Gamblin 1980 Oils -andnbsp;PBr7-Burnt Umber (Calcined natural iron oxide, manganese)

Burnt Umber: Vigorous drier due to high manganese content. Burnt Umber is helpful as an underpainting drawing colour. Because of the high oil content, use thinly in under layers.

Pigmentandnbsp;Composition and Permanence:andnbsp;

Pigment Name: PBr7-Burnt Umber (Calcined natural iron oxide, manganese)

Pigment Type: earth

Properties

Burnt Umber is a more intense reddish brown pigment from heating Raw Umber's clay pigment. It has medium to excellent tinting strength and high opacity, and it is quick drying in oil form. Burnt Umber is somewhat more transparent than Raw Umber.

It has excellent colour properties and can create a variety of subtle, clear tints when mixed with white.

It can tend towards chalkiness in dark mixes in oil form, but overall, it mixes well with other colours. To create a black colour in oil form, mix Burnt Umber with Phthalo Blue or Ultramarine. To achieve a similar colour in watercolour form, mix it with Ultramarine or Payne's Gray.

Permanence

Burnt Umber has good permanence.

Toxicity

Burnt Umber itself is considered non-toxic. If contaminated by manganese compounds, it may be highly toxic if inhaled and moderately toxic if ingested.

History

This pigment comes from the Latin word umbra, meaning shadow or shade. Its full name is listed as terra di ombra, meaning earth of shadow/shade, due to its original extraction from the area of Umbria, Italy. It has been used as a pigment since prehistoric times. Currently, the finest umber comes from Cyprus.