Earthy Hues: Types of Colours and their Natural Sources

The art of extracting colours from natural resources has been practiced from ancient times. When people did not have the access to the artificial colours they used to turn to our mother nature. Natural dyes can be extracted from various parts of plants, fundamentally from fruits, roots, flowers, seeds and leaves. Sometimes, dyes can also be outsourced from insects, stones, crystals, bones and fruits. Red-Yellow betalains, green chlorophylls, red-purple anthocyanins, and Yellow-Orange carotenoids are the most common pigments found in vegetables and fruits.

In contemporary times, people can still see the use of natural dyes in art forms like Batik, Ikat, Thangka paintings, Islamic Manuscripts and glazes on ceramics. If you are also planning to shift from artificial colours to natural colours for sustainable practices, we have curated a whole list of sources of basic colours (mixed to create more) suitable be it you are a professional artist who needs it on a large scale or a beginner at home. 

The List Says—

Red: The vibrant hue of all time is used to replicate warm tones in the art work. The showstopper of many artists which catches the eye from far away. The representative of auspiciousness, anger, vigor, courage, love and religious fervor.  

Resources—

• Indian Madder (Manjistha) roots, known as Rubia Cordifolia primarily grows in Asia and Europe. It is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family. 

• Red colour obtained from Alkanet roots (Ratanjot) can also be used as wood dye. 

• Annato seeds (Sindoori), petals of Safflower (Kesariya) and petals of Hibiscus (China Rose) produce vibrant red-dye. 

• Rubbing turmeric on textiles or paper gives a red-orange hue. 

• Surprisingly, Cochineal insects, native to South America, are crushed to extract carminic acid, a deep red pigment used as a natural dye.

Blue: The hue of calmness to the choes of warm colours. The representative of depth, stability, trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence and intelligence. Blue is often considered the favourite of spiritual people. 

Resources—

• Leaves of the Indigo plant (Indigofera tinctoria) produce deep blue colour and are one of the oldest natural dyes worldwide. Woad, another plant-based source, provides blue dye closest to Indigo.

• Neelambari (Strobilanthes plant) is used to to produce range of blue hues

• Jacaranda Flowers are used to extract a light blue dye. 

• Butterfly Pea flower (Shankhpushpi) also famously consumed as herbal tea yields a vibrant blue colour. And if you add a few lemon drops in it, it changes into a beautiful purple hue. 

• Blueberries, the queen of breakfast can be used to impart a natural blue colour. Mash and use. 

• On grinding Mineral pigments like Azurite, Malachite and Blue Lapis Lazuli provide various shades of Blue. 

Green: The colour of heart chakra blooms like love. The representative of nature, growth, harmony, health, harmony, sustainability, fertility and prosperity 

Resources—

• The young leaves of a very commonly found Henna plant (Mehndi) can be used for Green dyes. Though if you dry the leaves and make a paste out of them, it gives  reddish-brown tones. 

• Dhaincha’s (Sesbania Bispinosa) leaves and stems have been used traditionally in India for green dying. This plant is commonly found in North and West India. 

• Boiling and soaking needles and leaves of the Chir Pine helps in obtaining Green colourants. 

• The leaves of Karambeli (Hill Turmeric) aree used to obtain green shades

Pink: The Heartthrob of colour palette, favourite of all. The representative of love, affection, femininity, playfulness, sensitivity, beauty, compassion, youthfulness and optimism. 

Resources—

• Beetroot often used in salads can produce a natural pink dye

• Red and Pink Rose petals which are known for its aromatic properties can be used to obtain pink colour naturally 

• Red Sandalwood can also yield shades of pink 

• The resinous secretion by Lac (Laccifer Lacca) insect has pinkish hues as well. 

Black: The magnifier of whole art without which other colours never managed to get highlighted in our drawings. The representative of mystery, elegance, power, authority, grief and rebellion.

Resources—

• Walnut Hulls contain natural tannins that, when fermented and treated, gives a black to dark brown dye

• Iron-rich substances such as iron fillings, iron-sulfate, or iron-rich mud can be used in combination with tannin-rich materials to create black dyes

• Myrobalan produces tannins that can be mixed with iron to produce black colour

• Crushing coal into a fine powder can also be used as a black colour when mixing with water. 

White: In general, a peacemaker which meddles with every colour to bring something (new hues) positive out of them. The representative of purity, spirituality, simplicity, safety, openness, cleanliness and honesty. 

Resources—

• White paint can be obtained from Kaolin clay, also known as China clay, primarily used to make ceramics.

• Ground Chalk (Calcium Carbonate) is a very common substance to obtain white colour

• Rice flour has been used as a natural white pigment for ages now. Making rangolis and art from it is a very traditional practice in Indian households

• Minerals like Talc and Gypsum in their powdered form used a white pigment

Brown: The most grounded of all colours. The representative of earthy, natural, resilience, comfort, durability, longevity, tradition and simplicity. 

Resources—

• Natural Clay, Ochre gives yellow-brown to red-brown hues. Similarily Sienna is also a earth pigment but with rich iron-oxide hence providing deep reddish-brown colour 

• Plant extracts like walnut hulls, oak bark and black tea provides dark brown, and  light tan brown dyes

• Raw and burnt Umber are natural earth pigments containing iron oxide and manganese oxide gives different shades of brown

• Dried and processed Cochineal insects can yield a range of colours from brown to red-brown

• Henna leaves can also produce brown to reddish-brown colours. 

Yellow and Orange represents happiness, optimism, energy, enlightenment, warmth, balance, friendliness and sociability. 

Resources—  

• Turmeric is known for its vibrant yellow-orange colour 

• Saffron threads yield a bright yellow-orange dye. 

• The petals of Marigold contain natural pigments that produce yellow-orange pigments when processed. 

• Annatto seeds are also used to produce yellow to orange hues.

• Coincidentally, the name of the tree is Osage Orange but its wood yields bright yellow colour

• The outer skin of onions can produce various shades of yellow and orange

• The plant Weld produces vibrant yellow dye traditionally used in parts of Asia

• Sulfur crystals can produce range from bright yellow to yellow-orange 

Purple: The best friend of all Pinterest dreams. The representative of royalty, nobility, wisdom, creativity, imagination, luxury, elegance, transformation and ambitions. 

Resources—

• Vegetables like black carrots and leaves of purple basil produces purple pigment 

• Elderberry also yields purplish dye 

• Tyrian Purple is manufactured from the secretion of the Murex sea snail, though it is not available easily due to conservation practices 

How to Extract Natural Colours from Sources?

There are various extraction methods that can be performed at home and do not require hardcore skills. 

Most common practices are known as:

1. Grinding or Milling: Hard materials like minerals, stones or few plant parts need grinding and milling to release colour pigments

2. Boiling or Heating: For plant materials, insects, or certain minerals, boiling or heating in water is a common method. This helps release the pigments into the water.

3. Fermentation: Sometimes, materials like Indigo and certain flowers need fermentation to release colour in its purest form. 

4. Maceration: Some materials are soaked in a solvent like water, alcohol and oil to extract the colour gradually. But this method requires a longer period of time. 

Even though there are hunfred of benefits of using natural dyes but they generally appear lighter on paper and as times takes the train, these colours fade away back into the mother nature. But to each of its own, one can use them to their strengths and create beautiful art pieces. Happy Creating!