Chestnut Lake

Description
Chestnut Lake is our exquisitely hand-crafted watercolor paint made with an extremely concentrated and high quality single source pigment mixed only with pure honey. Every pan is meticulously hand mulled, hand packed, filled, and labeled — ensuring maximum pigment concentration without any binders, fillers, or extenders. Our unique formula uses only one pigment and pure local honey, delivering a maximally concentrated watercolor paint.

Chestnut Lake is a soft, golden-brown watercolor pigment made from the tannin-rich shells or husks of the chestnut tree (Castanea sativa or Castanea dentata), traditionally used in natural dyeing and ink making. This warm, earthy color is extracted through traditional botanical processes and then laked with alum, resulting in a gentle brown pigment with glowing amber undertones and smooth transparency.

Historically used in folk textiles and manuscript inks, Chestnut Lake is perfect for nature studies, botanical illustration, historical palettes, and earthy washes. Its subtle variations and warm neutral base make it ideal for layering, skin tones, and mixing with natural greens, reds, and yellows. A beautiful plant-based brown that honors the quiet sophistication of natural materials.

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: Natural organic lake pigment (botanical tannin)
Source: Chestnut shells or husks (Castanea species), laked with alum
Origin: Handmade in-house using traditional dye extraction and laking methods
Lightfastness: Moderate (best stored in protected, archival conditions)
Opacity: Transparent to semi-transparent with soft flow and strong granulation
Other Names: Chestnut Tannin Lake, Castanea Lake, Botanical Brown
Color Index Code: Not officially classified (historic botanical lake pigment)

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.