Pigment Colour Index: White Pigments - Jackson's Art Blog

The colour white was likely first used in prehistoric art in the form of chalk &#; naturally occurring calcium carbonate. The preparation of lead-based white pigments was first described in Greece in the 3rd Century BC, and Lead White went on to become the most widely used white pigment in European oil painting. Since the 20th Century, Lead White has been largely replaced by Titanium White, which remains the most commonly found white pigment.

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Here is a guide to the white pigments used in artist paints today according to the Pigment Colour Index, identified by the prefix PW. Find out more about the Colour Index and why it is useful to artists in this post.

Each swatch is an example of an artist paint that uses that particular pigment, and the actual colour may vary. You can click on each swatch to go to the paint that is pictured.
 

Pigment Colour Index: White Pigments

PW 1 &#; Lead White

Colour Description: Warm, yellow-white
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to opaque

Used in various forms since around 300BC, Lead White (sometimes called Flake White, Stack Lead White, or Cremnitz White, depending on how the pigment has been made) was the only white pigment used in European easel painting until the 19th Century. It is fast-drying and not as pure, bright a white as the more modern white pigments like Titanium and Zinc White. It is a highly toxic pigment, not available for general sale in the EU and UK due to REACH Enforcement Regulations. The warmth of Lead White can be imitated by mixing Titanium White or Zinc White with a touch of yellow, but its fast drying time and thixotropic handling qualities are difficult, if not impossible, to mimic with other pigments.
 

PW 4 &#; Zinc White

Colour Description: Cool white with a blue undertone
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent

Zinc White (zinc oxide) has been used in artist paints since the 19th century. It is commonly found in paints labeled as Mixing White and Transparent White, and is often added to Titanium White (PW 6) oil paints to improve its handling qualities (this may not always be stated on the label of Titanium White paints). Zinc White&#;s gentle tinting strength and transparency make it useful in mixtures, as it doesn&#;t add opacity or chalkiness like Titanium White does. Concerns about Zinc White&#;s brittleness in oil paint have led to many manufacturers discontinuing the pigment in their oil ranges (you can read more about that here). There are no concerns about the permanence of PW4 in any other media, and it is an excellent mixing white in acrylic and watercolour. In oil paint, Zinc White&#;s transparency also makes it more susceptible to dark yellowing than other yellow pigments (though it is reversable). For a more opaque white, try Titanium White (PW 6).
 

PW 5 &#; Lithopone

Colour Description: Neutral, grey-white
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque

Lipothone (Barium Sulphate and Zinc Sulphide) was first created in the s and by it held 60% of the market for white pigments, rivalling both Lead White and Zinc White. By this demand had decreased to 15% due to the popularity (and comparative inexpense) of Titanium White. Lithopone is moderately strong in mixtures &#; it is not as overpowering as Titanium White, but not as gentle as Zinc White. For oil painters who have concerns about the permanence of Zinc White, but don&#;t like the heavy opacity of Titanium White, PW 5 can make a good alternative.
 

PW 6 &#; Titanium White

Colour Description: Bright white with a blue undertone
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque

First introduced in , Titanium White (Titanium Dioxide) dominates the white pigment market. More than five million tons of Titanium White are used every year in the production of plastics, cosmetics, paper, medicines, house paints, and artist paints. Titanium White is very opaque and extremely strong in mixtures. It is a slow-drying pigment, particularly in oil paint. In oil paint, PW 6 also makes a soft and spongy paint film, so it is usually mixed with Zinc White (PW 4) to balance out this tendency. Thanks to its opacity, Titanium White is also found in acrylic gesso primers, and it is also used to add brightness to archival watercolour paper. If it is too overpowering for your mixtures, you could try Zinc White (PW 4) instead.
 

PW 6:1 &#; Unbleached Titanium White

Colour Description: Ranges from light brown/ beige to green-grey
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque

Unbleached Titanium White contains small amounts of iron which give it its warm colour, and also means that it dries faster than regular Titanium White. It has a high tinting strength, but it is a more subtle way to adjust the hue of colours than regular Titanium White. It can be used to make some gentle grey-greens when mixed with blue, and it is particularly good for bringing down the chroma of earth colours without cooling them down. In watercolour it gently granulates, so it adds a textural effect
 

PW 18 &#; Calcium Carbonate (Chalk)

Colour Description: yellow-white to blue-white, depending on natural variation
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent to opaque, depending on natural variation

Chalk is a particularly soft kind of limestone, formed from the shells and skeletons of microscopic organisms that were deposited and compressed more than 65 million years ago. It generally isn&#;t used as a white pigment in artist paints, except in fresco painting, but it is an important ingredient in other art materials so it&#;s worth including here. It is used to make traditional rabbit skin glue-based gesso (where it is referred to as whiting), and it is also used in the production of archival artist paper, where it acts as an alkaline buffer against the harmful effects of acid.
 

PW 21 &#; Barium Sulphate

Colour Description: Neutral White
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-Opaque

Most often used as an opacifying filler in gouache, or in student grade watercolour and oil paints (PW 21 may not be listed on the label) It is occasionally used as a pigment in artist paint in conjunction with other white pigments.
 

This post is part of an ongoing series about the Pigment Colour Index.
 

You can also read our Pigment Stories series to find out about the history behind some widely used pigments.

Plain and clean, the color white makes a bold statement without saying much. The classification of white as a color is up for discussion. It doesn&#;t exactly belong on the spectrum, which explains why. When every wavelength is reflected, our eyes see the color white. On the other hand, we perceive the color black when a negligible amount of light is reflected.

White conjures images of purity, orderliness, and innocence, and it might give a room a sensation of emptiness. White spaces may also seem roomy and vacant. White may occasionally seem icy as well &#; a look that frequently evokes ideas of sterility and blandness.

Indeed, while looking at white, many people imagine &#;clean slates&#;, which is why the color is also often linked to &#;new beginnings&#; or &#;fresh starts&#;. White may express a variety of positive qualities, including freshness, purity, and simplicity.

Since it is an anomaly in the color family, it is natural to wonder about the color components of white.

Color Theory &#; White

Saturation is a basic aspect of color that has to be understood. Saturated colors are deeper and richer.

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Additionally, you may combine hues to make new shades, which is how we have ended up with such a large and vibrant collection of colors.

Mixing Colors

There are two ways you can mix colors. The first is additive mixing, which is the process of combining two different hues of light.

Since every light builds upon the previous ones, the resulting color can be brighter.

Then, there is subtractive mixing, which is the type that most people are familiar with. This technique involves blending colored substances like paints to produce a different hue.

While subtractive mixing is the most common form of color mixing, it is considerably limited as far as the color white is concerned.

Achromatic Colors

Sometimes, people think of black and white as being beyond the spectrum of colors.

These colors do not exist the same way as others do since they are often a type of shading that changes the brightness or darkness of another color.

For this reason, black and white are known as achromatic colors. They are only a shade; they do not possess any hue or saturation.

Gray is another achromatic color, although it is not as easy to classify as achromatic as white or black.

Overall, while creating white, it is important to recognize that it has a few inherent limitations that make it hard for artists to produce the color from scratch.

What Colors Make White?

It&#;s fascinating to know that when blue, green, and red light are added together, the result is white light.  Making white paint with this method, however, does not yield the desired results. In actuality, no mix of other hues will result in white paint. The reason behind this is that whatever paint you use will soak in at least some wavelength.

A common misconception is that we can combine all the colors in the rainbow (red, blue, green, yellow, violet, indigo, and orange) to produce white.

Since beams of oppositely-colored hues (like blue and yellow) may be placed and combined to create white, you can only produce white through additive mixing.

In this scenario, these lights always will produce white rather than a distinct hue (like green).

But this shade cannot be produced with subtractive mixing. Since white denotes the lack of color, the more you mix, the farther you are from obtaining white.

Instead, you&#;ll begin producing deeper tones until you end up with the color black.

Unfortunately, there is no method to combine two colors to get white, regardless of what you do. Instead, you must completely remove the entire saturation of the hue. Since doing this can be both complex and time-consuming, it is best to obtain pre-created white substances (paints, for example).

How Do You Make White Paint?

You might be thinking about how white paint is made as it seems to be a seemingly unattainable job. The answer lies in the use of white pigment. A white pigment is combined with a medium, such as alkyd resin or acrylic, to make white paint. Typically, calcium hydroxide, mineral powders, zinc oxide, lead carbonate, and calcium carbonate are used as pigments by paint makers.

The intricate process of producing white paint demands precise chemistry. Furthermore, if necessary precautions are not exercised to minimize exposure to possibly harmful pigment options, the process of preparing white paint can prove to be a rather dangerous one.

Mixing Various White Shades

Although making white paint may not be an option for artists, they may still utilize their imagination to produce various white shades using different colors. This is because any kind of white paint can have various accents and hints added to it. Here is how you can create the most popular shades of the color:

Light Honey = Dark Brown + Yellow + White

Eggshell = Light Brown + Yellow + White

Ivory = Blue + Yellow + White

Beige = Brown + White

Off White = Black/Brown + White

Pale Almond = Raw Sienna + White

To keep the colors you are using from making your white too saturated, there are a few best practices you can stick to. First off, rather than add white to the other colors, you should instead add those colors to the white.

Secondly, always begin by dabbing a slightly lower amount than what you feel you require to get your desired shade. Pure white will quickly change in the presence of dominant hues like black and brown. The nice thing about using white is that it is very forgiving &#; one can always &#;reverse&#; one&#;s mistakes simply by adding a bit more of white to the mix.

White in Design

As you know, the color white is usually used as a negative space. Unpainted walls and blank sheets of paper are good examples where one needs to fill in a white backdrop.

White does, however, have some amazing psychological associations. It is typically seen as being clean and pure. As a canvas, white is seen as unblemished, calming, and welcoming. You can use white much more skillfully in your designs if you know how it impacts our perceptions and our senses.

Additionally, white is far more brilliant than other hues. It can come across as a beacon of light in a design since even colors like yellow or brilliant green look dull when compared to pure white.

However, you must be cautious when using areas of white in design because of the color&#;s strong association with negative space. 

If a region of your work is entirely white, people might assume that the design is missing something or that that particular area is blank.

For this reason, it is essential that you design it in a way that makes it obvious that it belongs there.

The second thing about white is that it has multiple shades. You can have a little deeper tint, which, especially when combined with other colors, can provide a mood that is more vibrant.

But you may also hide the shading by contrasting the white with a strong, dark color.

Overall, if you know how to use it properly, white is a great method to add shine and luster to a project.

Using White in Interior Designing

One of the most well-liked and powerful hues in interior design is white. White not only serves as a foundation upon which to put distinctive elements, but it also denotes openness and completeness.

As mentioned, there are numerous shades of white, which is why the color is far from a boring choice. White is often associated with minimalism, but you don&#;t have to be a minimalist to appreciate its style. Here is how you can use this timeless achromatic color when designing or renovating your home:

Creating an Illusion of Space

The properties of white allow it to reflect all wavelengths of visible light. This helps make spaces bigger and more open. White is often used as a neutral wall color, and when used on floors and furniture, it can make a room look bigger. Also, white can open up small spaces like hallways and nooks, as well as spaces above windows and door frames, by reflecting more natural light.

Making a Chic Appearance

A second benefit of white is that it can be used as a base for flexibility. Because it is neutral, it doesn&#;t clash with things like hidden storage spaces, extendable lamps, and foldaway desks. Instead, white gives any room a stylish look, no matter how big or small it is. When you combine warm white shades with a bit of soft lighting, the result is a welcoming, roomy ambience.

You can also use LED lighting to make the white color stand out in your interior. Try putting the lights under your stairs to create a kind of glowing appearance.

Establishing a Purpose

White can emphasize the meaning or purpose of a room. For example, since white represents purity and cleanliness, it is almost always used in bathrooms. A white bath is also a must-have because it makes a statement.

In other rooms, like the living room or kitchen, black and white elements can give a whitewashed space some personality and make it look more modern. Mix white with modern things like a black TV mounted on the wall and silver lamps for a sleeker appearance. Hanging prints and photos in white frames on the wall is also trendy right now. The pictures can match the white theme or be more daring and clash.

White with pastel colors is a fun way to liven up a child&#;s room or a creative space like an office.   You can also go for a white wall with accent colors to create a striking look. 

Experimenting

When designing with white, texture is essential. Mixing different shapes, like oval tables with cube shelves and straight furniture, is a simple way to add layers. A large white lampshade is another great finishing touch because it creates depth and establishes a central point of interest.

If you&#;re worried about having too much white in your home, buy wooden floors. Wood&#;s earthy tones go well with white and make things feel more natural. Marble is also a good match because it is slightly white and goes well with a white color scheme. Marble is great for kitchen countertops, and for homeowners brave enough, a wall with a marble pattern is very trendy.

If your home is mostly white, you should take advantage of any chance to add splashes of colors. The white background will help to accentuate those colors further. Try out bold, block colors on plant pots, grocery bags, and rugs, which will give a room more personality. A single brick or concrete wall can add even more industrial style to a space that is mostly white.

Home Gallery

There&#;s a reason why most walls in art galleries are white: it keeps the attention on the art.

You can also do this if you want one piece or a group of pieces to take over a room. Add splashes of color that aren&#;t as eye-catching to make the room feel cosy enough for everyday life. 

Wrapping Up

Subtractive mixing can be used to create any color on the spectrum &#; with, as you now know, the exception of white. The color white is a kind of anomaly in that it is not the presence but the absence of color.

White can often appear as blue or orange due to different light sources in the real world. For example you may have blue light coming from a light bulb making a white shade appear blue. Same goes for a white piece of paper on a sunny day. The colors of light can affect how white is perceived.

That said, there is no doubt that white has a dramatic subtlety to it &#; something that makes it an immensely fun color to play around with. Once you know how to mix white with other colors to make different shades of white, you can make more realistic depth, texture, and shadows.

To learn more about mixing and creating new colors, please feel free to read our articles on making red, yellow, and blue. Additionally I recommend learning about the color wheel to get the most out of color theory.