Ivory Travertine

Description

Ivory Travertine is a natural earth pigment derived from ground travertine limestone, a sedimentary rock formed by mineral springs rich in calcium carbonate. This stone, colored by iron oxide deposits, yields a soft, warm white pigment ranging from eggshell to warm light yellow ochre tones. Sourced from naturally pigmented deposits and ground by hand, this pigment contains no synthetic additives or dyes.

When used in paint, Ivory Travertine produces a gentle, warm white tone with subtle variation and mild granulation. It is a semi-opaque pigment with excellent lightfastness and natural compatibility with traditional binders. Ideal for fresco, egg tempera, oil, and watercolor applications, it blends beautifully into historical palettes and adds natural warmth to landscapes, iconography, and classical figure work.

History

Travertine has been used in architecture and sculpture since ancient Roman times, but its pigmented forms were also ground into usable colorants. Yellow Travertine earths were regionally quarried and prized in areas such as Italy, the Levant, and parts of North Africa for their soft, stable color and ease of grinding.

These iron-tinted stones were particularly favored by fresco painters and manuscript illuminators during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, when natural earths provided the foundation for most palettes. Earth yellows like this were widely used in backgrounds, skin tones, and gilding preparations, and were often mixed with white or red ochres to create a range of harmonious warm tones.

Unlike synthetic whites, Ivory Travertine offers a grounded, historical warmth that lightens with mineral colors for a balanced and authentic traditional palette.

Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Natural earth pigment from iron-tinted travertine limestone

Suitable Mediums: Fresco, Egg Tempera, Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor

Lightfastness: Excellent

Opacity: Semi-opaque

Other Names: Travertine White, White Earth