When planning a watercolor it’s helpful to know which pigments to use for different effects. Generally, pigments are either transparent or opaque.
Transparent pigments are ideal for building up a painting gradually, using layers of luminous color. On the other hand, opaque pigments are better for creating paintings that make an expressionistic, gutsy statement as they are more sedimentary. There are also staining colors, which are known for taking over a color mixture. If you want to lift out color by rewetting a small portion and then blotting it, staining and tinting colors work best.
Transparent and Semi-transparent Watercolors
Transparent watercolors are those water-based pigments that let ambient light pass through, as well as be reflected on the painted surface. In other words transparent paints let more of the watercolor paper or undercolor to show through than opaque colors which let less of the paper or undercolor to be seen.
- Yellows - Hansa and Azo Yellows
- Reds - Quinacridone Reds, Rose Madder Genuine, Permanent Rose
- Blues - Pthalo Blue, Cobalt Blue (somewhat transparent), ultramarine blue
- Greens – Hooker’s Green, Sap Green and Viridian Green (all very transparent)
- Earth colors – Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna (fairly transparent, although some brands are more transparent than others).
- AureolinNew Gamboge
Opaque and Somewhat Opaque Watercolors
- Reds - Cadmium Reds and Cadmium Scarlet
- Oranges – Cadmium Orange
- Violet – Cobalt Violet
- Blues- French Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue (somewhat opaque, Cerulean Blue ( very opaque), Manganese Blue
- Earth colors - Yellow Ocher, Raw Sienna and Raw Umber
- Gouaches – Regardless of what pigment is used, gouaches are more opaque than transparent watercolors.
Neutral Color
- Burnt Umber – Burnt umber is not considered either transparent or opaque, but is somewhere in-between.
Staining or Tinting Watercolors
Staining pigments quickly absorb the first few layers of watercolor paper even before the water has received an opportunity to evaporate. Once staining paints are applied, it’s almost impossible to lift off the color to the original whiteness of the paper as it leaves a stained tint. Although staining colors mix very well with other staining pigments, they tend to stain non-staining colors when mixed with them, taking over the overall color of a mixture.
Staining pigments include the Winsors which are Winsor Yellow, Scarlet Lake, Winsor Red, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Winsor Violet, Winsor Blue and Winsor Green.
Non-staining Watercolors
Non-staining pigments settle of a painting surface such as watercolor paper after water has evaporated. Once dried, non-staining colors let the watercolorist lift off pigment from the surface, showing the paper’s whiteness underneath. Non-staining colors work well with other colors that are non-staining.
Determining a Color’s Transparency
Even if you know which colors are basically more transparent than others, it’s good to do a simple experiment when buying new paints as there are variations between brands. This can be done by drawing a wide line with a permanent black marker and then brushing each color across the line. Label each pigment according to its name. After the paints are all dry, examine where the paint overlaps the black line. Those colors that seem to disappear when overlapping the line are considered very transparent. On the other hand, the colors leaving the most sediment are opaque.
Most of all, just have fun experimenting. However, use cheaper student grade paper at first. When you feel confident enough to know which pigments will work best for a painting, then use more expensive professional watercolor paper.
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