What are glow pigments?
Glow pigments are coloured powders that store light and slowly release it in the dark. This effect is called phosphorescence. Our pigments are made of doped strontium aluminate with a protective coating. The only exception is an orange calcium sulfide powder for special applications.
How to read the colour names
With double names, the first part is the daylight colour and the second the glow colour. So Pink-Purple is pink by day and glows purple in the dark. “Natural” means a light, whitish daylight colour; the glow colour only shows in the dark. Green, Blue-Green, Blue and Purple are also whitish by day. Orange and Red, on the other hand, are already coloured by day.
Which glow pigment for which purpose?
For a long glow, choose a whitish pigment with a green, blue-green or blue afterglow; for colour by day, choose a tinted one. The overview shows all pigments in this category:
| Pigment | by day | in the dark | Particle size | Afterglow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green, Blue-Green | whitish | green, blue-green | approx. 85 µm | up to 12 h |
| Blue | whitish, slightly bluish | blue | approx. 70 µm | up to 12 h |
| SuperPremium Natural Green, Natural Green-Blue | whitish | green, blue-green | approx. 150 µm | up to 12 h |
| Yellow/Yellow-Green, Green-Green, Orange | strongly coloured | yellow-green, green, orange | approx. 20–30 µm | up to 4 h |
| Natural Yellow, Natural Red, Natural Orange-Red, Natural Ocean Pink | light, whitish | yellow, red-orange, orange-red, violet-pink | approx. 20–30 µm | up to 2 h |
| White-White | very white | whitish, slightly bluish | approx. 20–30 µm | up to 2 h |
| Purple | whitish | purple; charge with UV or sunlight | approx. 70 µm | up to 2 h |
| Red, Blue-Blue, Purple-Purple, pink shades | strongly coloured | reddish, blue, purple, pink | approx. 20–30 µm | up to 2 h |
| Orange (calcium sulfide) | orange | orange | approx. 70 µm | approx. 1 h |
All afterglow durations apply after a full charge, in complete darkness. You will find more on the tinted shades under glow powder with strong daylight colour.
Which particle size is right?
Coarser grains store more light and glow more strongly; finer grains spread more evenly in thin layers.
- approx. 150 µm (SuperPremium): our coarsest grade, which glows particularly strongly. Made for casting resin, resin tables and resin art in thicker layers. It is too coarse for brushes, airbrush and thin varnish coats, and it sinks faster in thin resin.
- approx. 70–85 µm (Green, Blue-Green, Blue, Purple): fine enough for brushes and casting resin.
- approx. 20–30 µm (tinted shades, White-White, coloured natural shades): finely ground, also suitable for airbrush in clear varnish.
- 5–15 µm: for screen printing, watch hands and 3D printing, but with a shorter glow. More on this under fine pigments.
Pigments for large projects
For resin tables, wall designs and series work, Green and Blue are also available in 100 g. Large surfaces are hard to make even. It is easier with patterns and motifs, or with pigment in transparent varnish applied by airbrush in several coats. The mixing calculator works out how much pigment your casting resin needs.
Good to know: the calcium sulfide pigment
The orange glow powder based on calcium sulfide is intended only for special applications where strontium aluminate is not an option. It is labelled under CLP: it irritates skin, eyes and airways and is very toxic to aquatic life. It must not be mixed with water, should only be processed in fresh air with safety glasses and gloves, and withstands up to 300 °C. For all other projects, use the orange glow powder based on strontium aluminate. This pigment has its own safety data sheet. Like all the others, it is listed under safety data sheets.