Carmine <nobr>(Cochineal and Kermes)</nobr>



		1.	Overview



		2.	History of use



		3.	Making the pigment



		4.	Technical details

Brief description of Carmine (Cochineal and Kermes):

Natural organic dyestuff that is made from the dried bodies of the female insect Coccus cacti which lives on various cactus plants. Carmine is an aluminum and calcium salt of carminic acid. It is not permanent to light particularly when used in watercolor. It has been employed as a dye and lake pigment since antiquity and is one of the most ancient natural dyestuffs.

Names for Carmine (Cochineal and Kermes):



Pronounciation:

ka • chuh • neel

Word origin:

The name "Carmine (Cochineal and Kermes)" comes from Sanskrit krmija- = (red dye) produced by a worm; krmi = worm and from latin minium = cinnabar or red lead.

Non-English names:

German

French

Italian

Cochenille, Kermes

cochenille, kermès

cochinilla, chermes

Chemical name:

Carminic acid, kermesic acid

A painted swatch of Carmine (Cochineal and Kermes):

Source of Carmine (Cochineal and Kermes):

Cochineal comes from the Cochineal insect, a small scale insect that feeds on cacti. Today, cochineal is commonsly used as as food dye, it is it still sometimes used in painting.

Cochineal insects on a prickly pear cactus stem (Lanzarote Island, Spain); details of clusters of cochineal beetles

The insects are harvested by hand (Canary Islands, Spain); Handful of cochineal insects

Two species of scale insects: cochineal and kermes

Historical infomation from http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/200-299/nb203.htm