Single-pigment PB29, which Holbein lists under the splendid chemical name Complex of Silica, Alumina, Soda and Sulphur. Two published figures tell you most of what you need: a chroma of 16.5, among the highest in the range, and a value of 2.5, which is genuinely dark. Saturation and depth at once. The hue of 7.0PB sits on the purple side of blue, so it carries the faint violet warmth an ultramarine should have rather than the chill of a phthalo.

This is a mixing blue before it is anything else. Single-pigment colours behave predictably, and PB29 is the classic partner for an earth. With Burnt Umber it makes darks that have far more life in them than black, with Yellow Ochre it gives soft natural greens, and with a cool red it goes straight to a clean violet. Used neat it is the blue for night skies, deep water and dramatic flat-colour work, and it tints so powerfully that a whole family of pale blues comes out of it with white. Animators and graphic illustrators get through a lot of it.

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

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. That single difference is why so much flat illustration and animation work is done in it: dry layers stay put, edges stay crisp, and nothing lifts when you work over the top. Holbein also states that the colour does not shift from wet to dry, which matters when you are matching a flat area across two sessions. The full run of colours is on our Holbein Acrylic Gouache page.

Same binder family as ordinary acrylic paint, quite a different result. Standard acrylic dries with some sheen, and much of a normal acrylic range is built with glazing in mind. Acrylic gouache is formulated the other way, for a flat matte surface and dense flat colour, which is why it photographs and scans so cleanly.

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 Ultramarine Deep