Since we’re deep in the darkest part of the year, I figured I’d take down my lightfastness tests. (To be honest, I forgot about them; I meant to only do them for 3 months but some of them have been up for over 6.) Here is what I learned.
Method
First, I painted a swatch of each paint on a small card, marking both the left and right sides with the name, brand, and pigment number.
Lightfastness test swatches, before cutting in half.
I then cut the swatch in half, and stashed one half in an envelope while posting the other half in a western-facing window with direct afternoon light. I attached all the window swatches to a backboard for ease of use (and to avoid putting tape on the actual glass of my window.)
Lightfastness swatches, attached to backboard.
I live in the northeast United States, the Boston area, so everything was done from about 42 north latitude. I got these started in the summer so there would be some days of intense light.
Sometimes I posted the left half of the swatch and sometimes the right. I did this intentionally so there would be a randomized mix (in case I always paint the left half a of swatch darker or something), but tbh I wish I had just systematized it. Comparing the swatches side-by-side is easier if a reliable side is always the “sun” side and they go together like puzzle pieces.
I tested a fairly random selection of paints. There are still some I wish I had done, but there’s always next year!
Highest Performers: No Noticeable Change
Lightfastness test for Daniel Smith Rich Green Gold (PY129). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Mission Gold Green Gold (PY150). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Holbein Imidazolone Lemon (PY175). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Roman Szmal Aquarius Yellow. Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DS Azo Yellow (PY151). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Holbein Imidazolone Yellow (PY154). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Hansa Yellow Medium (PY74). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for WN Hansa Yellow Deep (PY65). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Benzi Orange (PO62) Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Daniel Smith Indanthrone Blue (PB60). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Ultramarine Blue GS (PB29). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 23-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Holbein Phthalo Blue RS (PB15). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Cerulean Blue Genuine (PB36). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for WN Phthalo Turquoise (PB16). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Cobalt Turquoise (PB36). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for WN Oxide of Chromium (PG17). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 23-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Rembrandt Spinel Grey (PBk26). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Yellow Ochre (PY43). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 23-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for HO Yellow Ochre (PY42). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DS Monte Amiata Natural Sienna (PBr7). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Raw SIenna (PBr7). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for WN Naples Yellow Deep (PBr24). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for MaimeriBlu Potter’s Pink (PR233). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Indian Red (PR101). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.
Lightfastness test for DV Hansa Yellow Light (PY3). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Daniel Smith Quin Gold (PY150, PO48). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Permanent Red (PR188). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone (PV19). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for HO Pyrrole Rubin (PR264). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for WN Smalt (PV15) Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Phthalo Green YS (PG36). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DS Quinacridone Burnt Orange (PO48). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Burnt Sienna Deep (PR101). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DS Lunar Earth (PBr11). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 23-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Daniel Smith Transparent Red Oxide (PR101). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Violet Iron Oxide (PR101). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Burnt Umber (PBr7). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DV Raw Umber (PBr7). Left: Protected strip. Right: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 22-December 9, 2023.
Iffy Performers: Noticeable Change
Lightfastness test for DV Quin Red (PR209). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for DVS Deep Scarlet (PR175). Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from July 23-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Red Rose Deep (PV19). Left: Protected swatch. Right: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023.Lightfastness test for Da Vinci Opus. Left: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023. Right: Protected strip.Lightfastness test for HO Quin Magenta (PR122). Left: protected swatch. Right: window swatch, exposed to western light in Boston, MA, from May 30-December 9, 2023.
Conclusions
Biggest Surprise
Deep Scarlet faded a lot for a supposedly LFI color. Lies, Daniel Smith! All lies!
Biggest Bummer
Which Quin Magenta and Red Rose Deep didn’t fade as much as fugitive Opus, both noticeably changed. There is no such thing as a perfect magenta.
Also, I thought PR101 would perform perfectly, so I was surprised by the fairly consistent subtle muting. Indian Red did better than Transparent Red Oxide.
Pleasant Surprises
PY74 and PR264 performed better than I expected.
Overall
I’m still not convinced that lightfastness matters to me, so maybe this was a waste of time. Still, I feel I’ve learned a few things:
Fewer colors than I expected can withstand 4-6 months of light with no change. It’ll be easier to find colors if you decide not to care about the subtle changes.
It’s relatively easy to find yellows and blues that don’t fade much, and relatively difficult to find reds.
Don’t necessarily believe printed lightfastness ratings. (Especially from Daniel Smith.)
To be fair, lightfastness may also vary from batch to batch… but if that’s so, I definitely need to stop caring, because it seems like A Lot to go through a three-to-six-month process before cracking into a new tube.
Did my results surprise you? Do you care about lightfastness?
2 thoughts on “Lightfastness Tests 2023”
I do care, but not about changes as minor as your subtle changes. I can’t even see most of them, and sometimes I think the exposed strip looks better! (Although that Holbein PR264 is pretty blatant, and annoying…)
yeah, I probably should have counted PR264 as “noticeable change.” But relative to my low expectations, I found it pretty good!
I do care, but not about changes as minor as your subtle changes. I can’t even see most of them, and sometimes I think the exposed strip looks better! (Although that Holbein PR264 is pretty blatant, and annoying…)
yeah, I probably should have counted PR264 as “noticeable change.” But relative to my low expectations, I found it pretty good!