I'm not even all the way through and I have to say this is a really incredible video. Ulysses' ability to bridge that gap between the artistic angle and the chemical angle really is something special. I'm a chemist, so i've always had a special interest in learning more about the chemistry of how paints work. I'm super excited basically every time Ulysses gives an answer to a question because it goes just that little bit deeper than I can find on the tech sheets and other support videos, since those are more often focused for actual use than formulation theory. Super jazzed to watch more of this! Incredible that Golden is, as always, as open as they can be about their products!
I'd also love to see him back to talk more about the physical differences and use differences between pigment types. Organic, inorganic, salts, lakes, dyes, etc
If you find yourself enjoying this kind of more technically-oriented content, you should head over to our publishing platform, JustPaint.org - that's where our materials specialists regularly publish technical articles!
This is great info! I always figured the difference in hue when it came to the same pigment had do to with pigment concentration/load rather than the type of the crystalline(/molecular?) structure. Makes more sense now how the Micaceous Iron Oxide is still the same pigment as the regular and transparent varieties.
Fantastic video! I’ve been a scientist all of my 45+ year career and always interested in art, which now I have some time for. I would gladly listen to any of Ulysses lectures. All likely epic voyages. Thank you, I learned a great deal.
Rust never looked so good! So fascinating. Gives me a better appreciation of pigments and what is involved in making them. Thank you for making this video! Cheers
Ulysses will be on next week (Wednesday 3/29 at 1 pm) to answer artist questions about pigments that were submitted through our Pints from the Paint Bar program.
I learned a lot about how paint works from this video, and it was super interesting. Hope you continue to produce more informational content like this! :)
Awesome demos and explanations! Love the descriptions of the pigments on a molecular level. I’ve got a chemistry background and an art college education, so it’s wonderful to watch and listen to you guys here talk about your products this way. When I was going through art school I actually called you guys up and talked pigments with you, and it was great. Thank you!
Thanks for answering this question about same pigment/different colors. How can that be, I wondered? Now I know. In my art journey, as I’ve been taking a deeper dive into my colors of preference and just colors in general, I’ve wondered about so many pigments and where the colors come from….originally the earth and then later, many pigments created in labs. It’s all so fascinating. And if anyone wondered, “why are artist grade paints so expensive?” It should be pretty obvious.
I don't think the uranium that was asked about is comparable to radium once used in watch dials and other things. My understanding is that the uranium oxides (typically used in pottery and glass) emit alpha particles when the uranium decays while radium emits beta rays (and maybe gamma rays). Radium not only emits typically more dangerous forms of radiation, it does so more rapidly than the most stable uranium isotope(s). Alpha particles should be stopped by a barrier like a dried oil paint film. Gamma rays can't be completely stopped by even a lead wall. Beta and gamma rays are much more dangerous than alpha particles because they're so difficult to stop, although alpha particles are bad news if you ingest them. One also doesn't want to have them hit one's eyes. Gamma rays are also very high-energy but extremely low mass (the opposite of the alpha particle, which is the highest mass of the three). Potters working with powdered uranium oxide faced a lot more risk than painters using uranium pigments bound in mediums. However, sometimes artists sand paint, spray apply, et cetera. There are likely some isotopes of uranium that give off beta and/or gamma rays but, as far as I know, the common uranium oxide (uranium yellow, aka yellowcake) once popularly used in pottery (and glass) and rarely used in oil paints, offers nothing like the danger posed by radium pigments. Bismuth is radioactive. Just because something is radioactive doesn't mean it's as dangerous as another radioactive materials. Bismuth is extremely safe when compared with radium. Its half-life is so long that it was once only theoretical that it's radioactive. My understanding is that uranium oxide paint would need to be treated with the same level of care one uses with lead and chromate paints: don't ingest, don't inhale, don't dispose of the waste recklessly, keep away from pets and children, don't spray, don't sand, and keep contained within a resilient binder (not one that creates dust). As for the claim of amazing coloration, I doubt that there is anything about uranium yellow in paints that can't be done with a cadmium. Perhaps the opacity is greater? FYI: I am not a physicist. I am simply remembering some of what I learned in HS Chemistry.
Great presentation, thanks!
Ulysses Jackson that's gotta be one of the coolest names ever !
i love this! if you made a million more videos talking about different pigments i would watch them all 😻
Meee too😊!!!
I'm not even all the way through and I have to say this is a really incredible video. Ulysses' ability to bridge that gap between the artistic angle and the chemical angle really is something special. I'm a chemist, so i've always had a special interest in learning more about the chemistry of how paints work. I'm super excited basically every time Ulysses gives an answer to a question because it goes just that little bit deeper than I can find on the tech sheets and other support videos, since those are more often focused for actual use than formulation theory. Super jazzed to watch more of this! Incredible that Golden is, as always, as open as they can be about their products!
I'd also love to see him back to talk more about the physical differences and use differences between pigment types. Organic, inorganic, salts, lakes, dyes, etc
If you find yourself enjoying this kind of more technically-oriented content, you should head over to our publishing platform, JustPaint.org - that's where our materials specialists regularly publish technical articles!
This is great info! I always figured the difference in hue when it came to the same pigment had do to with pigment concentration/load rather than the type of the crystalline(/molecular?) structure. Makes more sense now how the Micaceous Iron Oxide is still the same pigment as the regular and transparent varieties.
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic video! I’ve been a scientist all of my 45+ year career and always interested in art, which now I have some time for. I would gladly listen to any of Ulysses lectures. All likely epic voyages. Thank you, I learned a great deal.
Rust never looked so good! So fascinating. Gives me a better appreciation of pigments and what is involved in making them. Thank you for making this video! Cheers
This is a great video, I’ve used Golden paints for years, but I learned a lot of useful things from this discussion! Thank you!
Ulysses was great! Please have him back again. I think if he would’ve been my science/chemistry teacher I would’ve actually paid attention! :-)
Ulysses will be on next week (Wednesday 3/29 at 1 pm) to answer artist questions about pigments that were submitted through our Pints from the Paint Bar program.
I think this was made for me. You answered m many of my questions. Thank you.
I learned a lot about how paint works from this video, and it was super interesting. Hope you continue to produce more informational content like this! :)
If I taught high school art, boy-howdy I would use this video. Also, come on, the guy's name is Ulysses Jackson.
Awesome demos and explanations! Love the descriptions of the pigments on a molecular level. I’ve got a chemistry background and an art college education, so it’s wonderful to watch and listen to you guys here talk about your products this way. When I was going through art school I actually called you guys up and talked pigments with you, and it was great. Thank you!
Love ALL Golden products, thank you for this information, greatly appreciate it ! Please continue to educate us 🙂
Very interesting, thank you for the video.
Glad you enjoyed it
This was fantastic, thank you! Informative and interesting.
Fascinating
That was fun and interesting.
Thanks for answering this question about same pigment/different colors. How can that be, I wondered? Now I know. In my art journey, as I’ve been taking a deeper dive into my colors of preference and just colors in general, I’ve wondered about so many pigments and where the colors come from….originally the earth and then later, many pigments created in labs. It’s all so fascinating. And if anyone wondered, “why are artist grade paints so expensive?” It should be pretty obvious.
Glad it was helpful, Nancy.
Great video!!! I love nerding out on paints 🤙
I don't think the uranium that was asked about is comparable to radium once used in watch dials and other things. My understanding is that the uranium oxides (typically used in pottery and glass) emit alpha particles when the uranium decays while radium emits beta rays (and maybe gamma rays). Radium not only emits typically more dangerous forms of radiation, it does so more rapidly than the most stable uranium isotope(s). Alpha particles should be stopped by a barrier like a dried oil paint film. Gamma rays can't be completely stopped by even a lead wall. Beta and gamma rays are much more dangerous than alpha particles because they're so difficult to stop, although alpha particles are bad news if you ingest them. One also doesn't want to have them hit one's eyes. Gamma rays are also very high-energy but extremely low mass (the opposite of the alpha particle, which is the highest mass of the three). Potters working with powdered uranium oxide faced a lot more risk than painters using uranium pigments bound in mediums. However, sometimes artists sand paint, spray apply, et cetera. There are likely some isotopes of uranium that give off beta and/or gamma rays but, as far as I know, the common uranium oxide (uranium yellow, aka yellowcake) once popularly used in pottery (and glass) and rarely used in oil paints, offers nothing like the danger posed by radium pigments. Bismuth is radioactive. Just because something is radioactive doesn't mean it's as dangerous as another radioactive materials. Bismuth is extremely safe when compared with radium. Its half-life is so long that it was once only theoretical that it's radioactive. My understanding is that uranium oxide paint would need to be treated with the same level of care one uses with lead and chromate paints: don't ingest, don't inhale, don't dispose of the waste recklessly, keep away from pets and children, don't spray, don't sand, and keep contained within a resilient binder (not one that creates dust). As for the claim of amazing coloration, I doubt that there is anything about uranium yellow in paints that can't be done with a cadmium. Perhaps the opacity is greater?
FYI: I am not a physicist. I am simply remembering some of what I learned in HS Chemistry.
great reply thanks!
👍👍👍
we are off of zinc oxide totally now, surely?
Yeeeeeah!