PW5 Lithopone
Zinc sulfide with barium sulfate.
11 tubes from 2 of 24 paint lines contain PW5. 2 are made from PW5 alone, which is the closest match when you're switching brands.
- Toxicity
- No toxic metal Not one of the toxic-metal pigments. As with any paint, keep it out of your mouth and don't sand or spray it.
- Drying
- Medium
- Opacity
- Single-pigment tubes are mostly opaque.
About PW5
History
Lithopone, zinc sulfide precipitated with barium sulfate, was developed in the late 19th century as a cheap white for paints.
In mixes
A fairly weak white, found mainly in student and mixing whites.
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 PW5, by brand
The best single-pigment PW5 tube from each line, ranked: artists' grade first, then lightfastness, then how firmly the pigment listing is confirmed. Ties are listed alphabetically.
- Lukas 1862 Opaque WhiteSeries 1 · LF I
- Langridge Lithopone WhiteSeries 1 · LF not rated · Opaque
Not sold here by: W&N Artists', Holbein, Grumbacher, Williamsburg, M. Graham, Gamblin, Michael Harding, Old Holland, Rembrandt, Schmincke Mussini, W&N Winton, Georgian, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Cobra, Art Creation, W&N Griffin, Art Spectrum, Blockx, Maimeri Puro, Vasari, W&N Artisan.
Made from PW5 alone
Mixtures that contain PW5
Brands: Langridge, Lukas 1862.