• Handmade Annatto Lake Orange natural watercolor paint half pan shown on a textured watercolor painting. Created from pure single-pigment annatto seeds, this warm, glowing orange offers beautiful transparency and soft granulation, ideal for botanical art, historical painting, and fine art illustration. A perfect eco-friendly gift for watercolor artists, nature lovers, and collectors seeking small-batch, archival-quality, all-natural handmade pigments.
  • Watercolor painting in warm, glowing Annatto Lake Orange, a natural dye pigment extracted from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana). Used since ancient times in Central and South America for body paint, manuscripts, and textiles. Handcrafted with pure pigment, honey, and gum arabic for professional, archival quality. Transparent, softly staining, and ideal for botanical art, warm glazes, and historical palettes.
  • The image is a color palette from the "Morrow Archive" that displays a variety of vibrant and diverse paint colors.
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Annatto Lake

Annatto Lake

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Description

Annatto Lake is our exquisitely hand-crafted watercolor paint made with an extremely concentrated, high-quality single source pigment. Every pan is meticulously hand mulled, filled, and labeled—using only pure local honey and a small amount of all natural, pure gum arabic to achieve an exceptionally concentrated and richly textured pigment.


Annatto Lake is a warm, golden-orange created from the natural dye of the achiote seed (Bixa orellana), traditionally used in both culinary and artistic practices across the Americas. This organic pigment offers a soft, glowing tone with a gentle transparency and light granulation. Its subtle warmth makes it ideal for glazing, layering, and evoking sunlight, botanical warmth, or natural luminosity. Annatto Lake brings a touch of historic plant-based color and delicate vibrancy to your palette.


This historic pigment is ideal for botanical work, illuminated manuscripts, florals, and light-infused layering. It mixes beautifully with other natural dyes and mineral colors, offering a pure, cool yellow with greenish undertones and excellent glaze potential. Lightfastness is moderate—best for protected works, portfolios, and collectors who value historical authenticity.


Key Features

Single Source Pigment: Each product features one pure pigment, chosen for its exceptional quality.


Handmade Artisanal Process: Crafted in small batches, our watercolors are hand mulled on a glass slab and hand packed to preserve the integrity of the pigment.


Maximum Pigment Load: Designed to provide maximum color saturation, our formula contains no artificial additives or fillers


Recommended Use: Best used with a gum arabic medium to achieve optimal reactivation and fluidity.


Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Organic lake pigment (annatto dye)

Source: Extraction from seeds of Bixa orellana

Origin: Central and South America (natural)

Lightfastness: Moderate

Opacity: Transparent with light granulation

Other Names: Achiote, Bixin, Natural Annatto Lake

Color Index Code: NO4


Production Process

Our watercolors are created with passion and precision. The pigment is carefully hand mulled and then mixed with pure local honey, ensuring an exceptionally concentrated and vibrant product. The entire process is carried out by hand—from mixing and mulling to filling and labeling—so you can be confident in the artisanal quality of every pan.


Usage & Care

For professional and consistent results, we recommend using a gum arabic medium. Please store in a secure area away from children and pets, and dispose of any waste in an environmentally friendly manner in accordance with all local, state, and national regulations.


If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.