Description Transparency Pigments vary in their transparency, on the Winsor & Newton Artists’ Oil Colour chart, the transparent colours are marked with T, the semi-transparent colours are marked ST. The semiopaque colours are marked with SO and the opaque colours are marked with O. Consistency The stiff consistency of Winsor & Newton colours can retain brush or palette knife marks or it can be thinned to the very finest of glazes. Permanence 119 colours in the range are classed as ‘permanent for artists’ use’ [AA or A ratings]. Alizarin Crimson is given a “B” rating ‘ moderately durable’. Drying All colours will become touch dry in thin films in 2-12 days, although each pigment has a different drying rate, the following list is a guide to the likely variations: Fast Drying [2 days]: Permanent Mauve [manganese], Cobalt Blues, Prussian Blue, Raw Sienna, Umbers, Flake, Foundation and Cremnitz Whites [lead]. Medium drying [5 days]: Winsor Blues and Greens [phthalocyanines], Burnt Sienna, Cobalt Violet and Greens, Ultramarine Blues, Mars colours [synthetic iron oxides], Sap Green, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Ochres, Cadmiums, Titanium White, Zinc White, Lamp Black, Ivory Black, Pyrrols, Bismuth Yellow, Perylenes. Slow drying [more than five days]: Winsor Yellows and Orange (arylides), Quinacridones, Alizarin Crimson. Liquin Original will speed the drying time of oil colour by approximately 50%.
