D184 Metallic Green/Vert Métallique - PG7 Phthalo Green (Organic, Polychlorinated copper(II) phthalocyanine), Mica PW20 (inorganic, aluminum silicate)
Mica is a transparent, cool, high-intensity colour that is excellent for mixing a range of bright greens. It has superb lightfastness and permanence. Mica has been used as a pigment since prehistoric times.
Pigment 1: PG7 Phthalo Green
This bright blue-green was developed in 1935 and has been in use since 1938.
Pigment name: PG7 Phthalo Green
Pigment Type: Organic
Chemical Name: Polychlorinated copper (II) phthalocyanine
Properties: Phthalo Green is a transparent, cool, bright, high-intensity colour used in oil and acrylics. It comes from a Phthalocyanine Blue pigment where most of the hydrogen atoms have been replaced with chlorine, forming highly stable molecules. It has pigment properties and permanence similar to Phthalo Blue. It is slow drying and excellent base colour for mixing a range of bright greens. Phthalo Green is considered a perfect alternative to Viridian because it is intense, mixes well, and can emphasize mineral colours in various tints. However, its tinting strength is very high so that it can overpower other colours. This pigment most closely resembles the discontinued and toxic Verdigris.
Permanence: Phthalo Greens are completely lightfast and resistant to alkali, acids, solvents, heat, and ultraviolet radiation. Due to their stability, they are currently used in inks, coatings, and many plastics and are considered a standard pigment in printing ink and the packaging industry.
Toxicity: Phthalo Green has no significant hazards, but it contained PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) until 1982.
Alternate Names: Bocour Green, Cyan Green, Intense Green, Monastral Green, Phthalocyanine Green, Rembrandt Green, Thalo Green, Winsor Green.
Pigment 2: Mica PW20
Mica has been used as a pigment since prehistoric times.
Pigment name: PW20 Mica
Pigment Type: Inorganic
Chemical Name: Aluminum silicate
Properties: Mica is an off-white pigment with complex reflective effects. It is often used with transparent pigments to create mixed pigments with interference and pearlescent effects.
Permanence: Mica is permanent and lightfast.
Toxicity: Although it is entirely non-toxic and not bio-reactive, fine particles may be irritating: This is of concern primarily for those exposed occupationally to dry mica powder. Breathing mica particles may cause lung fibrosis and pneumoconiosis.
Alternate Names: n/a
