R&F Handmade Paints: Mars Colors
R&F Mars colors are a group of synthetic iron oxides which include Mars Yellow Light, Mars Yellow Deep, Mars Orange, Mars Red, Mars Violet, and Mars Black. Our Mars colors are produced in both our encaustic and R&F Pigment Stick® lines.
The name 'Mars' is derived from the god of war, whose metal is iron. The name ‘Mars Yellow’ and the colors that stem from this name emerged in the eighteenth century as a literal translation of the Latin crocus martis. Martis refers to Mars and the ancient alchemical name for iron. These "synthetic ochres" tend to be cleaner, more powerful, and more opaque than many earth pigments such as our Siennas and Umbers, which have a wider variation in their toptone and undertone.
Take a closer look at a few of our Mars colors below, and don't forget to explore our color line to see them all and try them yourself!
Similar to an Indian Red, Mars Violet is a low intensity deep bluish-red earth. Mars Violet is opaque when used by itself, and makes lavender tints when white is added.
Mars Black is a very dense black. It has slightly violet undertone and greys. It mixes cleaner than other blacks, and is a faster drier in our Pigment Stick® line.
Our Mars Yellow Light, is the shade most associated with yellow ochre. It is a soft very slightly greenish yellow. Against darker colors, it is almost brilliant.
