Cobalt Green Pale, Sometimes called Cobalt Green Dark

PG19

Alternate Names

Rinman's green

Saxony green

Cobalt Zinc Oxide

Cobalt Green

Zinc Green

Pigment Description

Cobalt Green Pale— not to be confused with PG50. This is cooler deeper landscape green. It’s like blue-green counterpart to another cobalt green— PG26, and has a note of desaturation. Like many cobalts it actually comes in a wide range of green colors from Kelly Green to Shamrock Green to Forest Green. Mineral-based pigments like this have greater opacity and different character than their modern counterparts and can be useful in mixes for realistic painting. (See also PG26). Cobalts tend to be fast driers.

This is listed as a "B" for toxicity, but we'd place it in the toxic arena. See the Artist's Guide to Health and Safety for information about the hazards of pigments that contain cobalt as well as those containing zinc. The author's latest work can be found through contacting her on her site.

Cobalt Green pale can be useful in tints.

Resources

PG19 pigment data from David G. Myers, The Color of Art Pigment Database, Artiscreation.com,

Spurgeon, Tad. Living Craft: A Painter's Process. Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, PA: Zoetrope, 2018. Newer version available here: https://www.thomaskitts.com/page/36804/tad-spurgeons-living-craft,

Information about PG19 from Bruce MacEvoy, Handprint Guide to Watercolors,

CAMEO Materials Database: Conservation & Art Materials Encyclopedia Online, Museum of Fine Arts Boston. (Accessed June 2025). Cobalt Green https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Cobalt_green. Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

Stats

Lightfastness

Excellent

This pigment tends to have solidly excellent lightfastness scores (all 8’s on the BWS). In terms of mixing whites, this particular pigment was not mentioned in Golden’s recent testing, so it may be useful to compare with other cobalts.

Transparency

Semi-Opaque

Some oil paints are listed as Opaque or Semi-Opaque

Toxicity

Hazard, Treat as toxic

Artiscreation lists this as a "B" for toxicity, but we'd place it in the toxic arena. We are not toxicologists though, so please consult the relevant experts. See the Artist's Guide to Health and Safety for information about the hazards of pigments that contain cobalt as well as those containing zinc. The author's latest work can be found through contacting her on her site. CAMEO mentions several of the health issues that this pigment can cause. Please see CAMEO for more information and consult the SDS.

Tinting

Medium

Dry Time

Varies

While cobalts are usually associated with fast drying, some paints are listed with long dry times. One in particular lists 6 - 18 days. Others list a fast dry time.

Chemical Name

Cobalt Zinc Oxide, oxides of cobalt and zinc, or cobalt zincate

CoO-ZnO, Cobalt(II)-oxide-zinc(II)-oxide (Webexhibits)

Dry Pigments listing PG19

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