Pigment Colour Index: Yellow Pigments

Of all of the groups in the Pigment Colour Index, yellow is one of the largest. The first yellow pigment was Yellow Ochre, an earth pigment containing hydrated iron oxides that are found all over the world. Early civilisations in Asia, Egypt, and Greece used the arsenic-based Orpiment, and during the Middle Ages, Lead Tin Yellow was one of the primary yellow pigments used by artists in Northern Europe. During the 19th and 20th Centuries, various synthetic yellow pigments, including Chrome and Cadmium Yellow pigments were developed. Yellow was particularly loved by J.M.W Turner, who used it in his glowing skies. Vincent Van Gogh also made extensive use of yellow in his palette, and he described his feelings about the colour in a letter to his sister in 1888: “The sun, a light that for lack of a better word I can only call yellow, bright sulphur yellow, pale lemon gold. How beautiful yellow is!”

Here is a guide to the yellow pigments used in artist paints today according to the Pigment Colour Index, identified by the prefix PY. Find out more about the Colour Index and why it is useful to artists in this post.

Each swatch is an example of an artist paint that uses that particular pigment, and the actual colour may vary. You can click on each swatch to go to the paint that is pictured.
 

 

PY 3 – Hansa Yellow Light

 

Colour Description: Bright greenish-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent

A member of the Azo family of pigments, PY 3 is one of the most commonly found pigments in Lemon Yellow artist paints. It is transparent with relatively high tinting strength, which means that it creates very clean, vibrant results in colour mixing without being overpowering. When mixed with black, it makes some bright, zesty greens. Its lightfastness varies from paint to paint – it is generally thought to be acceptably lightfast for artist work, but its lightfastness decreases when used in thin glazes (like in watercolour painting). For a reliably lightfast alternative, try Benzimidazolone Yellow (PY 175), or read our comparison of Lemon Yellow pigments.
 

 

PY 31 – Barium Chromate Yellow

 

Colour Description: Milky, greenish-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque

Discovered in 1797 by French chemist Louis Vauquelin, Barium Chromate is an opaque yellow with a distinctly acidic green hue and a low tinting strength. It was the first pigment marketed as Lemon Yellow, but it has been mostly superseded by more modern Lemon Yellow pigments, like Cadmium Yellow Light (PY 35) and Hansa Yellow Light (PY 3). Barium Chromate was used by many of the Impressionists, including Renoir and Monet, and it is the only Chrome yellow pigment that does not discolour over time.
 

 

PY 32 – Strontium Chromate Yellow

 

Colour Description: Pale, greenish-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque

A very rare lemon yellow pigment, some report that it has a tendency to turn greener over time as it reacts with the air.
 

 

PY 35 – Cadmium Yellow Light/ Cadmium Yellow

 

Colour Description: Ranges from a cool lemon yellow to a mid yellow.
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque

Cadmium pigments were first created in 1817, but didn’t gain popularity until the early 20th Century. PY 35 (Cadmium Zinc Sulphide) covers a large range of yellows, and pigment manufacturers can control the shade by incorporating larger amounts of Cadmium Selenide to make more orange hues. Like all Cadmium pigments, Cadmium Yellows are very dense with a high tinting strength, good coverage, and excellent lightfastness and permanence. In oil paint, they are very slow drying. Cadmium is a poisonous metal, but the Cadmium used in artist paints cannot be absorbed by the body so the risk to the artist is low. However, special care should be taken to avoid inhaling dry Cadmium pigment.
 

 

PY 37 – Cadmium Yellow Deep

 

Colour Description: Warm orange-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque

Made using Cadmium Sulphide, PY 37 generally leans more towards orange than Cadmium yellows labelled PY 35. Like all Cadmium Yellows, PY 37 is very dense and opaque with a high tinting strength and excellent lightfastness and permanence. In oil paint, it is very slow drying. Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal, but the Cadmium used in artist paints cannot be absorbed by the body so the risk to the artist is low. However, take care not to inhale Cadmium pigment when it is in dry powder form.
 

 

PY 40 – Aureolin

 

Colour Description: Golden yellow in masstone, but appears cooler and more like a lemon yellow in washes and glazes
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent to semi-transparent.

Aureolin (also known as Cobalt Yellow) was first made in 1848 and it was considered to be a more lightfast alternative to Gamboge, a yellow pigment that was loved by J.M.W. Turner. However, there are also concerns about Aureolin’s lightfastness as it can turn brown over time. It remained very popular, particularly in watercolour, until the end of the 19th Century when it was largely replaced by Cadmium Yellow (PY 35), a highly lightfast, more opaque alternative. Transparent, reliably lightfast alternatives to Aureolin include Benzimidazolone Yellow (PY 151 or PY 175) and Diazo Yellow (PY 128).
 

 

PY 41 – Genuine Naples Yellow

 

Colour Description: Ranges from a dull greenish-yellow to golden red-yellow.
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque

Naples Yellow (Lead Antimonate) is one of the oldest synthetic pigments. It is known to have been used in painting from the 15th Century, but a chemically identical colourant has been found in pottery and other decorative arts that date back to antiquity. It is a toxic pigment, and isn’t widely used today. Most Naples Yellow paints are hues, combining a mixture of pigments to imitate the genuine colour.
 

 

PY 42 – Synthetic Yellow Iron Oxide

 

Colour Description: Warm, earthy yellow ochre
Transparency/Opacity: Ranges from transparent to opaque

PY 42 is a synthetic alternative to Natural Yellow Ochre (PY 43). Synthetic iron oxides, also known as Mars pigments, were first created in the 18th Century, but they began to gain popularity as alternatives to natural earth pigments in the early 20th Century. Both natural and synthetic Yellow Ochre are excellent colours in landscape painting, as they mix natural greens when mixed with any blue. Generally speaking, the pigment particles in synthetic iron oxide pigments are more uniform in size, so the colour is usually more vibrant and ‘cleaner’ than natural yellow iron oxide pigments. For a limited colour palette that uses Yellow Ochre, take a look at the Zorn palette.
 

 

PY43 – Natural Yellow Iron Oxide

 

Colour Description: Warm, earthy yellow ochre
Transparency/Opacity: Ranges from transparent to opaque

Natural Yellow Ochre, made using earths containing hydrated iron oxides, has been used since prehistory. Many Yellow Ochre paints are now made with the synthetic pigment PY 42 instead, and there is very little practically difference between the synthetic and natural varieties (except those listed above in the entry for PY 42). Yellow Ochre is one of the colours in the Zorn palette, a limited colour palette used by artist Anders Zorn. Either synthetic and natural Yellow Ochre can be very useful in landscape palettes, as they create a spectrum of natural greens when mixed with any blue.
 

 

PY 53 – Nickel Titanate Yellow

 

Colour Description: Pale greenish-yellow.
Transparency/Opacity: Ranges from semi-transparent to opaque.

Developed in the 1960s, Nickel Titanate (Nickel Antimony Titanium Rutile) is a buttery lemon yellow. Because of its low tinting strength, it makes more subtle mixtures than most other lemon yellows. Nickel Titanate Yellow is an excellent non-toxic alternative to the more lemony varieties of Genuine Naples Yellow (PY 41). In watercolour, it is one of the only granulating yellow pigments. Try mixing it with Ivory Black (PBk 9) and a touch of white to make some subtle, greenish-greys.
 

 

PY 65 – Hansa Yellow Deep

Colour Description: Orange-Yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to semi-opaque

With its moderately high tinting strength and excellent lightfastness, Hansa Yellow Deep is a great mixing colour and is a more transparent alternative to Cadmium Yellow Deep. Combine it with Indanthrene Blue (PB 60) to make deep greens that are great for landscape painting.
 

 

PY 73 – Arylide Yellow

 

Colour Description: Medium to orange-yellow, more like a lemon yellow in thin washes and glazes.
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to semi-opaque

Arylide yellow is also considered to be a more transparent alternative to genuine Cadmium pigments. PY 73 has good lightfastness and moderately strong tinting strength, making it a versatile choice of yellow in a palette. See PY 73 in mixtures in this post.
 

 

PY 74 – Arylide Yellow

 
 

Colour Description: Medium to orange-Yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to semi-opaque

Along with PY 3 and PY 73, Arylide yellow is another member of the Azo pigment family. It is a versatile mid-yellow that makes an excellent primary yellow in a palette. It has a moderately strong tinting strength which makes it a good mixing yellow.
 

 

PY 83 – Diarylide Yellow

 

Colour Description: Warm, golden yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent to semi- opaque

Diarylide yellow is often used to replace Indian Yellow, a historical pigment apparently made by heating the urine of cows fed on mango leaves (unfortunately this is most likely untrue, but it’s a good story). PY 83 has a high tinting strength and good lightfastness.
 

 

PY 97 – Hansa Yellow Medium

 

Colour Description: Mid-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to transparent

Hansa Yellow Medium is a good choice for a neutral yellow in a palette – it can be adjusted to become cooler or warmer, either by adding a touch of green (cool) or red (warm). In watercolour it is a very staining pigment.
 

 

PY 110 – Isoindolinone Yellow

 

Colour Description: Bright orange-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque to transparent
 

Like Diarylide Yellow (PY 83), PY 110 is also used to replace Indian Yellow. It has a luminescent quality, particularly when used in thin glazes. With Dioxazine Violet (PV 23) it makes an interesting range of browns.
 

 

PY 128 – Diazo Yellow

 

Colour Description: Ranges from cool to warm yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
 

Another lightfast alternative to Aureolin or Indian Yellow, Diazo Yellow is a highly transparent yellow that is perfect for glazing or underpainting.
 

 

PY 129 – Copper Azomethine Green

Colour Description: Yellowish-green with golden undertones
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent

Despite being green in colour, Copper Azomethine is categorised as a yellow pigment. Commonly known as Green Gold, PY 129 has a high tinting strength and excellent lightfastness. Try mixing it with Dioxazine Violet (PV 23) to make smoky browns, and with Quinacridone Magenta (PR 122) for fiery reds and oranges.
 

 

PY 138 – Quinophthalone Yellow

 

Colour Description: Ranges from cool, green yellow to mid-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent to semi-transparent

Quinophthalone Yellow is not a common pigment, but it makes a very bright and clean yellow similar to Benzimidazolone Yellow (PY 151). Combine it with Phthalo Green to make a very vibrant, high chroma spring green.
 

 

PY 150 – Nickel Azo Yellow

 

Colour Description: Ranges from golden yellow to bright primary yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to transparent

PY 150 makes a great alternative to Gamboge, a historical pigment made from tree resin. It is warm (like a transparent Yellow Ochre) when used thickly, but is cooler when applied in a thin layer.
 

 

PY 151 – Benzimidazolone Yellow

 

Colour Description: Bright, primary yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent

With its moderately high tinting strength, PY 151 is a very versatile yellow in a palette as it mixes well with other colours without overpowering them. Mix it with Ultramarine Violet to make a range of atmospheric greys.
 

 

PY 154 – Benzimidazolone Yellow

Colour Description: Ranges from cool greenish yellow to warm orange-yellow
TTransparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque to semi-transparent

Benzimidazolone pigments were first introduced to artist paints in the 1960s, and PY 154 is one of the most widely used among them. It has a moderately strong tinting strength and has excellent lightfastness according to most tests.
 

 

PY 175 – Benzimidazolone Yellow

Colour Description: Cool, greenish yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to transparent

PY 175 is a very green-toned yellow, so it is perfect for mixing very vibrant greens. It is a very staining pigment in watercolour, and is difficult to lift from the paper. Try mixing it with Quinacridone Magenta (PR 122) and white to make a soft, glowing pink, or with Cobalt Teal Blue (PG 50) to make almost fluorescent bright greens.
 

 

PY 184 – Bismuth Yellow

 

Colour Description: Bright lemon yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque

Although Bismuth Yellow has been used in industrial applications since 1924, it was not used as an artist pigment until the 1980s. Bismuth Yellow provides the high tinting strength of a Cadmium Yellow Lemon, but with a little more transparency. Try mixing it with Cerulean Blue (PB 35/ PB 36) to make rich greens, or with black to make olive greens.
 

 

PY 216 – Rutile Tin Zinc Yellow

 

Colour Description: Orange-yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque

Paints made using the pigment are often called ‘Turner’s Yellow’ in reference to artist J.M.W. Turner, who had a particular fondness for deep, burning yellow pigments like Gamboge. However, the name originates from chemist James Turner, who patented the name in 1781 (when J.M.W. Turner was only six years old). The original Turner’s Yellow was a very similar colour to PY 216, but it was a toxic mixture of lead and sea salt and is now obsolete.
 

 

PY 223 – Mayan Yellow

 

Colour Description: Golden yellow
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent

Supposedly based on an ancient Mayan recipe, PY 223 is a patented formula. It is a warm yellow that makes muted mixtures. Try mixing it with Indanthrene Blue (PB 60) to make a green similar to Green Gold (PY 129).
 

 

This post is part of an ongoing series about the Pigment Colour Index.
 

• White Pigments (Codes beginning PW)
• Orange Pigments (Codes beginning PO)
• Red Pigments (Codes beginning PR)
• Violet Pigments (Codes beginning PV)
• Blue Pigments (Codes beginning PB)
• Green Pigments (Codes beginning PG)
• Brown Pigments (Code beginning PBr or NBr)
• Black Pigments (Code beginning PBk)

 

You can also read our Pigment Stories series to find out about the history behind some widely used pigments.