Top Pigment
Cobalt Green Pale, Cobalt Green Dark
PG19
Alternate Names
Rinman's green
Saxony green
Cobalt Zinc Oxide
Cobalt Green
Zinc Green
Pigment Description
Cobalt Green Pale— not to be confused with PG50. This is cooler deeper landscape green, and it comes in several varieties. Most samples are like blue-green counterpart to another cobalt green— PG26, and has a note of desaturation. A mysterious green which has both solidity as well as a filminess in thin applications.
The darker, more forest green version of PG19. Michael Harding Cobalt Green
Like many cobalts, PG19 actually comes in a wide range of green colors from Kelly Green to Shamrock Green to Forest Green. Mineral-based pigments like this have greater opacity and different character than their modern counterparts and can be useful in mixes for realistic painting.
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A lighter more grass-green version of PG19. Mussini Oriental Green
Cobalts tend to be fast driers. Their combination of opacity in masstone with a semi-opacity in tints are a unique characteristic if a person is looking for opaque landscape greens.
Capable of both opacity as well as a filmy quality when applied thinly. Michael Harding Cobalt Green, made with PG19
This is listed as a "B" for toxicity, but we'd place it in the toxic arena. Refer to the Artist's Guide to Health and Safety for information about the hazards of pigments that contain cobalt as well as those containing zinc. The author's latest work can be found through contacting her on her site.
Mussini Oriental Green, made with PG19
Cobalt Green PG19 is a rare and interesting addition to the paintbox. Along with mixing lower-chroma realistic colors with ease, Cobalt Green can be useful in tints.
Michael Harding Cobalt Green, made with PG19
Resources
PG19 pigment data from David G. Myers, The Color of Art Pigment Database, Artiscreation.com,
Spurgeon, Tad. Living Craft: A Painter's Process. Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, PA: Zoetrope, 2018. Newer version available here: https://www.thomaskitts.com/page/36804/tad-spurgeons-living-craft,
Information about PG19 from Bruce MacEvoy, Handprint Guide to Watercolors,
CAMEO Materials Database: Conservation & Art Materials Encyclopedia Online, Museum of Fine Arts Boston. (Accessed June 2025). Cobalt Green https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Cobalt_green. Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
Stats
Lightfastness
Excellent
This pigment tends to have solidly excellent lightfastness scores (all 8’s on the BWS). In terms of mixing whites, this particular pigment was not mentioned in Golden’s recent testing, so it may be useful to compare with other cobalts.
Transparency
Semi-Opaque
Some oil paints are listed as Opaque or Semi-Opaque
Toxicity
Hazard, Treat as toxic
Artiscreation lists this as a "B" for toxicity, but we'd place it in the toxic arena. We are not toxicologists though, so please consult the relevant experts. See the Artist's Guide to Health and Safety for information about the hazards of pigments that contain cobalt as well as those containing zinc. The author's latest work can be found through contacting her on her site. CAMEO mentions several of the health issues that this pigment can cause. Please see CAMEO for more information and consult the SDS.
Tinting
Medium
Dry Time
Varies
While cobalts are usually associated with fast drying, some paints are listed with long dry times. One in particular lists 6 - 18 days. Others list a fast dry time.
Chemical Name
Cobalt Zinc Oxide, oxides of cobalt and zinc, or cobalt zincate
CoO-ZnO, Cobalt(II)-oxide-zinc(II)-oxide (Webexhibits)
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