SS MODULE NO.

AR 1121/D

VISUAL TECHNIQUES 2
RSW -02

“INTRODUCTION TO OPAQUE COLORS”

DATE ISSUED: 02/09/21

REFERENCES:

A guide to transparent and opaque

paints. (n.d.). Retrieved from
ARTISTS ILLUSTRATORS:
https://www.artistsandillustrators.co
.uk/how-to/art-theory/2347/a-
guide-to-transparent-and-opaque-
paints

(n.d.). Retrieved from CURTISWARD:

www.curtisward.com/glossary-
entry-opacity

paints: opaque vs. transparent. (n.d.).

Retrieved from I AM ART:
https://www.iamart.org/articles/_ar
ticles/paints-opaque-vs-
transparent/

USA ON CANVAS. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.usaoncanvas.com/in
clude/types_of_paint.php

MYLA D. ARCA
BS ARCH 1

AR. RICHARD III ABELLON

INSTRUCTOR
 DIFFERENCE OF OPAQUE COLOURING MEDIA TO TRANSPARENT COLORING MEDIA

Opaque paints are more

reflective (not to be confused with
“shiny”). They cover and hide what‟s
under them. Transparent (or
translucent) paints allow more light
to pass through them. They are „see
through‟.

With transparent paints, the particles of pigment are not individually

transparent. However, the way that the particles settle on the paper allows light to
pass between them, hitting the white painting surface and bouncing back through
the layer(s) of colour, giving certain luminosity to the paint while allowing the viewer
to see all the colours.

With opaque paints, light cannot pass through the top layer, so the under
layers and paper remain hidden and lost to the eye. The effect is a flatter, more
matt colour. As opaque colours are denser, they also carry a greater risk of turning
mixes muddy.

PAPER

Case 1: Three Case 2: One opaque Case 3: Three

transparent layers layer between two opaque layers
transparent layers
INTRODUCTION TO OPAQUE COLOURS

The term opaque originated from the Latin, meaning „dark‟ meaning „not
transparent‟ and opaque substance does not let any light pass through at all. A
paint that is opaque will give a solid colour. Blacks and whites are always opaque
and any colour mixed with them will become more opaque.

DIFFERENT OPAQUE COLORING MEDIA:

1. ACRYLIC

Acrylic paint is considered one of the easiest

painting media to use, partially due to their
makeup. Acrylics are water-based, which means
not only can they be used at various densities
simply by diluting with water, they can also be
cleaned up with water, making them relatively
risk-free as far as your hands, carpet, and
surrounding fabrics are concerned.

Acrylics dry very quickly, which

allows the artist to layer colours
in a short period of time
without the colours mixing on
the canvas, and shortens the
wait time between finishing
the piece and display. This is
not always an advantage,
however, since some artists
want to create new tones and
shades on the canvas. There
are additives that keep the
paint wet for longer, but they
take some experimentation;
adding too much can result in
a permanently tacky surface.

2. FRESCO

More of a painting style than a specific media, fresco is a mural painting

technique that uses "buon fresco" pigments mixed with water. The paint is applied to
a surface of wet lime plaster. By applying the paint before the plaster has dried, the
paint is absorbed and becomes a part of the wall itself.
 FRESCO: Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo, 1470

3. GOUACHE
Gouache is made by mixing pigments with gum
Arabic (a binder) and water. Though this is the
same binder used in watercolour paint, the
ratio of pigment to water is higher, making
gouache a much thicker media. Sometimes
white chalk pigment is also used, which results
in a more opaque and reflective finish. The
paint generally looks different dry than wet, with
dark colours appearing lighter, and vice versa.

GOUACHE: Charles Louis Lesaint, 19TH C

4. OIL

One of the best known painting media, oil is a

slow-drying paint made from pigments mixed
with oil - generally linseed. Solvents such as
turpentine can be added to alter the viscosity of
the paint, and varnish is often applied on top of
the artwork to increase glossiness. Oil paints as
an artistic medium became popular in the 15th
century, and shortly after they surpassed
tempera as the most used media.

Oil paints require a "drying oil" that

will eventually harden (unlike some
oils). Such oils require a high level
of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Unlike water-based paints, oil
paints do not dry due to
evaporation, but rather because
of "polymerization," which
transforms them into a dry
semisolid. Because this type of
"drying" takes longer than acrylics
or other water-based paint, the
artist can develop and revise
paintings slowly and deliberately,
often with months available for
alteration. Because they blend OIL: Monet, 1906
together well, oil paints can easily create subtle colour variations, and light or
shadow details.

5. TEMPERA

Also known as "egg tempera," this media is fast-drying and water soluble, consisting
of coloured pigments mixed with a gel-like substance such as egg yolk. Recognized
for lasting a very long time, there are tempera paintings from the first century C.E.
that are still in good condition. This media was used by most artists until the 1500s,
when oil painting became popular.

Today, tempera is often called "poster paint," and is an inexpensive media often
used for children's paintings because it is generally non-toxic and easy to clean. It is
no longer made with egg yolk, but a different glue-like compound.
TEMPERA: Duccio, 13th C