Golden Artist Colors has been contributing research and resources to the arts and art conservation community for over 30 years. Being curious has been a hallmark of our company, which has led to significant advancement in the understanding of materials that artists have relied upon for the safeguarding and longevity of their work. The research we have conducted in our own Labs and in collaboration with other museums and material scientists around the world has significantly improved our work for the benefit of preserving the visual legacy of artists for future generations.

WB LF Samples

ASTM Lightfastness Testing for Oil Paints

Methodological Issues and the Effect of White Pigments on Fading Introduction Lightfastness is usually reported in a single word or number—a simple answer for artists questioning a color’s permanence. Although lightfastness ratings are straightforward, lightfastness assessment is actually fairly complex, and a variety of factors can influence both laboratory and

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Recent QoR Lightfast Testing

Introduction Our Lab, in conjunction with the Materials and Applications Specialists Department, recently updated the lightfastness testing for the entire QoR Watercolor line. Our testing methods employed a significantly expanded range of dilutions with water as well as incorporating, for the first time, tints with titanium white to more accurately simulate

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Revisiting Oils Over Acrylics

Introduction For some time, our recommendation for artists using oils over acrylic has been to work over harder, matte acrylic surfaces and avoid working on softer gels and gloss products. Our intention was to optimize the level of adhesion that would be achieved on a toothier surface as well as

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Featured Image for Zinc Oxide Reviewing the Research

Zinc Oxide – Reviewing the Research

Introduction This article is a companion piece to Zinc Oxide – Warnings Cautions and Best Practices, published in our print newsletter, Just Paint, Issue 35, as well as our FAQs Concerning Zinc Oxide (PW 4) in Oil Paints From the start zinc oxide has lived a double life – at turns celebrated and

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Zinc Oxide: Warnings, Cautions, and Best Practices

Introduction The use of Zinc Oxide in oils has been the focus of a lot of attention lately, especially around its potential to cause an increased rate and degree of embrittlement, cracking, and cleavage of oil paint films. Passionate positions have been staked out on all sides, while various studies

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Painted chart showing new QoR Benzi and Indian Yellows

QoR Lightfastness Testing Update

Introduction In the last issue of Just Paint we discussed why some QoR Watercolors had a Lightfastness rating of NA, or Not Applicable, while most carried the familiar ASTM Lightfastness ratings of I and II. Essentially this came about because some of the pigments being used at that point were

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