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Raw Sienna
#D2691E · click to copy
Earth
HEX
#D2691E
RGB
210, 105, 30
CMYK
0%, 50%, 86%, 18%
Pigment
PBr7
Lightfastness
Excellent (I)
Moods & Keywords
brown
yellow
earth
warm
golden
natural
renaissance
iron oxide
Italian
transparent
warm
earth
iron oxide
Italian
transparent
warm
earth
Pigment & Material
PBr7
Natural
Natural iron oxide earth — limonite (FeOOH). Cooler and more yellow than its roasted counterpart.
Origin & History
Raw sienna has been used since Roman times — Pliny the Elder mentions the earth colours of Siena. The Sienese school of painting (Duccio, Simone Martini, the Lorenzetti brothers) was built partly on the unique quality of local earth pigments. The specific transparent warmth of raw sienna — different from other yellow-brown earths — made it invaluable for glazing techniques.
Also Known As
Terra di Siena Naturale
Natural Sienna
Italian Earth
Siena Natural
Psychology
Warm, transparent, and autumnal. Raw sienna is yellow ochre with warmth and transparency — it has none of the opacity of ochre but all of its earthiness. It is the colour of aged parchment, dried leaves, and the warm undertone of Mediterranean skin. As a glazing colour, it adds warmth to anything beneath it without obscuring it.
In Culture
The Palio di Siena — the famous horse race run twice yearly in Siena's Piazza del Campo — takes place on a field of burnt sienna-coloured earth. The colours of the city, the paintings made in the city, and the earth beneath the city are literally the same material. This unity of place and pigment is unique in art history.
Natural Sources
Iron oxide-rich clay (goethite, FeO·OH) from the hills around Siena, Tuscany, Italy. The specific combination of iron oxide with trace clay minerals gives Sienese earth its characteristic transparent warm brown. Deposits also found in Sardinia, Cyprus, and North Africa.
Making It Yourself
Collect iron-rich yellow-brown clay (ideally from Tuscany or similar deposits):
1. Dry thoroughly
2. Grind to very fine powder
3. Wash (floating method) to remove coarse particles
4. Dry and grind again
5. Mix with linseed oil (warm, transparent oil paint) or gum arabic (watercolour)
Raw sienna is one of the most accessible natural pigments to make — similar clays are found worldwide.
1. Dry thoroughly
2. Grind to very fine powder
3. Wash (floating method) to remove coarse particles
4. Dry and grind again
5. Mix with linseed oil (warm, transparent oil paint) or gum arabic (watercolour)
Raw sienna is one of the most accessible natural pigments to make — similar clays are found worldwide.
Art Movements
Renaissance
Baroque
Dutch Golden Age
Impressionism
Watercolour Tradition
Famous Works
Rembrandt
transparent glazes throughout
Turner
atmospheric landscape washes
Cézanne
landscape under-painting
Available As
Winsor & Newton — Raw Sienna (PBr7)
Daniel Smith — Raw Sienna (PBr7)
M. Graham — Raw Sienna
Natural Earth Pigments — Siena Natural (genuine Sienese earth)
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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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