Gamboge Yellow

Gamboge

Gamboge is a deep-yellow pigment derived from a species of tree that primarily grows in Cambodia. Popular in East Asian watercolor works, it has been used across a number of media dating back to the 8th century. Easy to transport and manipulate into a durable watercolor paint, gamboge is a versatile pigment that has been used in paintings, printing of books, and garment dyes, including the robes of Buddhist monks. Gamboge is toxic to humans, and is potentially deadly in large doses. Due to its toxicity and poor lightfastness, gamboge is no longer used in paints, though limited use continues in other contexts. However, gamboge does not react well with lime surfaces, making it unsuitable for frescos and with white lead. Despite its popularity, gamboge usage has not been extensively examined in works of art from any time period. The few instances where art historians have checked for the pigment in a given work have confirmed its widespread use and its longevity as staple in watercolor painting particularly in eastern art.

Yellow

Yellow is a color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575–585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the RGB color model, used to create colors on television and computer screens, yellow is a secondary color made by combining red and green at equal intensity. Carotenoids give the characteristic yellow color to autumn leaves, corn, canaries, daffodils, and lemons, as well as egg yolks, buttercups, and bananas. They absorb light energy and protect plants from photo damage in some cases. Sunlight has a slight yellowish hue when the Sun is near the horizon, due to atmospheric scattering of shorter wavelengths.

gamboge

Noun

1. Any of several species of trees of the genus Garcinia found in South and Southeastern Asia, especially Garcinia xanthochymus.
2. The resin of the gamboge tree; a preparation of the resin used as a pigment or for medicinal purposes. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}

Adjective

1. Of a deep yellow colour.

yellow

Noun

1. The color of sunflower petals and lemons; the color obtained by mixing green and red light, or by subtracting blue from white light; the color evoked by light of wavelength around 580 nm; one of the three primary colors in subtractive color systems.
2. The middle light in a set of three traffic lights, the lighting of which indicates that drivers should stop short of the intersection if it is safe to do so.

Adjective

1. Of a yellow hue.
2. Lacking courage.