• Greenweed Lake is a natural yellow-green pigment made by extracting dye from the Genista tinctoria plant, commonly known as dyer‚Äôs greenweed or broom, and precipitating it. Historically used in medieval and Renaissance textile dyeing, it offers a soft, warm greenish-yellow hue with delicate transparency. Ideal for watercolor, tempera, and layered glazing, Greenweed Lake brings a luminous, organic brightness to artwork. Moderate lightfastness makes it best suited for protected or archival pieces.
  • Three paint swatches—Oil (brown), Lead White (off-white), and Titanium White (bright white)—on textured paper showcase the Morrow Archival collection, featuring Greenweed Lake Pigment, inspired by natural dyer's greenweed.
  • Three swatches of yellow watercolor, made with Greenweed Lake Pigment from natural botanical dyer's greenweed, are labeled Opacity, Dry, and Wet on textured paper under the title Morrow Archival to show varied paint qualities.
  • A woman in a dress stands by a table with cabbages, pumpkins, and grapes as Greenweed Lake Pigment adds vibrant botanical color to the scene framed by a scenic landscape through the open window behind her.
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Greenweed Lake Pigment

Greenweed Lake Pigment

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Description

Greenweed Lake is a natural botanical pigment created by extracting the brilliant yellow dye from the flowering tops of Genista tinctoria (commonly called dyer's greenweed or dyer's broom) and precipitating it onto a mineral substrate of alum and chalk. The resulting lake pigment produces a lively, warm yellow with a subtle greenish undertone, offering a fresh and natural vibrancy typical of traditional plant-based yellows.


In watercolor, Greenweed Lake provides delicate transparent washes with a soft radiance. In egg tempera and oil, it yields luminous glazes ideal for botanical illustration, historical painting, and early Renaissance palette reconstruction. Its natural warmth harmonizes beautifully with blues and greens, making it an excellent component for mixing historical greens before the invention of synthetic pigments.


History

Dyer's greenweed has been used since the pre-history as a source of yellow dye for textiles before even weld was introduced from the East. It was especially prized in Europe for its clarity and brightness, used both alone and in combination with woad or indigo to produce rich green shades for tapestries, manuscripts, and sacred textiles.


In art, greenweed-derived lakes provid an important plant-based alternative to mineral yellows like yellow ochre and orpiment, allowing artists greater flexibility in palette-building via a transparent, rich yellow. Its use was especially common in manuscript illumination, panel painting, and botanical studies, where delicate, transparent yellows were desired. In "Cookmaid with Still Life of Vegetables and Fruit" by Sir Nathaniel Bacon, Greenweed Lake is used throughout the vegetables and fruit to create the great variety of yellow and green shades when mixed.


Although less permanent than some mineral-based pigments, Greenweed Lake remains a favorite among artists dedicated to traditional, natural color sources and historical painting techniques.


Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Natural botanical lake pigment from Genista tinctoria (dyer's greenweed) on mineral substrate

Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Encaustic, Cold Wax, Casein, Milk, Swedish Flour, Lime / Fresco, Violin / Varnish

Lightfastness: Moderate

Opacity: Transparent

Other Names: Dyer's Greenweed Lake, Genista Lake, Greenweed Yellow, Broom Lake

Color Index Code: PY2

Pictured Artwork: "Cookmaid with Still Life of Vegetables and Fruit" by Sir Nathaniel Bacon from the Tate