Earth pigments

It is probably my fascination with sand, my sand collection and variety of colors in all of the samples. Also, my favorite colors are really earth tones. I call my wardrobe color: "Moss on Rocks". I love wild and vibrant colors but I am miserable when picking them in wardrobe form. And really nothing in our house is very vibrant except our Oaxacan art collection. 

Earth Pigments offering up some vibrant colors. How to make natural pigments from foraged raw resources 

I follow Wild Pigment Project on Instagram because I am fascinated with where and how they find their pigments. Lots of artist are participating.

Heidi Gustafson is always busy running up and down mountains trying to find the best color pigments, here is her story.  

Karen Vaughan, soil-based ecologically considerate watercolors.

 Ochre Sanctuary is an evolving, living place that serves to protect and care for ochre, ie. iron-based earth and pigment wisdom. It’s currently based in tiny cabin in far north Cascade foothills of Nooksack territory, Washington, USA.

2,500 Pigment Samples Collected from Around the World Are on Display in Harvard’s Labs. 

 

Types of Soil Color: Highlighting Wisconsin State Parks & Forests

Clear or White Soil Color 

They may be white from which they may be influenced by calcium and magnesium carbonates, gypsum or other more soluble salts. Often, a white layer, mostly quartz occurs between organic matter on the surface where pigments were removed (Wisconsin State Soil). 

Brown Soil Color 

Brown soils might be brown from decaying plant material. The darker color often indicates an increase in decomposed organic matter known as humus. Soil has living organisms and dead organic matter, which decomposes into black humus. In grassland (prairie) soils the dark color permeates through the surface layers bringing with it nutrients and high fertility Deeper in the soil, the organic pigment coats surfaces of soil, making them darker than the color inside. Humus color decreases with depth and iron pigments become more apparent. In forested areas, organic matter (leaves, needles, pine cones, dead animals) accumulates on top of the soil. Water-soluble carbon moves down through the soil and scavenges bits of humus and iron that accumulate below in black, humic bands over reddish iron bands. 

Yellow or Red Soil Color 

Yellow or red soil indicates the presence of oxidized ferric iron oxides. The red color might be mainly due to ferric oxides occurring as thin coatings on the soil particles while the iron oxide occurs as hematite or as hydrous ferric oxide, the color is red and when it occurs in the hydrate form as limonite the soil gets a yellow color. 

Grey Soil Color 

Organic matter plays an indirect, but crucial role in the removal of iron and manganese pigments in wet soils. All bacteria, including those that reduce iron and manganese, must have a food source. Therefore, anaerobic bacteria thrive in concentrations of organic matter, particularly in dead roots. Here, concentrations of gray mottles develop.