Sepia

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sepia

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary biological source?Ink sac of the cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
2. What is the chemical composition of ink?Melanin granules in a mucus-like fluid
3. What is sepia and where does it come from?Sepia is a deep brown pigment made from the ink of cuttlefish. The ink is a mix of melanin and mucus that artists dry and then mix with water or a binder to use in drawings and watercolors.
4. Why did artists like Turner and Constable use sepia?They used it to create soft, atmospheric washes and strong contrasts in landscapes, giving their paintings a dramatic, old‑time look.

Colloidal Suspension: A mixture where tiny particles are dispersed evenly throughout a liquid, not settling out.
Melanin: A natural dark pigment found in animal tissues, responsible for color in skin, hair, and feathers.
Archival Stability: The ability of a material, like a photograph, to resist degradation and fading over long periods.