Oil paints are made up of dry pigments plus a drying oil, such as linseed oil. Pigments come from natural powdered minerals, dyed minerals or occasionally vegetable matter. As an example, Cadmium is a powdered mineral. When one mixes this mineral with oil, it produces an opaque color. If a pigment is made from dyed minerals or vegetable matter, when it is mixed with oil the color becomes transparent.
Transparent colors are useful for glazing and for painting shadows. Once you add an opaque color to a transparent color, it becomes opaque. Opaque colors cover well, obscuring the color underneath.
Below is a list of colors I use regularly or just from time to time. They are broken down by level of transparency.
Transparent
Blues: Prussian, Ultramarine Blue
Reds: Alizarin Crimson
Greens: Viridian, Sap, Phthalo
Earth: Transparent Oxide Red, Transparent Oxide Brown, Transparent Earth Yellow
Yellows: Indian Yellow
Semi-Transparent
Earth: Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Venetian Red
Blues: Prussian,Cobalt
Black: Ivory
White: Zinc
Opaque
Earth: Venetian Red
Reds: Cadmium Reds
Oranges: Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Orange Deep
Yellows: Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Lemon, Naples Yellow
White: Titanium
1 comment:
I love transparent colors. Layered over each other allows light to pass through, hit the white canvas beneath and reflect light back to the viewer. It's a great way to create an illusion of light.
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