UP TO 4000 BC)
Ochre
WhiteUmbre
Bone Black
Carbon Black

HISTORY OF PAINT
Man was willing to travel long dis-
tances in order to maintain their
supply of earth pigments. All prehis-
toric sites of cave paintings have trails
leading to hematite deposits. Histori-
ans believe that the reason force
behind the mining industry is man's
quest for earth pigments.
The earliest cave paintings where
colour was extracted from the earth
for art is the Bimbetka rock shelters in
Madhya Pradesh where paintings in
these rock shelters date back to
12,000 years ago.
PREHISTORIC
(UP TO 4000 BC)
Prehistoric
Cave Painting
Earth Pigments
Ochre
Umbre

HISTORY OF PAINT
Earth pigments were red ochre, the
pigment red ochre is made from a
mineral oxide of iron called hema-
tite. Like red ochre, its yellow cousin
is a hydrated form of iron oxide
known as yellow ochre. Named
after Umbria, the part of Italy from
where it is was originally extracted
from, umber is derived from a clay
containing iron and manganese
oxides.
Carbon black is a black pigment ob-
tained from partially burning wood.
Another black pigment that is no
longer in use is bone black, where
the material that is burnt to get the
pigment is bone. White historically
has been made from calcium and
called lime white.
PREHISTORIC
(UP TO 4000 BC)
Red Ochre
mineral oxide of iron
iron and manganese
oxides.
Yellow Ochre
burnt bone
Bone Black
burnt wood
Carbon Black
calcium
Lime white

HISTORY OF PAINT
The period of history when man
began to record their own history
starts with antiquity. Man had begun
growing crops, domesticating animals
and living in permanent settlements.
The majority of art produced during
this time was also on walls for decora-
tive purposes. Except the walls they
painted on were on architectural
wonders such as the pyramids, pal-
aces, and temples.
The basic Egyptian palette added
blue and green to prehistoric palette.
They made green pigment from a
mineral of copper known as mala-
chite.
The blue hue known as ultramarine
was being produced as far back as
antiquity. This pigment was extremely
expensive because it was only pro-
duced from the lapis lazuli mines in
Afghanistan.
ANTIQUITY
(4000 BC - 4th CENTURY AD)
Ultramarine
Malachite
Egyptian Painting

HISTORY OF PAINT
The Egyptians discovered a cheaper alternative made from a
copper mineral known as azurite. And although this was cheaper
than the pigment from Afghanistan, they went further to make the
first synthetic paint called Egyptian blue. Its exact chemical formula
is unknown.
The Egyptians also created new techniques of producing pigment
called lake making. Through this process they created a new red
called carmine.
In later antiquity, around 700 AD, a
red pigment produced from a min-
eral called cinnabar called vermil-
lion was invented. Its resemblance to
blood lent it the nickname- the colour
of life.
Another name for it is China red be-
cause it is an important colour in Chi-
nese culture and even has its place in
a special red ink that was solely re-
served for use by emperors.
ANTIQUITY
Azurite
Vermillion

HISTORY OF PAINT
In India the Ajanta and Ellora
caves in Maharashtra, and the
Bagh caves in Madhya Pradesh
are classical examples of art
during Indian antiquity.
The process of creating these
murals began by first treating the
wall with a smooth batter of lime-
stone mixture after which paint
was quickly applied over the next
couple of days while the wall was
still wet.
The colours and shades varied
from earth ochres, to terra verte
(green earth clays found in iron sili-
cate), and lapis lazuli, to name a
few.
ANTIQUITY
Lapis Lazuli
Terraverte
Cave Painting

HISTORY OF PAINT
Painting had become a highly technical form of art by the medi-
eval ages. A new medium used during this time called egg tem-
pera was made by mixing pigments with water and egg. This mix-
ture had a very short shelf-life but it allowed the artist to develop
new effects that were never seen before. The meticulous process
of applying paint in thin layers to prevent it from cracking is why
medieval painting has a highly polished finish.
MEDIEVAL AGE
(5th – 15th CENTURY)
Tempera
Paintings

HISTORY OF PAINT
The colour verdigris, a highly toxic
copper mineral came into use in the
medieval age. It was made by
chemically removing the thin green
layer formed when copper mixes
with oxygen. From its discovery until
the 19th century, verdigris was the
most vibrant green pigment.
In the Indian subcontinent painting took a backseat to history. A
large amount of manuscripts were created that included miniature
paintings that illustrated the text.
The process of mixing carbon black or bone black with glue to
make India ink dates as far back to China in the 11th century BC.
India Ink Manuscripts
MEDIEVAL AGE
(5th – 15th CENTURY)

HISTORY OF PAINT
The renaissance was a period when art flourished. This in turn
increased the demand for paint and pigment. A great number of
techniques were a product of the renaissance. Instead of using egg
as a base for pigment, artists began to use linseed or walnut oil
which dried more slowly. Since paint took longer to dry, artists now
had the luxury to experiment with depth and perspective, but more
importantly they began to mix different paints to make new shades
and hues.
RENAISSANCE
(15th - 17th CENTURY)
Renaissance
Painting

HISTORY OF PAINT
Apart from the already existing pigments, artists had three new
pigments to experiment with: Naples yellow, smalt, and carmine
lake. Even though Naples yellow had been around before, it began
being used by the Dutch and Italian masters during the renaissance.
It became an important colour because when applied correctly it
gave the effect of a retreating sun.
Smalt is a blue hue made from potassium that was a cheap and
worthy alternative to other blue pigments available during that
period.
The discovery of the new world brought the colour carmine to
Europe and the rest of the world. Carmine was important because
it was the first animal dye used on a massive scale. It is also the
secret behind the beautiful deep shadows that came to be indica-
tive of the renaissance period.
RENAISSANCE
Smalt Carmine Lake
Naples Yellow
potassium first animal dye

HISTORY OF PAINT
In India a style of painting called Madhubani art developed during
this period. Pigment was extracted from vegetable and fruit dyes
such as turmeric and fig leaves (yellow), woad (blue), along with
existing earth elements for red and green.
Another style that developed during the same time but in a differ-
ent part of the sub-continent is Tanjore Painting. This technique had
a mixed media approach to art where images were embellished
with semi-precious stones and the negative space was filled in with
vegetable dyes.
RENAISSANCE
Madhubani
Painting
Tanjore
Painting

HISTORY OF PAINT
Up until the modern age paint was made mostly by the artists them-
selves. Watercolour became popular when art became a hobby of
the wealthy. In 1776 William Reeves began a company that pro-
duced cakes of watercolour. In his process he realised that the
cakes of colour he produced could be kept from cracking by
adding small amounts of honey into the formula. By the early
1700's producing paint became a profession.
Water colour Painting
MODERN AGE
(18th CENTURY)

HISTORY OF PAINT
The first of the two new modern day
pigments was Prussian blue, de-
rived from Iron. It is important be-
cause it tends not to fade, unlike
pigment made from lapis lazuli. The
second pigment of the modern age
is cobalt green.
This green hue made from the
chemical element from which it gets
its name never entered the main-
stream palette because it was
largely unaffordable, and not worth
the money because its green hue
fades easily.
An interesting fact about cobalt is
that only recently scientists discov-
ered that what people have been
using to make pigment for centuries
has magnetic properties that are
ideal for computer storage!
MODERN AGE
(18th CENTURY)
Prussian Blue
iron
Cobalt Green
chemical elements

HISTORY OF PAINT
Industrialisation changed the world of colour completely with the
paint-tube. Paint companies figured out a way of suspending pig-
ments in linseed oil, and also keeping the paint from drying too
quickly. Artists now had a convenient and portable set of pre-
mixed colour.
INDUSTRIAL AGE
(19th CENTURY)

HISTORY OF PAINT
The advances in chemistry during this time led to many inventions
within the paint and dye industries. A variety of colours such as
cobalt blue, veridian, cadmium yellow, cerulean blue, cobalt
violet, and emerald green were all invented within 50 years of
each other.
The increased demand for dyes in the
early 1800's had nothing to do with dye.
The industry scale production of textiles
demanded new and interesting dyes, and
two old dyes were synthesized to make a
new one. In fact paint took a back seat to
the industry of dyes.
INDUSTRIAL AGE
(19th CENTURY)
The evolution of colour as we know it today comes from man's need
to capture the vibrant world around him. Till today advances in sci-
ence and technology aid the development of paints and pigments
that can be applied better, and last a lifetime for generations to
appreciate.

HISTORY OF PAINT
Image Source-www.wikipedia.org and the copy right credits are as follow:
Lascaux Caves-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0
San Painting, Ukalamba Drakensberge-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0
Image of a horse from the Lascaux caves-This photographic reproduction is considered to be in the public domain.
Yankee Hat art-MJC-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Bhimbetka Cave Paintings-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
Aboriginal Ochre Pit Central Australia-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Ajanta Padmapani-This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.
Maler der Grabkammer der Nefertari-The work of art depicted in this image and the reproduction thereof are in the public
domain worldwide.
Malachite-41365-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Lapis lazuli p1070260-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Lapis lazuli block-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Azurite-velvet-beauty-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
Red tikka powder-This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
Virgin and child with four saints--detail--cortona 1435-This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copy-
right has expired.
Raffael 006-The work of art depicted in this image and the reproduction thereof are in the public domain worldwide.
Niccolò Semitecolo - Two Christians before the Judges-This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright
has expired.
Sanzio 01-This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, commons is a freely licensed media file repository.
Ardh Narishwar by Vidushini-This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, commons is a freely licensed media file repository.
Gajalakshmi in Tanjore Painting-This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, commons is a freely licensed media file repository.
Thomas Girtin 006-This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, commons is a freely licensed media file repository.
The Blue Boat 1892 Winslow Homer-This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.
Edouard Manet 004-The work of art depicted in this image and the reproduction thereof are in the public domain worldwide.
Grant DeVolson Wood - American Gothic-This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, commons is a freely licensed media file
repository.
John's Diner by John Baeder-This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, commons is a freely licensed media file repository.
For more Educational articles and video for kids, visit:
mocomi.com/learn/

History of Paint – Mocomi.com

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (20)

Ähnlich wie History of Paint – Mocomi.com

Ähnlich wie History of Paint – Mocomi.com (20)

Mehr von Mocomi Kids

Mehr von Mocomi Kids (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

History of Paint – Mocomi.com