bistre
/ˈbɪstə
/(US also bister)
noun [mass noun]
1A brownish-yellow pigment made from the soot of burnt wood.It is a drawing in bister and reed pen on paper with no watermark....
- De los Reyes has created new bister on paper works, stainless steel sculptures and exquisite monochromatic paintings in this exciting follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2005 exhibition.
- The color of bistre varies with the wood from which the soot was derived, but in general it has a warm, transparent brown tone.
1.1A brownish-yellow colour.Conté sticks and pencils are available in a wide range of colours including the traditional black, white, sepia, bistre and sanguine....
- The colors on French colonial stamps are often brilliant and in unusual combinations: fuchsia and turquoise, blue and orange, purple and bistre.
- By little and little, the surface of the plate takes a yellow tint, which darkens more and more, approaching to bistre.
Origin
Early 18th century: from French, of unknown origin.