Rublev Colours Dry Pigments - Mars Yellow is a classic, high-tinting synthetic iron oxide pigment prized for its intense ocherous yellow and dependable permanence. Mars Yellow (PY 42) produces warm yellowish tints and earthy yellow-brown mass tones, making it a versatile staple for underpainting, landscape palettes, portrait work, and natural architectural colour mixes.

Mars colours are known for their fine particle size and strong tinting strength across all common artist mediums. Mars Yellow was originally known as jaune de Mars in the eighteenth century and is manufactured by precipitation of iron salts to form a pure, fine-grained yellow iron oxide pigment. Like other iron oxides, it is exceptionally stable and lightfast in all mediums, with excellent weatherability, making it ideal for long-lasting work and dependable colour mixing.

Mars Yellow disperses well in both oil and water-based binders and is practical for artists who make their own paint. It requires a moderate amount of oil to form a paste and is well suited to hand-mulling for oil paint, as well as mixing into acrylic, watercolour, gouache, casein, tempera, and other studio formulations.

Key specs

• Colour Index: PY 42 (77492)

• Pigment type: Synthetic inorganic (iron hydroxide oxide)

• Chemical formula: Fe(OH)O

• ASTM lightfastness: I (Acrylic, Oil, Watercolour)

• Mean particle size: 1.1 microns (acicular)

• Oil absorption: 25 to 35 g oil / 100 g pigment

• Density: 4.1 g/cm3

• Heat stability: 171 C

• Size: 100g

Handling and safety
Not considered toxic, but as with all dry pigments avoid inhaling dust and avoid ingestion or prolonged skin contact. Conforms to ASTM D-4236.