TRANSPARENT VS. OPAQUE

 
 

It all started when...

Transparency may be an empty 'O' for transparent, a half filled 'O' for semi-transparent and a filled in 'O' for opaque, or the tube may say T (transparent), S/T (semi-transparent), S/O (semi Opaque) or O (Opaque).

Phthalo Blue, pictured in the Granulation section, is a transparent colour. Quinacridone colours are transparent, as are Phthalos, Hansas, and many others. A colour may be transparent AND granulating like Ultramarine or opaque AND granulating like Indian red, which is one of the most opaque colours.

Phthalo pigments are transparent and staining, Cobalt pigments are opaque and lift easily, Cadmiums are opaque, Pyrrols are more transparent. Some are considered semi-transparent or semi-opaque. All this can be very confusing. So what to choose? -JB

 

Transparency

The transparency rating generally ranges from “transparent”, to “semi-transparent” to “opaque”. Yes… you’ve probably heard me jabbering about how “watercolors paints are transparent”, but different paint formulas can have varying degrees of transparency. -WA

 

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