Bone White

Description

Bone White is a handmade single pigment produced through the traditional process of calcining cuttlefish bones at high temperatures, resulting in a soft, natural off-white pigment. This process removes all organic material, leaving behind pure calcium phosphate, which gives Bone White its unique warm, translucent quality. Historically used in art and industry, this pigment provides a subtle alternative to brighter, more opaque whites like Titanium or Zinc White.

Bone White has exceptional lightfastness, making it highly durable for both classical and contemporary artwork. It blends seamlessly with other pigments, offering a warm, organic tone in painting. Its semi-translucent nature allows for excellent layering, soft shading, and glazing effects in oil, watercolor, and tempera applications. Compared to synthetic whites, it provides a more soft, transparent, and natural color, making it ideal for portrait painting, restoration work, and traditional media.

History

Bone-derived pigments have been in use for thousands of years, originating as natural white and black pigments used in painting, ceramics, and decoration.

During antiquity, civilizations such as the Egyptians and Greeks burned bones to create white and black pigments for murals, manuscript illumination, and cosmetics. These pigments were widely used due to their availability and stable composition.

In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Bone White was commonly used in frescoes and manuscript illumination, as it provided a warm, stable white that complemented other natural pigments. It was particularly valued for underpainting and skin tones in tempera painting. In the pictured artwork 'Carrying the Cross' by Caliari (called Veronese), Bone White is used with Lead White to create the many whites, off whites, and tints of the painting. 

By the 18th and 19th centuries, Bone White became a staple pigment in both fine art and industrial applications. It was used extensively in watercolor and oil painting as a mixing white, as well as in ceramic glazes, porcelain production, and traditional gilding techniques.

Today, Bone White remains an important pigment for artists and conservators who appreciate its historical authenticity and soft, natural warmth. It continues to be used in painting, restoration, and traditional craft applications.

Health and Safety

Precautions:  
Keep out of reach of children and pets.  
Do not consume.  
Not for cosmetic or food usage.  
Do not spray apply.  
For further health information contact a poison control center.  
Use care when handling dry pigments and avoid dust formation.  
Use particular caution with fibrous, fine, or toxic pigments.  
Do not eat, drink, or smoke near dry pigments.  
Avoid breathing in pigment dust and use a NIOSH-certified dust respirator with sufficient rating for dry pigment.  
Wash hands immediately after use or handling.  
If dust is likely, always wear protective clothing to keep out of eyes, lungs, off skin, and out of any contact as well as keep area ventilated.  
This product may contain chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm.  
Warnings and bottle information are abbreviated.

Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Natural (Calcium Phosphate) from cuttlefish bones (Ca₅(PO₄)₃OH)  
Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic  
Lightfastness: Best  
Opacity: Semi-translucent  
Other Names: Bone Ash White, Natural Bone White, Cremated Bone White  
Color Index Code: N/A
Image: 'Carrying the Cross' by Caliari (Veronese) from the Dresden State Art Collections