Pale Lime is a proper tint, and the notation says how pale. A Munsell value of 9.0 is near the top of the light scale, with chroma held at 5.0 so it stays soft, and hue 5.0GY puts it squarely in yellow-green. Holbein makes it from PG7 and PY3 with titanium white, the same pigment family as Leaf Green with the white doing the lifting. Think young willow, or the underside of a leaf in strong light.

Pale yellow-greens are awkward to mix and easy to ruin, which is the argument for a tube. This one holds its freshness where a hand-mixed version tends to go chalky or sour. Illustrators use it for spring backgrounds, for the lit planes of foliage over a deeper green, and for that slightly acidic pastel that has become a staple of packaging and editorial work. Because the white is already in it, it will sit over a darker layer rather than sink into it. Two stars for lightfastness, so it is happiest in work that gets reproduced or hangs away from strong sun.

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

In case the category is unfamiliar, acrylic gouache is a water-based paint with the flat matte finish of gouache and an acrylic binder behind it. Holbein Acrylic Gouache dries to a matte opaque finish and is water resistant once dry, so it does not reactivate with water like traditional gouache. Soft synthetic watercolour brushes suit it particularly well, since they hold enough paint to lay an even flat area without dragging. Do rinse them before the paint sets, because once it is dry it is dry.

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 Pale Lime