Art Supply Fundamentals: Paint Basics

Art Supply Fundamentals: Paint Basics

Choosing the right paint is the foundation of any great artwork. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, understanding the different types of paint—acrylics, oils, watercolors, and gouache—can help you make the best choice for your creative projects. In this guide, we break down the key characteristics, uses, and benefits of each paint type, so you can confidently explore new mediums and enhance your artistic practice.

Pigments

Paints are the combination of coloring material and finely ground pigment, mixed to a smooth consistency with a binder. The pigments themselves can be broadly classified as either organic or inorganic.

Inorganic pigments are of mineral origin, some of which include raw umber, ochre, burnt umber and burnt sienna. Artificially prepared mineral colors include cadmium yellow, zinc oxide, etc. Organic pigments are of animal, vegetable or synthetic origin and include indigo, madder, Indian yellow, etc. Synthetic organic pigments such as cerulean blue, cobalt green and cobalt yellow are characterized by great brilliance and intensity and should not be thought of as inferior to their natural counterparts.

Because of the many variable conditions both in nature and in the manufacturing process, many qualities of pigments exist. Most paints are sold in artist and student grades. Artist-quality paints contain the best pigments. Student colors generally contain cheaper pigments and are coarser in texture.

Hue is another way of classifying a paint. Often substitute pigments are used in student grade colors to reduce cost and are hence labeled “hue.” Sometimes the original colors no longer exist, such as with Indian yellow hue, or original pigments are found to be poisonous and are substituted as in the case of Naples yellow hue.

Binders

In paint, a "binder" is the substance that holds the pigment particles together, allowing the paint to adhere to a surface and creating a film when it dries; essentially, it acts as the glue that binds the color to the painting medium.

Each type of paint has a different binder that mixes with a pigment to create a smooth consistency. For example, linseed oil is the binder used for oil paint, gum Arabic binder for watercolors and acrylic emulsion is the binder for acrylics.

Key Points About Binders in Paint:

• Function: Binders provide adhesion to the surface, hold the pigment particles together, and determine the paint's consistency and drying properties. 
• Examples of binders: Linseed oil (in oil paints), acrylic polymer emulsion (in acrylic paints), gum arabic (in watercolors). 
• Impact on paint properties: Different binders can affect the paint's transparency, opacity, drying time, and flexibility. 

Three Common Paints

Watercolor

Watercolor is a transparent medium made from refined water-soluble pigments, available in both pan and tube form. It is highly suitable for subtle renderings on paper and board.

Golden Rules of Watercolor

The golden rules of watercolor include using the right amount of water, painting from light to dark, and respecting the water cycle. Use the right amount of water: Too much water can drown your painting, while too little can make it look parched. 

• Paint from light to dark: Build up colors from light to dark and let each layer dry. 
• Respect the water cycle: Be aware of the different stages of wetness and dryness. 
• Use wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques: Apply paint to a wet surface for wet-on-wet, or to a dry surface for wet-on-dry. 
• Balance: Maintain color harmony and balance your painting. 
• Plan for white space: Leave areas untouched for highlights. 
• Embrace mistakes: If you make a mistake, start again with a fresh piece of paper.

Oil Color

Artists' oil colors are made by mixing dry powder pigments with selected refined linseed oil to a stiff paste consistency and grinding it by strong friction in steel roller mills.

It is usually used on primed slightly absorbent surfaces such as canvas, board, and Masonite. The consistency of the color is important. The standard is a smooth, buttery paste, not stringy or long or tacky.

Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint represents a technological advance in the formulation of artists' colors. It is a quick-drying synthetic plastic emulsion, which behaves both like watercolor and oil paints as it is capable of thinned application for wash effects and can be used for thick impasto techniques.

Acrylic paint dries quickly, is very flexible and waterproof once dry. The paints are water-based, so there's no odor and you can easily clean your hands and painting tools using just soap and water, no need for turpentine or white spirit. They're also incredibly versatile since they adhere to virtually any surface.

The Newest Paint Developments

New paints and paint vehicles have been emerging recently in the art world, somewhat unlike the traditional products artists have been used to. Some of these follow:

Interference Paints

Surfaces painted with these colors look different depending on the angle at which they are viewed and the angle of the light striking the surface. These paints contain tiny flakes of mica, coated with titanium dioxide, which enable the paint to refract its complement color.

They can be used alone, mixed with non-interference acrylic paints, or layered translucently over an already painted area. Interference paints can also be used for fabric and airbrush techniques.

Iridescent Paints

Iridescent paints create a shimmering effect by reflecting light at different wavelengths, often incorporating metallic pigments that can be less lightfast than standard color pigments. These paints are like interference paints but are opaque. They do not have as large of a color refraction but produce a shimmery metallic effect.

Key Points to Remember:

• Quality matters: Higher quality iridescent paints will generally have better lightfastness.
• Display conditions: If displaying an iridescent artwork in direct sunlight, consider choosing a paint with a higher lightfastness rating. 
• Check the label: Always consult the paint label for the specific lightfastness rating of the iridescent color you are considering. 

Metallic Paints

Metallic paint is a type of paint that contains metallic pigments, giving it a shiny, reflective appearance, often used to create a metallic look on surfaces. These paints actually include metal particles that simulate the luster of such metals as gold, silver, and bronze.

The image above is a swatch of Gamblin Artist Oil "Rich Gold." Made from real metal powder and an alkyd resin binder, Rich Gold is rose gold. Use it in place of gold leaf, painted over Venetian Red. Excellent for painting frames. Can be mixed with transparent oil colors or thinned out and used for a sparkling glaze. 

"Lightfastness" refers to how well a paint color resists fading when exposed to light, with "excellent lightfastness" meaning the color will remain unchanged for over 100 years, while "fugitive or very poor lightfastness" indicates the color will noticeably change within a couple of years. T

Key Points About Metallic Paint:

• Metallic pigment: The key component of metallic paint is the inclusion of metallic particles like aluminum, copper, or bronze, which reflect light and create the metallic sheen. Many metallic paints use an iridescent medium in place of actual metal particles to keep the price of the paint more affordable. So, when searching for metallic paint, include iridescent paints in your search unless you don't mind paying a little more for genuine metal particles in the paint. Don't forget to check the tube label or description of the paint to make sure you get what you want.

• Appearance: Metallic paint can appear to shimmer or change color depending on the viewing angle due to the way light interacts with the metallic particles. 
• Lightfastness rating: When choosing metallic paint, it's important to check the lightfastness rating, which indicates how well the color will resist fading over time when exposed to light. 
• Application: Metallic paint is commonly used for decorative purposes on cars, motorcycles, furniture, and artwork, where a metallic effect is desired. 

Fluorescent Paints

Fluorescent paint is a type of paint that emits visible light when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, appearing significantly brighter and more vibrant than regular paint under normal lighting conditions; however, most fluorescent paints have "poor" to "very poor" lightfastness, meaning they will fade rapidly when exposed to prolonged sunlight due to the chemical nature of their pigments, often changing color noticeably within a couple of years. 

These paints appear to glow as they absorb light of one wavelength and re-emit it at a different wavelength. These paints are not lightfast and should not be used for permanent painting.

Key Points About Fluorescent Paint:

• High Visibility: Under UV light or "black light", fluorescent paint appears extremely bright and eye-catching. 
• Limited Lightfastness: The main drawback is that most fluorescent pigments fade quickly when exposed to direct sunlight, making them unsuitable for applications where long-term color stability is required. 

Typical Applications of Fluorescent Paint:

• Safety Signage: Highlighting important safety features in low-light conditions.
• Decorative accents: Adding pops of color to artwork or design elements where rapid fading isn't a concern. 
• Blacklight posters and art: Creating vibrant visuals under UV light. 

The Paints You May Not Know About

Alkyd paints are used in the same manner as oil colors but have a quicker drying time and the reputation of producing more intense colors than oils. They can be mixed with oil paints and are soluble in turpentine.

Casein paints have a binder that’s a derivative of milk curd. Because they’re water-based, they can be thinned with water to different consistencies. They’re strongly adhesive and dry quickly to an even matte finish.

Gouache paints are smooth, opaque watercolor or acrylic paints. They are good for fine lines and can be built up in layers. They also dry quickly to a uniform matte finish.

Egg-tempera paints are based on an egg-oil emulsion. Inexpensive school version tempera paints are different than egg-tempera paints which are high-grade artist’s paints. They can be used as an underpainting for oils or as a medium in itself. They are usually applied in thin layers (thick ones may flake) and dry very quickly.

Understanding Lightfastness Ratings

The lightfastness of paints is the ability of the paint to resist color change and fading when exposed to light. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has developed standards that manufacturers have adopted for testing and labeling their paints, with "I" representing excellent lightfastness (lasting over 100 years), "II" very good (50-100 years), "III" fair (15-50 years), "IV" poor (2-15 years), and "V" fugitive or very poor (changes visible within 2 years or less). 

Lightfastness Category I (LFI): excellent lightfastness under all normal lighting conditions.

Lightfastness Category II (LFII): very good lightfastness, satisfactory for all applications except those requiring prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light–for example, outdoor murals.

Lghtfastness Category III (LFIII): (Fair Lightfastness): The color may fade noticeably within 15-50 years.

Lightfastness Category V (LFV): (Fugitive or Very Poor Lightfastness): The color will fade rapidly within a couple of years. 

Some information courtesy of MacPherson Arts.

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