Unlike vermilion or red ochre, made from minerals, red lake pigments are made by mixing organic dyes, made from insects or plants, with white chalk or alum. Red lac was made from the gum lac, the dark red resinous substance secreted by various scale insects, particularly the Laccifer lacca from India. Carmine lake was made from the cochineal insect from Central and South America, Kermes lake came from a different scale insect, kermes vermilio, which thrived on oak trees around the Mediterranean. Other red lakes were made from the rose madder plant and from the brazilwood tree. COUNT 5
QSN1 What was red ochre composed of? ANS1 minerals QSN2 How were pigments like red lake created? ANS2 mixing organic dyes QSN3 What was red lake composed of? ANS3 insects or plants, with white chalk or alum QSN4 What was the source of color in Red lac? ANS4 the dark red resinous substance secreted by various scale insects QSN5 The Laccifer lacca was crucial to making what pigment? ANS5 Red lac