Bister

Composition and Properties of Bister

Bister or bistre is wood soot containing much tar and its color varies between warm black and brown-black. The pigment is destroyed by acids and alkalis and is not very lightfast due to the large content of organic material (tar).

Names

Bistre, bituminous charcoal, brown lampblack, soot brownNatural Brown 11 (NBr 11)From French, of unknown origin.

Preparation

Wood, preferably beechwood, is burned and the resulting soot is boiled in water and filtered.

History of Use

Bister had been in use since the Middle Ages mainly in watercolor painting and drawing.Examples of use