Colour Hunter
Keith Edwards is probably the world’s foremost authority on pigments. His collection of over 450 natural colours is certainly one of the most complete, even though he estimates that there may be around 100 more for him to find. Aside from amassing this technicolor archive it’s Keith’s knowledge of the processes behind traditional pigments that sets him apart. Lengthy research of arcane techniques, experimentation and a well stocked shed mean that there are very few colours from antiquity that keith can’t make himself, whether it’s the exact tone of Egyptian Blue used on the Ishtar Gate, a Chromium Red warming like tomato soup on his cooker or a Peach Pit Black, a favourite of Rembrandt’s, from his old BBQ.
Commissioned by The Independent
Keith Edwards in his shed in Nottingham.
Keith mixes Blue Verditer in a old dustbin in
his back-yard.
Eqyptian Blue and raw Red Ochre.
Keith prepares a batch of Peach-Pit Black in an improvised charcoal brazier.
Chinese or Han Yellow.
Keith stirs a pan of "True" Chromium Red on his gas stove.
A sample of "True" Chromium Red.
Colour samples from Keith Edwards' collection of 460 pigments.
Keith crosses a river in search colour samples from a disused ochre pit.
Bright orange colours a streambed near a disused ochre pit.
Keith's hand after collecting a new sample of ochre.
A few of Keith's 460 collected colours, many of which he has made himself and some of which only he can recreate.