Copper Black

Description

Copper Black is a handmade single-pigment copper oxide black pigment, based on finely milled cupric oxide in a stable mineral matrix. It produces a deep, cool black with a subtle blue–green mineral undertone and a dense, velvety masstone. Compared to carbon blacks, Copper Black feels more stone-like and atmospheric, with a quieter, less sooty character; compared to Mars Black, it is cooler and a touch more metallic in its visual impression.

In use, Copper Black gives a powerful yet controlled black ideal for aged metal, patina, machinery, industrial subjects, stormy skies, deep shadows, and architectural details. It has strong tinting strength and an opaque character, covering well in masstone. It mixes beautifully with earths for complex industrial browns and charcoals, with blues and blue-greens for steel-like neutrals and near-blacks, and with reds and violets for deep wine-browns and muted maroons that stay rich rather than muddy.

This copper oxide pigment is chemically stable, heat-resistant, and highly resistant to acids and alkalis, which makes it suitable across a wide range of binders and mediums. In artist’s colors it offers a distinctive mineral black that can function as an alternative to both iron oxides and carbon blacks, especially in palettes that emphasize metal, architecture, history, and subtle atmospheric darks.

History

Copper compounds have been used as colorants since antiquity, from Egyptian cosmetics and Mediterranean ceramics to Roman wall painting and medieval stained glass. While blues and greens from copper are the most famous, dark copper oxides have long appeared in ceramics, enamels, and glass, especially in reduction-fired wares and as components in protective and anti-fouling coatings.

With the development of modern industrial chemistry, high-purity cupric oxide became widely available and was adopted in marine paints, corrosion-resistant primers, and dark architectural coatings where durability and resistance to weathering were essential. From these technical uses, copper-oxide blacks were adapted for artist materials, providing a dense, cool black with a distinctive mineral presence. Today, Copper Black remains a specialty pigment appreciated by painters who want a robust, slightly metallic black with strong character and a deep connection to ceramic and industrial color traditions.

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: Synthetic (Inorganic) copper oxide black pigment (cupric oxide)

Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Lime / Fresco, Ceramic and cement applications

Lightfastness: Best

Opacity: Opaque

Other Names: Copper Black, Copper Oxide Black, Cupric Oxide Black

Color Index Code: Copper oxide–based black pigment