PY159 is a granulating, low-strength middle yellow. It’s available as Winsor & Newton Lemon Yellow Deep (shown here), or as Schmincke’s Volcano Yellow (from the Supergranulating line), which I have not tried.
Pigment Stats for PY159
Per ArtisCreation:
Chemical composition: Zirconium Praesodymium Silicate Yellow
Lightfastness: Excellent (I), not tested by me
Toxicity: Nontoxic
My Observations of WN Lemon Yellow Deep
Gradient: Slighlty dull granulating mid-yellow in masstone, pale yellow otherwise. Very difficult to get a masstone and doesn’t grade easily. Does not rewet easily.
Opacity: Semi-transparent… or maybe just weak?
Color Mixes: Very difficult to mix because it is so weak compared to other colors. Mostly the colors just turned into slightly paler, granulating versions of themselves.
What Others Say
Winsor & Newton lemon yellow deep is the only source of this pigment in commercial watercolor paints. It is a pale, muted yellow, with an intrinsic whiteness similar to nickel titanate (PY53), which it apparently replaces in the brand color range.
Bruce MacEvoy, handprint.com
In discussing what W&N colors she chose to add to her palette, Kim Crick had this to say:
I also did not pick Lemon Yellow Deep PY159, despite it being rare. I felt that it wasn’t unique enough of a color to justify using it for the sake of it only being available from W&N. It is less transparent and weaker than other light yellow alternatives and has a dull mid tone similar to very diluted PY150 Transparent Yellow/Nickel Azo. Because PY175 or PY35 work so well for a bright lemon yellow, I had no real reason to add PY159 to my palette.
Kim Crick, Winsor & Newton Review
My Overall Review of Lemon Yellow Deep
I can see how this could be useful as a special effects color for a granulating, slightly yellow sheen – sunset clouds spring to mind – but in general it is too weak for me to find useful.
Wanna try it it? If you’re curious despite my lackluster review, you can support the blog by shopping through my affiliate links.
Winsor & Newton – Lemon Yellow Deep, 5 ml Tube: Blick | Utrecht
Comments
2 responses to “Color Spotlight: Lemon Yellow Deep (PY159)”
Schmincke sells the same pigment as Volcano Yellow in their super granulating line – one of only two single-pigment paints in that line if I remember right. I haven’t found a great use for it yet myself but it’s part of the mix for most if not all of the paints in the Desert & Shire sets.
You are so right! I’ve updated the text of my post to reflect this information.