Lead White #2 (also known as flake white or Cremnitz white) is an opaque white that is smooth and brushes long in the direction of the brushstroke. The consistency straight out of the tube is ropey yet retains its shape as you manipulate it while being soft yet sculptural.
Our lead white is made with pale walnut oil and basic lead carbonate (made according to modern processes) without stabilizers (e.g. stearates, waxes, etc.) or fillers to alter the characteristics of the pigment. As a result you get higher pigment volume concentration (PVC) than other brands of lead white (flake white)—as high as 50%. This means most brands of flake white do not weigh nearly as much as Rublev Colours 50 ml tube. Yet, Rublev Colours Lead White is not overly stiff and mixes well with all other oil colors.
Lead white is the most common white found on the old masters' palette. Lead pigments have been made artificially since Antiquity, although health concerns of lead poisoning has greatly diminished its role in paint today.
To learn more about all types of Lead Whites and their application, please see our article "".
Composition and Permanence| Lead White #2 | |
| Color: | Lead White #2 |
| Binder: | Walnut oil |
| Additive(s): | None |
| Pigment Information | |
| Pigment: | Lead White |
| Pigment Classification: | Synthetic inorganic |
| Colour Index: | Pigment White 1 (77597) |
| Chemical Name: | Basic lead carbonate or Lead(II) carbonate basic |
| Chemical Formula: | 2PbCO3.Pb(OH)2 |
| CAS No. | 1319-46-6 |
| Properties | |
| Code: | 803 |
| Series: | 5 |
| Opacity: | Opaque |
| Tinting Strength: | Medium |
| Drying Rate: | Medium |
| ASTM Lightfastness: | I |
| Permanence: | A - Permanent |
| Safety Information: | DANGER! CONTAINS LEAD. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. Avoid ingestion and skin contact. Wear protective clothing and gloves to prevent contact with skin. Never use near children or pets. Conforms to ASTM D 4236. DANGER |
For a detailed explanation of the terms in the table above, please visit .
NotesSome separation of pigment and oil may occur in Rublev Colours Artist Oils and is a natural process when no wax or stabilizers are added to paint to prevent this from occurring.
All images of color swatches on this website are only approximations of the actual color of the oil paint. We have taken every care to match the color in these pictures on calibrated color monitors to the actual color. However, because of the wide variance in color monitors, the results you get may vary.
Color Swatch Note: The color swatch was created with a thick application (left side) of color and a tint (right side) made with equal parts of color and titanium white and applied on acrylic primed cotton canvas.
Drawdown Note: The image of the "drawdown" contains a pre-mixed paint film of 6 mil (0.006 inch) thickness applied to a standard test card for the purposes of examining color consistency, opacity, and other qualities. The drawdowns show the color full strength (mass tone), on the left, and mixed in a 1:2 ratio with titanium white on the right. The bottom area of the drawdowns are scraped to show undertones.