This Burnt Umbra comes from Cyprus. Umbra probably comes from the Latin word "umbra" (shadow). The color was once used to soften colors. Cyprus is the largest producer of earths in the Mediterranean region. Traces of this earth can be found everywhere. It is mined in the form of clay, which makes it available to make relatively cheap pigments.

This pigment is 100% natural.

Burnt umber is known for its warm but controlled character, differing from burnt sienna by being less reddish and more neutral earthy brown:

• Underpainting (Imprimatura): Due to its ultra-fast drying time, burnt umber is the preferred choice for classic underpainting and tinted underpainting bases. It allows the artist to continue working the next day without breaking the "fat over lean" rule.
• Shadows: Perfect for deep, warm shadows in portraits, architecture and landscapes, as it does not appear muddy.
• Modifying Blue: Mixed with Ultramarine Blue (PB29), it creates an incredibly deep, velvety black and a range of beautiful, neutral grays that many artists prefer over tube blacks.
• Because burnt umber dries so quickly and absorbs a lot of oil, it forms a strong but relatively brittle film of color. It is perfect for the first, thin layers of a painting, but should be used sparingly in the very top, thick layers (impasto), unless mixed with slow-drying colors or added to a flexible painting medium such as Prof+'s painting medium which contains synthetic resin which gives it its elastic properties.

PB7