Pigments of the Imagination

Nothing captures my attention faster than the natural beauty of raw pigments. Not only because of their amazing colors, but also their potential. Morocco's markets must be quite the sights!

The hills of Provence, in southeast France, are where many of the ochre pigments are excavated. Specifically around Roussillon, which sits on top of Mont Rouge, the last ochre workshops were closed in 1950. The area has been a protected site since 1943.

These naturally occurring pigments in the ochre clay are washed off to separate them from the sand, then dried in the sun. The dried pigments are then cut into blocks and distributed for use. Ochre pigments are non-toxic and antiseptic, having been used since the beginning of time. Early settlers in North America referred to red Indians, not because of their skin color, but because of the use of ochres in their war paint.

The various pigment colors can be seen on the exterior of buildings, most notably in France, Greece, Morrocco and Italy. They are part of the reason we all fall in love with traveling there!    

I'd be hard pressed to choose my favorite color. 

What is yours?

To read further about ochre pigments, visit here. To purchase fabulous colors, visit here.

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