Cochineal Lake Pigment

A video about the process of creating the pigment that early people’s of Central Mexico called “Nocheztli” or Cochineal lake pigment. The raw material is the dried cochineal insects which contain Carminic acid. This acid is extracted in a dye bath and then can be “laked” to create the pigment Carmine or Nocheztli. This pigment is also used in the small painting seen here