Mineral Pigments

Korean Traditional Classification

석채 (Seokchae — Stone Pigment)

Ground mineral rock, available in numbered grades from 1 to 15 by particle size: No. 1 = coarse (like sand/stone); No. 15 = fine (like flour). Nos. 10–15 are the finest grades for detailed painting work. The coarser grades (1–5) create visible texture and sparkle. Seokchae (석채) is typically the most expensive category due to its mineral purity.

石채 requires 아교 (hide glue) as a binder — the pigment particles do not adhere to paper or silk without it. Mix to a thick paste before application.

Common 석채 colours:

• Noerok (뇌록) — traditional Korean green, malachite-based
• 군청 (Guncheong) — azurite blue (natural azurite or artificial ultramarine)
• 주 (Ju) — cinnabar / vermilion (mercury sulfide)
• 호분 경단 화형 — shell white (see: 호분)

분채 (Bunchae — Powdered Pigment)

Very finely ground mineral pigment — particle size is much finer than 석채, producing a soft, matte, slightly powdery texture. Bunchae (분채, powdered pigment) produces a "ppossonghan (뽀송한, soft/fluffy)" (soft, fluffy) finish. Requires 아교 binder. Used for broad colour fields and subtle gradation (barim (발임, gradation)).

봉채 (Bongchae — Stick Pigment)

Pre-compressed pigment in stick form — like a pigment crayon or ink stick. Ground by the artist on a slate with a few drops of water and optionally 아교 (one or two drops). Produces a clean, bright colour. Most 봉채 are ground finely — similar to 분채 in finish. Grind in a porcelain or ink stone dish.

Source: 국어당 (traditional Korean art supply shops in Insadong, Seoul).

Comparison Table

Type	Form	Particle	Texture	Binder
석채	Sand/powder	Coarse (numbered)	Sparkle, mineral weight	아교 (hide glue)
분채	Fine powder	Very fine	Soft, matte, 뽀송	아교
봉채	Stick	Fine	Clean, bright	Water + optional 아교 drops

Selected Mineral Pigments (Global)

The following pigments were sourced from L. Cornelissen & Son (London) and Polke Fine Arts (Mexico City):

• Genuine Malachite (50g): Natural copper carbonate — green. Brilliant, particle-visible at coarser grades.
• Cinnabar Red (50g): Natural mercury sulfide — warm scarlet. Historically significant but note toxicity (mercury). Modern alternatives: cadmium red, PR108.
• Azurite (50g): Natural copper carbonate — blue. Tends toward green with age. Historical use in East Asian and European painting.
• Lapis Lazuli / Lapislazuli (100g): Natural ultramarine — deep blue-violet. From Afghanistan. The most expensive natural pigment historically. Ultramarine blue (synthetic) replicates the colour.
• Orpiment (50g): Natural arsenic sulfide — yellow-gold. Historic pigment; highly toxic (arsenic). Korean equivalent: 웅황 (facing south) / 자황 (facing north, lighter). Handle only with gloves; do not use in food-contact or studio settings without proper ventilation and PPE.

Korean Traditional Pigments (continued)

• Hobun (호분 — Shell White): Ground oyster or clam shell that has been weathered for 15+ years on a seashore to remove salt content. Pure calcium carbonate. Used as a brilliant white ground on silk. See: Earth & Shell Pigments.
• 연백 (Yeonbaek — Lead White): Lead carbonate — warm, semi-transparent white for fine line work. Produced by heating lead. Highly toxic (lead). Used only for thin line details.
• 연단 (Yeondan — Minium / Red Lead): Lead tetroxide — orange-red. Produced by heating lead white to 1400–1800°C. Used in 단청 (traditional architectural painting). Highly toxic.
• 지당 (Jidang — Titanium White): Modern, non-toxic white. Can be mixed with 토채 (earth pigments) for warm whites.
• 뇌록 (Noerok — Traditional Korean Green): Traditionally from malachite or other copper minerals. Deep, slightly grayed green — characteristic colour of Korean traditional painting backgrounds.

Using Mineral Pigments: Sizing Ratios

All 석채 and 분채 require 아교 (hide glue) as a binder:

• 아교 size for paper: 1.5–2% agio concentration
• 아교 size for silk: 2–3% agio concentration
• For applying seokchae (석채, stone pigment) directly: mix pigment with warmed agio solution to thick paste consistency. Apply in thin, built-up layers — baeche (배채, back-coating) technique (back-coating) builds depth from behind the silk.

Tools & Safety

Mortar and pestle (약사발/막자사발) for grinding. Porcelain mixing dishes. Brushes dedicated to each pigment colour. For toxic historic pigments (cinnabar, orpiment, lead white): gloves, dust mask, dedicated tools — never use in food preparation contexts.

Jay's Studio Note

장미님 워크숍 (Korean traditional painting workshop, Seoul 2026) introduced the full range of Korean traditional mineral pigments — from seokchae (석채, stone pigment) numbered grades through Bongchae (봉채, stick pigment) application. The particle size system is elegant: the same colour in grade 1 sparkles like crushed glass; in grade 15 it becomes a fine dusting. Seeing both versions of malachite green side by side — a coarse 석채 grade 3 next to a fine 분채 — makes it clear why Korean painting developed this classification system. The same mineral becomes a completely different material depending on how fine you grind it.

References

• 장미님 워크숍, Seoul 2026
• L. Cornelissen & Son, London (pigment supplier)
• 가일 전통 안료 (Korean traditional pigment supplier)
• 국어당, 인사동 (Korean art supply)