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Ochre
#CC7722 · click to copy
Earth
HEX
#CC7722
RGB
204, 119, 34
CMYK
0%, 42%, 83%, 20%
Pigment
PY43, PY42
Lightfastness
Excellent (I) — among the most permanent pigments known
Moods & Keywords
yellow
orange
earth
warm
ancient
natural
cave
prehistoric
Pigment & Material
PY43, PY42
Natural
Hydrated iron oxide (FeOOH). Found naturally in clay soils worldwide. The most ancient pigment on Earth.
Origin & History
Ochre is the oldest pigment used by humans — evidence of its use dates to 164,000 BCE in South Africa (Pinnacle Point cave). The ancient Egyptians used it extensively for skin tones in tomb paintings. The word comes from the Greek "ōkhros" (pale yellow). It is the foundational earth colour of the artist's palette.
Also Known As
Yellow Earth
Terra di Siena Cruda
Raw Sienna
Gold Ochre
Jaune d'Ocre
Psychology
Warm, earthy, and grounding. Yellow ochre has the warmth of yellow without its aggressiveness — softened by the earth. It suggests harvest, dry grasslands, aged parchment, and the skin tones of warm climates. One of the most versatile neutralising pigments on the palette.
In Culture
Used in Aboriginal Australian art for tens of thousands of years as a sacred colour. The red and yellow ochre of Roussillon, France, gave the landscape its distinctive colour and inspired artists including Paul Signac. In the Indian subcontinent, ochre is the colour of the Hindu renunciate (sannyasi). It is the colour of the Australian outback.
Natural Sources
Goethite (FeO·OH) — hydrated iron oxide mineral. Found worldwide in weathered rock and clay deposits. The finest art-quality ochre comes from Roussillon, France; Sienna, Italy; and Cyprus. Used by humans since the Palaeolithic — the oldest pigment in continuous use.
Making It Yourself
Collect yellow clay or ochre-coloured earth:
1. Dry the earth completely
2. Grind in a mortar until very fine powder (sieve through 200 mesh cloth)
3. Wash with water to remove grit — the pigment floats, grit sinks
4. Dry the collected pigment
5. Mix with linseed oil for oil paint, or gum arabic for watercolour
Note: different soils produce different ochre shades — experiment locally.
1. Dry the earth completely
2. Grind in a mortar until very fine powder (sieve through 200 mesh cloth)
3. Wash with water to remove grit — the pigment floats, grit sinks
4. Dry the collected pigment
5. Mix with linseed oil for oil paint, or gum arabic for watercolour
Note: different soils produce different ochre shades — experiment locally.
Art Movements
Cave Painting (40
000+ BCE)
Ancient Egyptian Art
Renaissance
Impressionism
Earth Art
Famous Works
Lascaux Cave Paintings
c.17,000 BCE
Self-Portrait with Straw Hat
Vincent van Gogh, 1887
Algerian Women
Eugène Delacroix, 1834
Available As
Winsor & Newton — Yellow Ochre (PY43)
Daniel Smith — Yellow Ochre (PY43)
Natural Earth Pigments — French Yellow Ochre (genuine mineral)
Golden — Yellow Oxide (PY42)
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Colour data compiled with AI. Spot an error or have more to add? Leave a Note — ekphra reviews and updates.
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