Transparent Mummy - 50ml

£21.90

I hope for the sake of us all as human beings this isn't true, however it is said this was originally made from the ground up remains of Egyptian mummies mixed with pitch and myrrh. It became popular as it had good transparency in oil paint, and was used for glazes, shadows, flesh tones and shading. Apparently it fell from popularity during the nineteenth century when its composition became more generally known to artists.

The modern pigment sold as “mummy” is composed of a mixture of hematite, goethite, clay and quartz; the hematite and goethite  determining its colour—the more hematite the redder the pigment—with the others being inert substances that can vary the opacity or tinting strength. This particular pigment comes from the quarries in Lori province of northern Armenia.

In masstone it is a brown/red quite dark in value. For a red earth it is quite a low power tinter however the tints are quite surprising, as when mixed with white the paint's orange undertones become visible and it produces vibrant, orangey flesh hues. Used alongside a cooler red earth this paint would be very useful in describing a multitude of flesh colours, it is really quite warm. 

Used thinly, it's transparent nature gives a deep, very warm orange/brown hue.

I can confirm that we would not and never have condoned the grinding up of ancient Egyptian mummies for use in oil paint manufacture, apart from that one last week...

Technical Overview

Pigment - PR102

Binder - Linseed Oil

Opacity - Semi-Transparent

Drying Rate - Average

Customer Reviews

Based on 7 reviews
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K
Kay
Nice warm earth red

The warm earth red on my palette for warmer skin tones. Also a nice mixer for shadows due to the slight transparency.

O
OLIVER MURPHY
A must for portrait painters

I bought two tubes of Transparent Mummy along with Lead Tin Yellow Light and they’ve both been game changers. Beautiful for creating skin tones coupled with Cobalt Blue, Yellow Ochre and Winsor Red. Will definitely buy again.

T
Ted Townsend
As brilliant as the name suggests

I have been a user of Senellier Modigliani Ochre as a useful mid-point shortcut into flesh tones for years, but Transparent Mummy is in a league of its own. Mixed with MH warm white it covers much of the upper range, whilst combination with Rublev French Burnt Sienna and eventually Burnt Umber, takes you deep into brown skin tones. And all of the time, it delivers an encouraging translucency that I have not been able to achieve before. Do try it.

A
Arild Gransjoen
Transparent Mummy

Lovely orange undertones. Low tinting yet powerful while interworking. And last, but not least; Great customer services by James!

M
Malcolm Allsop
Really Interesting colour

Perfect for skin tones. Does not overpower. I love it.

K
Karin Heijblom
Simply perfect!

Great service, personal advice and good communication. If you want the highest quality with direct customer service from professionals. This is your shop.

E
Enion Salt.
More depth.

This is a wonderful transparent red earth that is made for glazing. Glazed over other red Earths such as French red ochre or Ercolano red it adds more depth & colour intensity. You really can't go wrong using these stunning paints & as I've said in other reviews there is something very special about these paints which I am unable to put into words, however compare an orange you've bought from a supermarket to that of one you picked off a tree somewhere hot & the taste difference is immediately apparent. Excellent paint, the best!

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