Description
Violet lalvarit is part of a set of five new colours released by Rublev, all single pigment and all sourced from Armenia - each is quite different in hue, but they have great synergy and are very analogous in hue when used together. The pigment is unique to Rublev, sourced and processed by themselves.
In masstone, violet lalvarit is a dark, almost black, purple-brown. Like the other paints in this Armenian range it is quite short and very fine grained/dense and benefits from a little medium. The surprise came when adding titanium white, it produces almost neutral in hue, grey tints. Almost neutral in temperature as well, though probably leaning towards the warmer side.
You can add this grey into mixes of the other Armenian colours, to take down the chroma a notch, enabling the most beautiful subtlety in colour mixing, real hues of nature. These five colours work extremely well together.
Rublev's description;
"Violet Lalvarit oil paint is made from lalvarit, a rare andesite rock from the lava flows of the Alaverdi ore region near Mount Lalvar in Armenia. The rock is grey in colour but acquires a distinctive violet tint from iron and manganese oxide impurities.
Unlike typical pigments, lalvarit is not a single mineral but a unique volcanic rock; it is therefore classified as a natural inorganic pigment, but its Colour Index (CIGN), chemical name, and formula are not defined. The pigment is ground to a mean particle size of about 8 µm and contains mainly silica (≈30 %), alumina (~8 %), iron (~6 %), potassium (~1.6 %), and manganese (~1 %).
In oil paint, Violet Lalvarit has a semi‑opaque body with medium tinting strength and a slightly slower drying rate. The colour produces cool violet–grey hues useful in atmospheric landscapes and shadow areas. Artists interested in unusual, naturally occurring colourants will appreciate this pigment’s provenance and subtle chromatic complexity."
Technical Overview
Pigment - Natural Inorganic Lalvarit
Vehicle - Linseed Oil
Opacity - Semi-Opaque
Tint Power - Medium
Rublev Oil Paint
