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Rang

Mars Black

A strong, opaque black pigment made from iron oxide

No single value: Mars Black is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, black.

Iron oxide black
Photo: FK1954, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Mars Black is a black pigment made from iron oxide, first developed in the 20th century. It is valued by artists for its high opacity, permanence, and low toxicity, making it a popular choice in acrylic paints.

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  • Made from iron(II,III) oxide
  • First developed in the 20th century
  • Highly opaque and permanent
  • Rated non-toxic and lightfast
  • Preferred for acrylic paints

What colour is Mars Black?

Mars Black is a deep black pigment used mainly in artists’ paints. It stands out for its strong covering power and high opacity, meaning it hides surfaces well. Compared to other black pigments, it is less toxic and more permanent, making it a reliable choice for painters. Its colour is neutral to slightly warm, and it is known for being more opaque than most other blacks.

Where does Mars Black come from?

The name Mars Black comes from Mars, the Roman god of war and patron of iron, reflecting its iron-based composition. It was first developed as a pigment in the 20th century, making it a relatively recent addition to the artist’s palette. The pigment is also known by several technical names, such as Pigment Black 11 and ferrous ferric oxide.

How is Mars Black made?

Mars Black is made from iron(II,III) oxide, a mineral compound. This iron oxide is processed to create a stable, finely ground pigment. The result is a non-toxic, lightfast black that is safe for artists to use. Its chemical stability and opacity make it especially suitable for acrylic paints.

Where Mars Black is used

Artists use Mars Black mainly in painting, especially with acrylics. It is chosen for its strong hiding power, permanence, and safety compared to older black pigments. Its opacity allows for solid black areas and effective mixing with other colours. Paint manufacturers rate it highly for its performance in art materials.

Black around the world

What the black family means from country to country.

🇦🇱 Albania

The black eagle gives the country its own name for itself: Shqiperia is commonly read as the land of the eagles.

Politics and protestPrideSource: Albania
🇦🇹 Austria

Black and yellow were the colours of the Habsburg monarchy. They come from the black double-headed eagle on a gold ground used by the Holy Roman Emperors.

Royalty and powerSource: Flag of the Habsburg monarchy
🇦🇺 Australia

The black upper half of the Aboriginal flag stands for the Aboriginal people of Australia.

Politics and protestPrideSource: Australian Aboriginal flag
🇧🇩 Bangladesh

On 21 February, Language Martyrs' Day, people wear black badges and black and white clothes and walk barefoot to the Shaheed Minar to honour those killed in 1952.

Mourning and deathPolitics and protestGriefSource: Bengali language movement
🇧🇪 Belgium

The black, yellow and red of the flag come from the arms of the Duchy of Brabant: a gold lion with red claws and tongue on black. They were raised in the 1830 revolution.

Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of Belgium
🇧🇳 Brunei

Two diagonal stripes cross the yellow of the flag, one white and one black. They stand for the Sultan's two chief ministers.

Politics and protestSource: Flag of Brunei

More on what black means

Shades and relatives of Mars Black

Mars Black is sometimes confused with other black pigments, such as ivory black or lamp black, but it is more opaque and less toxic. Its technical names include Pigment Black 11 and magnetic oxide. Unlike some blacks, it does not come from animal or plant sources.

Questions people ask about Mars Black

What colour is Mars Black?

Mars Black is a deep, neutral-to-warm black pigment known for its strong opacity and covering power.

Where does the name Mars Black come from?

The name refers to Mars, the Roman god of war and patron of iron, reflecting the pigment's iron-based makeup.

What is Mars Black made from?

It is made from iron(II,III) oxide, a mineral compound processed to create a stable, non-toxic black pigment.

Why do artists use Mars Black?

Artists value Mars Black for its high opacity, permanence, and safety, especially in acrylic paints.

Is Mars Black safe to use?

Yes, Mars Black is considered non-toxic and has no known health hazards according to the sources.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Mars Black (pigment)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

More of the black family

All of black
Black India ink A deep black ink made from carbon soot, used for writing, drawing and calligraphyPigment · 🇨🇳 China +1 Black Carbon black A deep black pigment and filler made by burning carbon-rich materials with little airPigment Black Vantablack A super-black coating made from carbon nanotubes that absorbs nearly all visible lightPigment Black Bone char A deep black pigment and filter made by charring animal bonesPigment Black Magnetite A naturally magnetic black mineral and a major source of ironColour named from nature Black Manganese dioxide A black-brown mineral oxide used in batteries, pigments, and chemical reactionsPigment Black Iron(II) oxide A black iron compound used as a pigment and found deep in the EarthPigment Black Cephalopod ink A dark liquid from sea creatures, once used in pens and now in Mediterranean and Japanese foodColour named from nature · 🇯🇵 Japan +2

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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