• Close-up image of a half pan of Stil de Grain Light (Buckthorn Lake) handmade watercolor paint, showing a pale golden-yellow hue with soft, translucent texture. The pan rests on a neutral background, highlighting the botanical origin and traditional craftsmanship. Ideal for artists seeking a luminous, historic plant-based yellow with gentle warmth and natural charm.
  • Watercolor painting in delicate, light golden yellow Stil de Grain Light, derived from the early stages of buckthorn berry dye. Handcrafted with honey and gum arabic. Soft, transparent, and plant-based, ideal for layering light glazes, botanical illustrations, and historical manuscript colors.
  • five watercolor paintings on a wooden surface, each with a different color and texture, arranged in a row.
  • five different shades of yellow paint, each labeled with a different description, arranged on a wooden surface.
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Stil de Grain Light Lake Yellow Watercolor Paint

Stil de Grain Light Lake Yellow Watercolor Paint

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Description

Stil de Grain Light Lake is our exquisitely hand-crafted watercolor paint made with an extremely concentrated, high-quality single source pigment. Every pan is meticulously hand mulled, filled, and labeled using only pure local honey and all natural gum arabic to achieve an exceptionally concentrated and richly textured pigment. Every paint is single pigment with maximum concentration and no binders, fillers, or extenders.


Stil de Grain Light, also known as Buckthorn Lake, is a soft, golden-yellow watercolor made from the unripe berries of the buckthorn plant (Rhamnus cathartica or Rhamnus infectoria). This historic pigment was widely used in illuminated manuscripts, Renaissance painting, and botanical illustration. When carefully extracted and laked with alum, it produces a gentle, transparent yellow with neutral undertones and a beautiful, sunlit glow.


Our Stil de Grain Light is handcrafted in small batches using traditional dye extraction and laking techniques. The result is a refined, plant-based yellow perfect for florals, glazes, portrait highlights, and atmospheric washes. Unlike modern synthetic yellows, it has a living quality that shifts subtly with the paper and light. This pigment is delicate in both color and permanence, best suited for protected works, archival portfolios, and reproduction-based art.


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)

Source: Unripe buckthorn berries (Rhamnus species), laked with alum

Origin: Handmade in-house using historical European dye recipes

Lightfastness: Moderate (best used in protected or archival work)

Opacity: Transparent with soft glow and no granulation

Other Names: Stil de Grain, Sap Green (ripe variant), Yellow Berry Lake, Buckthorn Yellow

Color Index Code: NY14


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.