NR9 Rose Madder (natural madder lake)
Natural madder lake.
3 tubes from 2 of 24 paint lines contain NR9. 3 are made from NR9 alone, which is the closest match when you're switching brands.
- Toxicity
- No toxic metal Not one of the toxic-metal pigments. As with any paint, keep it out of your mouth and don't sand or spray it.
- Drying
- Slow
- Opacity
- Single-pigment tubes are mostly transparent.
About NR9
History
Madder lake comes from the root of the madder plant, used as a dye for thousands of years and as a painting lake for centuries.
In mixes
A delicate, transparent rose for glazes. It fades in light, especially in thin layers.
Genuine or hue?
Natural madder lake is costly and fades in light. Synthetic hues are more lightfast, though rarely as subtle in glazes.
Drying speed is typical for linseed oil; tubes ground in safflower or poppy oil, or with driers added, will differ. These are general notes on the pigment, not on any one brand.
Purest NR9, by brand
The best single-pigment NR9 tube from each line, ranked: artists' grade first, then lightfastness, then how firmly the pigment listing is confirmed. Ties are listed alphabetically.
- W&N Artists' Rose Madder GenuineSeries 5 · LF I · Transparent
- Michael Harding Rose MadderSeries 5 · LF III · Transparent
Not sold here by: Holbein, Grumbacher, Williamsburg, M. Graham, Gamblin, Old Holland, Rembrandt, Schmincke Mussini, W&N Winton, Georgian, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Cobra, Art Creation, Lukas 1862, W&N Griffin, Art Spectrum, Langridge, Blockx, Maimeri Puro, Vasari, W&N Artisan.
Made from NR9 alone
Brands: Michael Harding, W&N Artists'.