Pigfolio

PO20 Cadmium Orange

Cadmium sulfoselenide. Also listed as PO20:1.

52 tubes from 21 of 24 paint lines contain PO20. 22 are made from PO20 alone, which is the closest match when you're switching brands.

Toxicity
Toxic: contains cadmium Cadmium compounds are toxic if swallowed or breathed in as dust. In oil paint the risk comes mostly from getting it in your mouth, or from sanding or spraying, so keep it off your hands and don't eat while painting.
Drying
Slow
Opacity
Single-pigment tubes are mostly opaque.

About PO20

History

Cadmium orange (cadmium sulfoselenide) followed cadmium yellow in the late 19th to early 20th century.

In mixes

Opaque and strong, a warm orange that mixes cleanly with yellows and reds and covers well.

Genuine or hue?

Cadmium colors are opaque, warm and strong, but cost more and are toxic if swallowed or breathed in as dust. Hues are cheaper and safer, and usually more transparent, so they cover less well.

Drying speed is typical for linseed oil; tubes ground in safflower or poppy oil, or with driers added, will differ. These are general notes on the pigment, not on any one brand.

Purest PO20, by brand

The best single-pigment PO20 tube from each line, ranked: artists' grade first, then lightfastness, then how firmly the pigment listing is confirmed. Ties are listed alphabetically.

  1. Art Spectrum Cadmium OrangeSeries 4 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  2. Cobra Cadmium OrangeLF I · Opaque Opaque
  3. Gamblin Cadmium OrangeLF I
  4. Grumbacher Cadmium Orange MediumSeries 4 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  5. Langridge Cadmium OrangeSeries 5 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  6. M. Graham Cadmium OrangeSeries 6 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  7. Michael Harding Cadmium OrangeSeries 5 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  8. Schmincke Mussini Cadmium OrangeLF I · Opaque Opaque
  9. Blockx Cadmium Red-OrangeSeries 6 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  10. Lukas 1862 Cadmium OrangeSeries 2 · LF I
  11. Holbein Cadmium OrangeSeries E · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  12. Maimeri Puro Cadmium OrangeLF not rated
  13. Vasari Cadmium OrangeLF not rated · Opaque Opaque

Not sold here by: Old Holland, Georgian, Art Creation.

Made from PO20 alone

Cadmium OrangeArt SpectrumPO20Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Red-OrangeBlockx 212821PO20Series 6OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow OrangeBlockx 212811PO20Series 6OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeCobra 211PO20OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeGamblinPO20LF ICadmium Orange DeepGamblinPO20LF ICadmium OrangeGrumbacher P025PO20Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Orange MediumGrumbacher P035PO20Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepGrumbacher P031PO20:1Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeHolbein H257PO20Series EVerifyOpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepHolbein H253PO20Series DVerifyOpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeLangridgePO20Series 5OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeLukas 1862 0029PO20Series 2LF ICadmium Red LightLukas 1862 0072PO20Series 3LF ICadmium OrangeM. Graham 038PO20Series 6OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeMichael Harding 502PO20Series 5OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepMichael Harding 404PO20Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeMaimeri Puro 054PO20–Cadmium OrangeSchmincke Mussini 10230PO20OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow 3 DeepSchmincke Mussini 10229PO20OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeVasariPO20Opaque–Cadmium Yellow OrangeVasariPO20Opaque–

PO20 with white added

Jaune Brillant No.1Holbein H233PO20PW6Series AVerifySemi-opaqueLF IJaune Brillant No.2Holbein H234PO20PW6Series AVerifySemi-opaqueLF IJaune Brillant No.3Holbein H235PO20PW6Series AVerifySemi-opaqueLF I

Mixtures that contain PO20

Cadmium ScarletArt SpectrumPR108PO20Series 4OpaqueLF IBrilliant Yellow DeepBlockx 212215PW4PY35PO20Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepBlockx 212717PY35PO20Series 5OpaqueLF INaples Yellow ReddishBlockx 212412PW4PY35PY42PO20Series 3HueOpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepCobra 210PY35PO20OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeDa VinciPO20PY35Opaque–Cadmium Yellow DeepDa VinciPY35PO20Opaque–Cadmium Yellow OrangeDa VinciPY35PO20Opaque–Cadmium YellowHolbein H252PO20PY37Series DVerifyOpaqueLF IJaune Brillant No.4Holbein H236PO20PY42PW6Series AVerifySemi-opaqueLF IFlesh ColourLukas 1862 0022PW5PY35PO20Series 1LF IICadmium GreenSchmincke Mussini 10511PY35PO20PB15:3OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeRembrandt 211PO20PY35Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Red LightRembrandt 303PR108PO20Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepRembrandt 210PY35PO20Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeVan Gogh 211PO20PY35Series 2OpaqueLF ICadmium Red LightVan Gogh 303PO20PR108Series 2OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepVan Gogh 210PY35PO20Series 2OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeWilliamsburg 6000546PO20PY35Series 6OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepWilliamsburg 6000406PY35PO20Series 6OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow Extra DeepWilliamsburg 6000416PY35PO20Series 6OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeW&N Winton 089PO20PR108Series 2OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeW&N Artists' 089PO20PR108Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepW&N Artists' 111PO20PY35Series 4OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow MediumW&N Artisan 116PY35PO20Series 2OpaqueLF ICadmium OrangeW&N Griffin 089PR108PO20Series 3OpaqueLF ICadmium Yellow DeepW&N Griffin 111PY35PO20Series 2OpaqueLF I

Brands: Art Spectrum, Blockx, Cobra, Da Vinci, Gamblin, Grumbacher, Holbein, Langridge, Lukas 1862, M. Graham, Michael Harding, Maimeri Puro, Schmincke Mussini, Rembrandt, Vasari, Van Gogh, Williamsburg, W&N Winton, W&N Artists', W&N Artisan, W&N Griffin.