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Not All That Glitters Is Gold – Williamsburg Iridescent and Interference Oil Colors

17 thoughts on “Not All That Glitters Is Gold – Williamsburg Iridescent and Interference Oil Colors”

    • Hello Sean,
      Thanks for your comment. We did amend the article slightly to try and clarify the difference between these two. Interference are the ones that flip from one color to another depending on the viewing angle. This effect is strongest over lighter colors. Iridescent colors are more like metallic colors – gold, pewter, silver etc. Both can look more translucent when viewed directly and more opaque when viewed from an angle. So, in that way, they are both slightly angle dependent!
      Thanks again,
      Greg

      Reply
  1. Are there any plans to create gold or other metallic colors in the interference colors? Currently I just use the Golden Interference brands because they are the only ones that offer the gold, but i would be excited to find the Interference Metallic Colors in Oil. Thanks in advance for your response.

    Reply
    • Hello Carik
      Sorry for the delayed response.
      We do not currently have plans for any Interference Metallics in williamsburg, but maybe we should! We do have a custom lab that could make that up for you. It has an added mixing fee, but is available if you were interested.
      Call 800-959-6543 or email [email protected] if you wanted more information.
      Best Regards,
      Greg Watson

      Reply
  2. Hi, that was a great article. I’ve been a a pencil sketcher forever and I’m now starting to oil paint. Being I’m new to oils, especially these types of paints I have a question. To get the effects you show in your article the bronze iridescent with ultramarine and the red interference/ultramarine, does the iridescent and interference under-layer have to be completely dry to get those effects or can it be done wet on wet? Thank you

    Reply
    • Hello Greg,
      Thank you. These are both mixtures. All it takes is a small amount of Ultramarine Blue, or another transparent color, mixed into the interference or iridescent color to make a beautiful shimmering blend. That is how I made the sample colors displayed at the end of the article. Alternatively, you could brush a thin layer of interference or iridescent mixed with a little medium over another color to make a shimmering glaze. These special effect colors are quite transparent, so they can disappear in the mixture if too much color is added or if the color that is added is opaque.
      Take care,
      Greg

      Reply
  3. Hello Greg, thanks for getting back to me so quickly when I posted a question about iridescent effects from your article. I was just wondering what ultramarine blue you used? Was it the sf ultramarine blue or just the series 3 ultramarine blue from Williamsburg? I ask because the French ultramarine was much more purple and I really liked the effects you created. Thank you for the info. Take care and thanks again, Greg

    Reply
    • Hi Greg,
      Sorry for the not so speedy reply this time! I used regular Ultramarine Blue to make the samples for the article. The Iridescent Copper has a reddish-orange quality that turned the mixture toward that nice purple. I think your results might be similar or even more vibrant purple if you use the French Ultramarine. Let us know how it goes.
      Thanks!
      Greg

      Reply
  4. Wow guys that is to all of you for your informative answers and the very creativity & thought-provoking questions I just came accross this article as I’m trying to learn about the products and now I can’t wait to order them and start trying. Thanks so much.

    Reply
  5. Hi, I’ve been experimenting with these new colors for a few months now with beautiful results. My only complaint is that they seem to be very slow-drying. Do you recommend a medium to use with them that will speed the drying while not diminishing the beautiful effects?

    Reply
    • Hi Linda,
      Yes, the iridescent and interference colors do dry fairly slowly. It can benefit to use some fast drying alkyd medium with them. This not only spreads out the mica particles and smooths the paint, but will also provide faster drying and a little harder finish.
      Sorry for the delayed response!
      Thanks,
      Greg

      Reply
  6. Hi Greg,

    I know this post is rather old but I picked up a few iridescent colors and I’ve noticed the tubes don’t show any lightfastness rating. Do you happen to know why this is? I’ve been searching on the web for some info but so far haven’t found any concrete info about the reasoning and/or if they are lightfast or not. Thanks

    Reply
    • Hello,
      We cannot rate these pigments because our spectrophotometer is unable to view any change of the color due to the reflectance of the mica particles. Also, ASTM does not have mica based colors on their lightfast rating lists. Visually, it appears there is little to no change in these colors after aging. The mica particles and iron oxide coating on the particles are very stable materials that do not break down in light. Although we cannot rate them with our standard tests, we expect these colors to have excellent lightfastness.
      Thanks,
      Greg

      Reply
  7. Wow, I had no idea that you guys had interference and iridescent in oil. I thought it was only the Golden line. I have been experimenting with acrylic “backgrounds” or base layers for my oils and it seems I can also do some experimenting with oil. That would eliminate the need to worry about plastic solids down the drain and plastics in general for that matter. Anyway, I am wondering if using them thinly with solvents (either Gamsol or something like Eco Solve or Sennelier #Green for Oil thinner) for an initial wash would effect the beauty and/or paint film. I’m trying to get away from Gamsol so I would much prefer using the Eco Solve or the like. Many quick dry mediums use a solvent also. Does yours? I just love your products and your website, but I have never used your oils. Looking forward to trying them.

    Reply
    • Hi Tracey,
      The Williamsburg Iridescent colors can become a little dull in solvent washes. But worth a try. They look really good when they are mixed with some oil medium, as it helps to spread out he mica particles and allows them to shimmer more. They are a little clumpy otherwise. If it is possible, a small amount of fast drying alkyd medium is very helpful, because these colors dry very slow. So, this type of medium can help improve the shimmer and help the paint dry faster.
      Sorry it took so long to answer. Thanks for your patience.
      Greg

      Reply

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