Description
Barite is in a way similar in function to unbleached titanium dioxide, and gives the painter a comparable level of subtlety.
It is excellent for toning down/greying other colours and flesh mixes. However, maybe most useful is to use it as an additive to take down the coldness and opaqueness of Titanium White.
The walnut oil base gives this Barite paint a unique voluptuous and silky quality.
Rublev's interesting notes on this pigment;
"Barite white oil paint is a transparent buff coloured pigment ground in walnut oil. It is the natural barium sulfate mineral, other names in literature include 'heavy spar' and 'cawk.' The name comes from the Greek word barys, meaning heavy. The reason for the name is its density, 4.48 g/cm3, which is rather high for a mineral. Barite has an extremely low value of oil absorption and is chemically inert. Barites were one of the most important extender pigments in the 19th century. They were added to reduce the tinting strength of pigments, such as Prussian blue, and to improve the working qualities of a colour."
Technical Overview
Pigment - PW22
Opacity - Transparent
Binder - Walnut Oil
Drying Time - Moderate/Slow
Munsell - Hue N - Value 10 - Chroma N/A
