Barnard, George: The Theory and Practice of Landscape Painting in Water Colours (London, 1855)

DESCRIPTION OF THE QUALITIES OF PIGMENTS. 33

two of them, adopted only for particular effects, will be described hereafter. It
must be re.membered that pigments are likely to stand best, and are most trans-
parent, where they are least mingled with others. We must therefore select such as
represent the colours we desire to produce, and degrade them as little as possible by
mixture. By studying their different hues, in the graduated scale, plate 4, the student
will become acquainted with their fitness for his purpose, and thus be greatly assisted
in his selection.

On the palette, as well as in the box, the same order should be retained, com-
mencing with yellow, as being the best representative of light, and passing on from
left to right, to orange, red, russet, citrine and neutrals, to blue. Each division of
the diagram shews the pigment with a gradual increase of colour.

It is hardly necessary to explain that light or dark, as regards these examples,
does not imply a change in the colour used, but that the difference in tbeir degrees
of intensity is caused by more or less of the white light of the paper appearing
through them.

In addition to the pigments displayed in the diagram we must mention ivhlte;
for although, strictly speaking, it cannot be considered as a colour, but rather as an
opaque body representing light, yet it is so much used to mix with the other
pigments, and so important in recovering light on certain parts of the picture, that
it claims the precedence in our descriptions.

WHITE.

Zinc white, or oxide of zinc, called also Chinese white, although it has not the
opacity or solidity of white lead, is, nevertheless, owing to its permanence, the more
eligible pigment. Employed with discretion, it is of great importance in water-
colour painting; affording us, when blended with some of the warmer colours, the
means of recovering any bright lights which we may have lost. By using it thin,
and scumbling over some of the distant tints, we give more decidedly the appearance
of air; and, when used in more opaque or firmer masses in the foreground, and at the
same time toned down by the addition of other colours, and dragged over the rough
paper, it gives great solidity, richness, and variety of texture. The preparation has
arrived at great excellence; for the pigment is easily worked, and dries without any
material alteration of colour.

LEMON YELLOW.

A luminous vivid yellow, rather pale and opaque, but still, being permanent,
much to be preferred in water-colour painting to Naples yellow, which has not that
quality. It is sometimes used in first light washes in the sky or distance, and over

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