Pigfolio

PW1 Lead White (Flake / Cremnitz)

Basic lead carbonate.

13 tubes from 8 of 24 paint lines contain PW1. 9 are made from PW1 alone, which is the closest match when you're switching brands.

Toxicity
Toxic: contains lead Lead is toxic and builds up in the body. Don't sand or scrape dry lead paint, wash your hands after painting, and keep it away from children and pets.
Drying
Fast
Opacity
Single-pigment tubes are mostly opaque.

About PW1

History

Lead white is one of the oldest made pigments and was the main white of European oil painting for centuries, until titanium and zinc took over in the 20th century.

In mixes

Warm, dense and less strong than titanium, so tints keep more of the color you add. It dries into a tough, flexible film, which is why many painters still prize it for grounds and underlayers.

Genuine or hue?

Lead white is toxic, but it dries quickly into a tough, flexible film that many painters prize. Hues of titanium and zinc are safe; zinc can make paint films brittle over time.

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 PW1, by brand

The best single-pigment PW1 tube from each line, ranked: artists' grade first, then lightfastness, then how firmly the pigment listing is confirmed. Ties are listed alphabetically.

  1. Blockx Lead WhiteSeries 3 · LF I
  2. Michael Harding Stack Lead WhiteSeries 6 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  3. W&N Artists' Cremnitz WhiteSeries 1 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  4. W&N Griffin Flake WhiteSeries 1 · LF I · Opaque Opaque
  5. Williamsburg Flake WhiteSeries 6 · LF I · Semi-opaque Semi-opaque
  6. Old Holland Cremnitz WhiteLF III
  7. Vasari Flake WhiteLF not rated · Semi-transparent Semi-transparent

Not sold here by: Holbein, Grumbacher, M. Graham, Gamblin, Rembrandt, Schmincke Mussini, Georgian, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Cobra, Art Creation, Lukas 1862, Art Spectrum, Langridge, Maimeri Puro, W&N Artisan.

Made from PW1 alone

Lead WhiteBlockx 213081PW1Series 3LF ICremnitz White No.1 (Walnut Oil)Michael Harding 307PW1Series 3OpaqueLF ICremnitz White No.2 (Linseed Oil)Michael Harding 308PW1Series 3OpaqueLF IStack Lead WhiteMichael Harding 607PW1Series 6OpaqueLF ICremnitz WhiteOld Holland 3PW1LF IIIFlake WhiteVasariPW1Semi-transparent–Flake WhiteWilliamsburg 6000104PW1Series 6Semi-opaqueLF ICremnitz WhiteW&N Artists' 201PW1Series 1OpaqueLF IFlake WhiteW&N Griffin 245PW1Series 1OpaqueLF I

Mixtures that contain PW1

Flake White No.1Old Holland 4PW1PW4LF IFlake WhiteW&N Winton 245PW1PW4Series 1OpaqueLF IFlake White No.1W&N Artists' 246PW4PW1Series 1OpaqueLF IFoundation WhiteW&N Artists' 261PW1PW4Series 1OpaqueLF I

Brands: Blockx, Michael Harding, Old Holland, Vasari, Williamsburg, W&N Winton, W&N Artists', W&N Griffin.