DANIEL SMITH PrimaTek: Watercolor, Oil & Acrylic

Certain colors have captured the imagination of artists for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Our exclusive PrimaTek colors are made from naturally occurring pigments, reviving a tradition of making paints the way the ancient Egyptians, Mayans and other early cultures did. To find these rare pigments, our mineralogist circles the globe, going to some of the most remote areas in the world.

SLEEPING BEAUTY TURQUOISE GENUINE - is a strong sky blue of amazing tonal richness. It's made with gem-grade turquoise from Arizona's famous Sleeping Beauty Mountain.

BLUE APATITE GENUINE - a dark sedimentary color, lets you create a beautiful range of blues from a single tube. In washes, brown settles out of the rich natural blue for memorable texture and contrast.

DIOPSIDE GENUINE - also known as Russian Emerald, brushes out evenly from deep green through clear Kelly green to palest mint. In washes, hints of brown mineral inclusions settle out, adding an earthy nuance perfect for landscape work.

LAPIS LAZULI GENUINE - Mined in the mountains of South America, this gem-quality pigment is an opulent medieval blue. Produces a classic concentrated blue that is extremely vibrant and light reflective. A touch of golden pyrite found as an inclusion adds a delightful shimmer. The result, for painters, is completely different from synthetic ultramarine pigments.

TIGER'S EYE GENUINE - made from the light-refracting Burmese gemstone, is a neutral brown that creates beautiful textural effects.

KINGMAN GREEN TURQUOISE GENUINE - the classic blue-green of the finest Navajo turquoise is a beautiful, low-staining paint that creates exquisite gradations of light and color.

RHODONITE GENUINE - mined in Germany, a deep, clean pink that's great for portraits and landscapes. Used wet into wet, it has a soft, smooth, transparent glow.

ZOISITE GENUINE - adds textural interest to your paintings. A lush, primal green with a dark bottle-green granulating surface, it is mined in Austria.

Watch The Art of Making Paint at DANIEL SMITH, featuring Dan Smith and Lapis Lazuli Genuine.