YInMn Blue
PB86
Alternate Names
Blue 10G513
Yttrium Indium Manganese Oxide
Pigment Description
The famed new YInMn Blue-- it's deep, it's mysterious, it's elusive. This color is somewhat similar to cobalt blue, however mixing an exact match was a little tricker than it seemed at first.
Williamsburg YInMn Blue, PB86
Genuine YInMn is an interesting pigment with a visual degree of reflectivity that reminds us of cobalt in its opacity and overall character. For example, Ultramarine can get very dark, almost black, where YInMn has its depth attenuated by a certain quality where the light bounces back. It's also oddly reddish in its blueness.
Genuine YInMn Blue from Williamsburg in Oil Paint next to Old Holland Cobalt Blue in oils.
YInMn Blue is capable of an impasto effect in oils. Williamsburg's limited edition of genuine YInMn Blue
While it can be approximated by mixes, the real thing has infrared reflective properties.
Genuine YInMn Blue, PB86 by Williamsburg
In terms of toxicity it is thought to be low but we always handle paint and pigment with proper precautions. Monona Rossol notes that while "Promotors say it is not toxic, all three metal components are very toxic." We also did a piece on how to mix a quick hue of Yin Mn Blue.
How to mix a YInMn blue hue- swatches of genuine YInMn with swatches of blends to approximate the color
Two small tubes of Williamsburg YInMn Blue genuine
Resources
PB86 pigment data from David G. Myers, The Color of Art Pigment Database, Artiscreation.com,
Rossol, Monona. The Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide. New York, NY : Allworth Press, 2001. The book is rather dated, updated information is available from her website.
Stats
Lightfastness
Excellent
Considered ASTM I, excellent. Note however that this color was not included in the recent lightfastness testing in oil with various mixing whites.
Transparency
Opaque
Toxicity
Lower Concern, however contains metals
Said to be low concern for toxicity. In Monona Rossol’s recent work, available through her website, here, she mentions that the three constituent metals Yt, In, and Mn are all quite toxic. Treat all pigments and paints with studio safety protocols.
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