umbers

Umber is a natural brown earth pigment used in painting and related arts, traditionally valued for its warmth and versatility. The plural form umbers is occasionally used to refer collectively to the family of tones that derives from this pigment, including both raw umber and burnt umber.

Etymology and history

The name umber derives from Italian terra d'ombra, meaning “earth of shadow,” with some sources linking the term to the Umbria region or to the shade produced by the pigment. Umber pigments have been known since antiquity and were widely employed by Renaissance and later painters. The term survives in modern pigment catalogs, though many artists now rely on synthetic browns as well.

Composition and varieties

Raw umber is a natural brown pigment composed mainly of iron oxide with significant manganese oxide and trace minerals. It typically presents a yellowish-brown to olive-brown hue. Burnt umber is produced by heating raw umber, which drives color changes toward a deeper, warmer, and more reddish-brown. Both forms are valued for their opacity, lightfastness, and earth-tone character, and they are used either alone or mixed with other pigments to create a range of browns.

Uses and properties

Umber pigments are used in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and tempera painting, as well as in printing and restoration work. They are prized for their earthy warmth, strong covering power, and ability to blend well with other colors. In addition to art, umber shades appear in color design and material coloring where a natural brown is desired.

Modern context

With the availability of synthetic earth tones, natural umber remains popular among artists seeking traditional hues, historical accuracy in restoration, or granular texture typical of raw earth pigments.