The Luminous colours are the loudest thing in the range and Luminous Lemon is the sharpest of the four. Holbein builds it from SY135, SY116 and SY44, listed under the chemical name Fluorescent Pigment. These are dye-based rather than conventional mineral or organic pigments, which is exactly why it appears to glow in daylight in a way no ordinary yellow manages.

A colour for work that will be seen, scanned or printed rather than hung in a sunny room. It earns its keep in illustration headed for reproduction, in posters and zines, in gig artwork, and for highlights that need to genuinely shout. Used sparingly against muted colours it does remarkable work. None of this is difficult paint to handle either: water thins it, no solvents, predictable behaviour.

What Makes This Colour Special

Pigment, lightfastness and series as published by Holbein. Holbein does not publish an opacity rating for individual colours; the range as a whole is described by Holbein as opaque.

Acrylic Gouache, Not Traditional Gouache

Acrylic gouache sits between gouache and acrylic. You get the dense, matte, flat colour of gouache, but the acrylic binder means it dries permanently and is water resistant once dry rather than reactivating with water. Holbein gives an open time of roughly 10 to 30 minutes, so put out small amounts as you go. The other 108 colours are on our Holbein Acrylic Gouache page.

Why Holbein Acrylic Gouache Is in Serious Studios

• Genuinely opaque. Holbein describes the range simply as an opaque acrylic paint. It covers, including over darker colour, which is the whole point of reaching for gouache rather than watercolour.
• Velvety matte, no sheen. Holbein describes the colour as opaque, intense, smooth and velvety. It dries flat, which is why it photographs and scans without glare.
• Water resistant once dry, so you can layer. Holbein’s own wording, and the reason the range exists. A dry layer will take another one over the top without lifting.
• The colour you mix is the colour you get. Holbein states it does not shift in colour tone from wet to dried colour. Anyone who has watched a perfect grey dry into a different grey will appreciate that.
• Built to use straight from the tube. Holbein says it is specifically designed to be used directly from the tube and will dry to even, uniform paint layers.
• Works on more than paper. Holbein lists paper, canvas, cloth, stone, wood, leather, plexiglass and concrete, with excellent adhesion, and full compatibility with all acrylic mediums.

Getting the Most Out of This Tube

Straight from the tube is the default. This is what Holbein designed it for, and it is where you get those even, flat, uniform layers. Add a little water to loosen it, but go easy: very diluted washes can dry streaky across a large flat area, so build coverage in thin even coats rather than flooding it on.

Watch the palette, not the clock. Holbein gives an open time of roughly 10 to 30 minutes and notes the drying time is much like ordinary watercolour. The practical consequence is that paint left sitting on the palette will go off and will not come back, so squeeze out small amounts as you need them.

It plays well with acrylic mediums. Holbein states the range is compatible with all acrylic mediums, so you can change the body or extend the working time if you want to. Soft synthetic brushes suit it, since they hold enough paint to lay a flat area without dragging.

Questions About Holbein Luminous Lemon