Whites

"Clouds and Coastlines"
Oil on Canvas, 20 x 20
(c) Lesley Powell 2017

I have been working on a a series of paintings that vary by subject, but are united by color. Whether the subject is laundry in a basket, clouds in a sky, or flowers in a pot, the color theme is the same: WHITE.

"Full Basket"
Oil on Linen, 19 x 19
(c) Lesley Powell, 2017

The nuances of color within what we call "white" are endless! The variations in white paint straight out of the tube are quite wide as well. The whitest, most opaque white is Titanium White. It reflects over 97% of all available light. Titanium White is made from titanium dioxide. You may know this stuff because it is found in most sunscreens, due to its
high refractive index. I am no chemist, but I guess you could say that titanium dioxide reflects the light and keeps it from penetrating the skin.

Titanium White is so bright that we should not be surprised by the origin of its name. It is said to be derived from the Greek "tito", meaning "day" or "sun". Even so, there is no paint that can rival the brightness of the sun or of sunlight. Creating that illusion is the trick of the painter!

"Orchid with Willow Branches"
Oil on Canvas, 40 x 30
(c) Lesley Powell 2017

My "go to" white, and the most versatile for painters, is Titanium Zinc White. As the name suggests, this paint is made by mixing zinc oxide with titanium dioxide. Because Zinc White is transparent, this mixture yields a less opaque paint than pure Titanium. As a result, it is a great mixing white, meaning that you can tint by using much less color than required with Titanium White. (Interestingly, zinc oxide is also used to treat skin irritations and protect against sunburn). 

I could write more about Cremnitz White, Flake White, and on and on. For all of you die hards who want to know more, check out Robert Gamblin's article on whites here. Meanwhile, for me, it's back to the easel...