Slate black

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Black slate carving
MFA# 61.129

Description

A grayish-black pigment made from pulverized slate. Slate black was an early natural black pigment used in watercolor paints. The hard stones are difficult to pulverize making a gritting powder. It is permanent but has little hiding power. Slate black is still occasionally used in inexpensive industrial paints.

Synonyms and Related Terms

shale black; noir d'ardoise (Fr.); mineral black

Resources and Citations

  • G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 611
  • Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

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