How to choose the perfect white oil colour

White has been used by artists for thousands of years, helping to provide contrast within a work, as well as conveying moods like cleanliness, lightness and innocence. It also dominates some of the 20th century’s finest works, such as Mondrian’s Composition With Yellow, Blue and Red.

There are many whites to choose from in Winsor & Newton’s oil colour ranges, allowing you to create and experiment with qualities such as covering power, non-yellowing and transparency.

During the production process all of the pigments used to create Winsor & Newton whites are milled with safflower oil, because of its paler colour and its non-yellowing characteristics.

Titanium White

(Artists’ Oil Colour, Winton Oil Colour, Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour, Griffin Fast Drying Oil Colour)
This is the most popular modern white. It is the whitest, most opaque white.

Flake White Hue

(Artists’ Oil Colour, Winton Oil Colour)
Formulated to match our now discontinued lead-based Flake White. It also has a similar drying rate to the original Flake White, and has a lower tinting strength than Titanium White.

Zinc White

(Artists’ Oil Colour, Winton Oil Colour, Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour)
This is the least opaque white, making it ideal for tints and glazing. It also has the stiffest consistency.

Iridescent White

(Artists’ Oil Colour)
A mica-based pigment which makes a pearlescent white. It is effective when mixed with transparent colours.

Soft Mixing White

(Winton Oil Colour, also known as Mixing White in Griffin Fast Drying Oil Colour)
A titanium-based white with the softest consistency. It has lower tinting strength than Titanium White.