# Price of Cadmium Colors



## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

I went shopping yesterday and one of my favorite places to stop is Hobby Lobby. We don't have any other art stores around here. Well I was watching one of Jason Morgan's videos on art supplies the other day and he mentioned the colors he used for tigers, which happens to be my current project, and it was Cadmium Orange Deep, so I figure I'd get some.

Well the price for a little tube of Windsor & Newton Cadmium Orange Deep was $26. I was floored, then I noticed all the colors that started with "Cadmium" were so much more expensive than the other colors, no matter which brand. Luckily I had a 40% off coupon so it was only $15 -- but still wow. So I figured when I got home I would check online for a less expensive way to get Cadmium colors....wow...they were just as expensive online.

What is it about the Cadmium colors that make them so expensive?


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

Keep in mind that I am not a painter..but I think it has something to do with the availability of it and I think it is fairly rare therefore the price goes up. Now is it the Cadmium HUE or does it actually have Cadmium in it? If it has cadmium in it I would err on the side of caution and use gloves as it can be toxic. Wash your hands after using.


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## Bushcraftonfire (Apr 22, 2015)

I don't (and never will) use Cad colors... Not because of the price necessarily.. but because of the *toxicity *issue. I knew they were a bit more.. but $26 a tube is ridiculous! I do, on the other hand, use Cad hues.. they are much more reasonable.. and non toxic

D


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

It does have cadmium in it and yes it is toxic. I don't let my grandkids go near my oil paints, only acrylic for them. I'm careful with vapors. That's the real issue, I read acute exposure to cadmium vapors can be harmful.

It makes sense that supply and demand are the rule for pricing. I guess the supply is limited and the demand is high.


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

Bushcraftonfire said:


> I don't (and never will) use Cad colors... Not because of the price necessarily.. but because of the *toxicity *issue. I knew they were a bit more.. but $26 a tube is ridiculous! I do, on the other hand, use Cad hues.. they are much more reasonable.. and non toxic
> 
> D


Well I already got this tube and I want to see what it is like. If it isn't significantly better than what I have been using then I probably will never get another cadmium pigmented paint again.


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