Zinc White
39 Zinc White paints from 19 brands, measured in CIE L*a*b* and compared with Delta E 2000.
Why Zinc White isn't one colour
Every brand makes its own Zinc White, and no two are quite the same. They pick different pigments, grind them differently and mix them to their own recipe — so two tubes with the same word on the label can look noticeably different once they are on the paper.
We measured all 39 of them from 19 brands and compared them the way a lab would, using a number called Delta E. It is just a measure of how far apart two colours look to the human eye. Under 2 and almost nobody can tell them apart; over 10 and most people would call them different colours.
Useful when your usual Zinc White is out of stock and you need the closest substitute, when you are deciding which brand to buy, or when a mix you got right last time will not come out the same again.
How far is each brand from the average?
Every brand's version measured against the average of all 39 paints. Below 2 is imperceptible to most people; above 10 is obviously a different colour.
| Brand | Distance from the average | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Sennelier | Delta E 0.05 | Near-identical |
| Daler-Rowney | Delta E 0.12 | Near-identical |
| Amsterdam | Delta E 0.18 | Near-identical |
| Maimeri | Delta E 0.36 | Near-identical |
| Schmincke | Delta E 0.37 | Near-identical |
| Old Holland | Delta E 0.40 | Near-identical |
| Royal Talens | Delta E 0.40 | Near-identical |
| Lukas | Delta E 0.42 | Near-identical |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Delta E 0.42 | Near-identical |
| Gamblin | Delta E 0.46 | Near-identical |
| Holbein | Delta E 0.46 | Near-identical |
| Liquitex | Delta E 0.46 | Near-identical |
| M. Graham | Delta E 0.46 | Near-identical |
| Matisse | Delta E 0.46 | Near-identical |
| Michael Harding | Delta E 0.46 | Near-identical |
| Williamsburg | Delta E 0.46 | Near-identical |
| Winsor & Newton | Delta E 0.66 | Near-identical |
| Vallejo | Delta E 0.91 | Near-identical |
| Golden | Delta E 1.37 | Near-identical |
Which brands are interchangeable?
The closest pairs among 171 brand comparisons - swap one for another and most people would not see the difference.
- GamblinvsHolbeinDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- GamblinvsLiquitexDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- GamblinvsM. GrahamDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- GamblinvsMatisseDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- GamblinvsMichael HardingDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- GamblinvsWilliamsburgDelta E 0.00Near-identical
Which brands are clearly different?
The furthest apart. Same name on the tube, visibly different paint.
- GoldenvsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 1.92Near-identical
- GoldenvsWilliamsburgDelta E 1.83Near-identical
- GoldenvsMichael HardingDelta E 1.83Near-identical
- GoldenvsMatisseDelta E 1.83Near-identical
- GoldenvsM. GrahamDelta E 1.83Near-identical
- GoldenvsLiquitexDelta E 1.83Near-identical
Pigments used
Brands do not always use the same pigment for the same colour name.
Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, Lukas, M. Graham, Maimeri, Matisse, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Maimeri
Daler-Rowney
Daler-Rowney
Amsterdam
Lightfastness
How well the colour resists fading. ASTM I is the most permanent; V is fugitive.
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, Lukas, M. Graham, Maimeri, Matisse, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Opacity
How much the paint covers what is underneath.
Winsor & Newton
Daler-Rowney, Lukas, Maimeri, Schmincke, Sennelier, Williamsburg
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, M. Graham, Matisse, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Golden, Vallejo
Brands that make it
Every brand in the database with a Zinc White. Each links to that brand's full range.
- Amsterdam · 2 paints
- Daler-Rowney · 4 paints
- Gamblin · 1 paint
- Golden · 4 paints
- Holbein · 2 paints
- Liquitex · 1 paint
- Lukas · 1 paint
- M. Graham · 1 paint
- Maimeri · 2 paints
- Matisse · 2 paints
- Michael Harding · 1 paint
- Nevskaya Palitra · 2 paints
- Old Holland · 1 paint
- Royal Talens · 1 paint
- Schmincke · 3 paints
- Sennelier · 3 paints
- Vallejo · 2 paints
- Williamsburg · 1 paint
- Winsor & Newton · 5 paints
Available in
The kinds of paint this colour is made as.
Every Zinc White we have measured
All 39 paints, with the measurements the comparisons above are built from.
| Brand | Line | Medium | Hex | L*a*b* | Pigment | Opacity | Lightfastness | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Expert Series | acrylic | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW7 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Amsterdam | Standard Series | acrylic | #fcfcfc | 99.0, -0.0, -0.0 | PW7 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine Gouache | gouache | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW5,PW6 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Cryla Artists' Acrylic | acrylic | #ffffff | 100.0, -0.0, -0.0 | PW5 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Georgian Oil Colors | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Georgian Water Mixable Oil | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Gamblin | Artist's Oil Colors | oil | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Golden | Fluid | acrylic | #f2f2f0 | 95.6, -0.5, 1.2 | PW4 | Transparent | I | |
| Golden | Heavy Body | acrylic | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Golden | Heavy Body | acrylic | #f2f4f1 | 95.9, -0.8, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Golden | OPEN | acrylic | #f1f0ed | 94.9, -0.5, 1.7 | PW4 | Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Oil Color | oil | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Heavy Body Acrylic | acrylic | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Liquitex | Professional Heavy Body | acrylic | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Lukas | 1862 Artists' Oil | oil | #fcfcfa | 98.9, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Maimeri | Classico | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4, PW6 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Maimeri | Puro | oil | #fcfcfa | 98.9, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Matisse | Flow Formula | acrylic | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Matisse | Structure Formula | acrylic | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Michael Harding | Artists Oil Colours | oil | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Ladoga | oil | #fcfcfa | 98.9, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Master Class | oil | #fcfcfa | 98.9, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Old Holland | Classic Oil Colors | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Royal Talens | Rembrandt Oil Colors | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Mussini Oil Colors | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Norma Professional | oil | #fcfcfa | 98.9, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | PRIMAcryl | acrylic | #fcfcfa | 98.9, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Abstract Acrylic | acrylic | #fcfcfc | 99.0, -0.0, -0.0 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | Rive Gauche | oil | #fafaf8 | 98.2, -0.3, 0.9 | PW4 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Vallejo | Acrylic Artist Color | acrylic | #f8f8f8 | 97.6, -0.0, -0.0 | PW4 | Transparent | I | |
| Vallejo | Fluid Acrylic | acrylic | #f8f8f8 | 97.6, -0.0, -0.0 | PW4 | Transparent | I | |
| Williamsburg | Handmade Oil Colors | oil | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Artisan Water Mixable Oil | oil | #fcfcfc | 99.0, -0.0, -0.0 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Artists' Oil Colour | oil | #fdfdfc | 99.3, -0.2, 0.5 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Designers Gouache | gouache | #fcfcfc | 99.0, -0.0, -0.0 | PW4 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Professional Acrylic | acrylic | #fcfcfc | 99.0, -0.0, -0.0 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Winton Oil Colour | oil | #fcfcfc | 99.0, -0.0, -0.0 | PW4 | Semi-Transparent | I |
