Characteristics: Lemon yellow is a bright, transparent yellow that's fairly cool and leans towards green.
Common Names: Hansa yellow light, arylide yellow, azo yellow, brilliant yellow.
Color Index Name: PY 3
(Color Index Explained)
Color Index Number: 11770.
Pigment Origin: Organic.
Used for Painting Since: 1900s.
Opacity/Transparency: Transparent.
(Opacity Explained)
Tinting Ability: Weak.
(Tinting explained)
Lightfastness Rating: ASTM II. (Tendency to fade when very diluted.)
(Lightfastness explained)
Oil Paint Drying Speed: Slow.
Specific Notes:
- A useful color for mixing with blues to create greens, and with reds to create oranges.
- Sometimes used as a cheap substitute for cadmium yellow.
Quotes About This Pigment:
"Bright lemon yellow hurts the eye after a short time, as a high note on the trumpet hurts the ear. The eye becomes disturbed, cannot bear it any longer, and seeks depth and repose in blue or green." -- Wassily Kandinsky in Concerning the Spiritual in Art.
