Which white to use has recently gained a lot of attention among oil painters. Watercolor painters don't have this issue because their paper is their white, but painters in other mediums do have an issue.
Most oil painting gurus claim their choice of white is the best, often giving long convoluted reasons why, confusing the beginning and
emerging painter as to how they, themselves, should choose a good white. Some insist on sticking to tradition whereas others acknowledge the health threat of lead whites, choosing to make safer formulas work.
According to the latest scientific research, all whites used in artist's paints are variations of Flake White, Zinc White and Titanium
White. The base of Flake whites is lead carbonate whereas Zinc whites use zinc oxide and Titanium whites use titanium dioxide.
Even though variations of Flake white (PW 1) has superior qualities preferred by painters, any paint containing lead can cause serious
health issues. Cremitz white, Silver white, etc are variations of lead based paints. It's a good idea to check the labels of any white you are considering if you prefer to stay away from lead.
Zinc White (PW 4) is the most transparent of traditional whites, but is known to crack in time, so those who have depended upon Zinc white are
having to reconsider. Some gurus claim that even when a white is a combination of zinc and titanium, it still is prone to cracking.
Titanium white (PW 6) is not toxic nor does it crack in time. Consistency and brushablilty vary according to manufacturers so if you're fussy about your white, experimenting with different professional
formulas might be enlightening.
All the professional paint manufacturers have their whites listed on their websites. If you want further information on what each one offers, Google them and do some research. In their descriptions,
look for the PW number. Remember, PW 1 is lead, PW 4 is zinc and PW 6 is titanium.
Decades ago, I settled on Titanium white. Currently, I enjoy the qualities of Gamblin's version, but that's not carved in stone. It's just that I've worked with it long enough to make it do what I want it
to do. And that's what I advise you to do: find your white, then train it to do what you want it to do.
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