Indanthrone (indanthrene) PB60

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The dye PB60 was developed by the German chemical company BASF, and came onto the market in 1901, but it was not until the 1950s that it was used as a pigment in artists’ paints. The idea of ​​the pigment was to imitate indigo. The name comes from indigo + anthraquinone which is the raw material from which the dye is a derivative. Sometimes the color is called indantren, which is actually the brand in which Indantron is included together with other dyes.

The color is warm blue-black, it is significantly bluer than genuine indigo. The pigment is very light-resistant and semi-opaque, it is strongly staining and very intense dark warm blue, almost violet. The complementary color to Indanthrone is yellow-orange, you can mix it with e.g. raw umber for a gray blend.

You who like the color indigo (almost all indigo that can be bought today are mixed with other pigments) should try Indanthrone, it consists of a single pigment and it is intensely blue-black, much more beautiful than all ready-mixed colors.

Indantron is a color I use sometimes, when I do not need a clear blue for my painting, because its black content limits its use somewhat. But its intense warm blue hue is very attractive. A very nice color with some limitations.

Information

Color index name: PB60
Lightfastness: Excellent
Transparency: Only semi-transparent
Staining: Very
Granules: No