Series 4

Artists can now use Derivan's Cadmium-Free Yellow Medium Matisse Structure as an alternative to our Cadmium Yellow Medium in the Structure range.

While striving to address the issues that artists have with cadmium colours—that is, avoiding the use of heavy metals—Derivan developed this new colour.

We researched the Matisse cadmium colours' pigments many years ago. During the manufacturing process, these pigments are sourced and washed to remove all Cadmium and other heavy metals that are bio-available:

Matisse cadmium colours are still in use in our products, and they produce the safest colours available. Matisse colours are safe for artists who follow best practices (washing their hands before eating, avoiding spray applications, and avoiding ingesting or inhaling their materials)

We also heard the call from Artists who work intimately with their materials and whose paint requires the removal of heavy metals, particularly call for Cadmium-free alternatives. We, in turn, tested Cadmium-free alternatives while endeavouring to maintain Cadmium's unique characteristics: mass tone strength and brilliance, colouring ability, opacity, and longevity.

The result is an outstanding colour that is as close to the original as whilst avoiding the heavy metal content.

Matisse acrylic colours, which contain cadmium, will not be removed from our range. These colours are time-tested and are less toxic forms of cadmium when used in best practice.

A new colour or pigment won't match up completely; the physics and chemistry can get you pretty close, and we are very happy with the results.

Matisse Structure Formula is a rich impasto acrylic paint. 
The intense, vibrant colours of the Structure Formula paints cover the full
colour spectrum, including several uniquely Australian colours.
Only the finest quality pigments and ingredients are selected for the Matisse range of premium acrylic colours. 
All have the highest lightfastness rating of ASTM 1 or 2 and are archival quality.