Leslie Ohnstad owner of ColourArte about Primary Elements:

Primary Elements Mica Technology

Opaque versus Translucent colors

What is Translucent paint?

Translucent (transparent or “see-through”) paint allows more light to pass through them, refracting the color. 

Opaque paints are more reflective (not to be confused with “shiny”). They sit on a surface, preventing light from passing through them. The opacity of a paint color is determined by how it interacts with a light source.

Whether a color is opaque or transparent, it is of greatest importance to painters who work with glazes to build up color, rather than mixing on a palette. Some acrylic paint manufacturers such as Golden, make it easy to judge how opaque or transparent a color is by having a swatch of the color painted on their label. 

What acrylic colors are typically translucent (transparent)?


Alizaron Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Dioxazine Blue, Permanent Crimson, Permanent Rose, Prussian Blue, Phthalo Blue, Raw Sienna, Sap Green, Terre Verte, Ultramarine Blue, and Viridian Green. 

Translucent Versus Opaque Mica Pigments:   A brief explanation of mica color coating technology. 

Mica is one of the most important mineral ingredients used in cosmetics and is now widely used by artists to add shimmer and sparkle to paints and other artworks. 

Iron Oxide Coated Mica, (ColourArte Bling IT Satin and Metal Blends) 

Bronze, Copper, Gold, and White coated micas are opaque and more reflective. Iron Oxide will sit on a surface and reflect like a mirror. Light cannot pass through. 

Titanium Coated MICA (ColourArte Bling IT Satin and Sparkle) 

Also known as Interference paint, it is coated with Titanium Dioxide and is translucent by nature. It allows 90% of light to pass through it, creating brilliant light refraction and a strong shift in color. The term interference, means that the dominant paint color changes with the light when viewed from different angles. For example, if you rub a little Interference Blue on the back of your hand the mica shifts the light to blue before you see the color of your skin beneath it. 

Cosmetic Grade Mica 

Also known as soap making mica, the color coating is adhered with a wax derivative and does not dissolve, making it a great choice for making soap. Many artists add acrylic ink as a substitute for the lack of actual color. The “color coating” is not enough on its own to achieve true color balance required to make paints. Try this test: 

Fill a shot glass with water, then drop some Blue or Purple mica into the water. The mica eventually becomes saturated and drops to the bottom of the glass, while the water remains clear.

Primary Elements Arte Pigments (What is this stuff?) 

ColourArte created this dry-paint arte pigment system by milling and binding dry translucent aqueous color, micas, and other minerals. Our signature blends of brilliant translucent color bases, intensified by sparkling mica light refraction, is what separates Primary Element Arte Pigments from other simple Titanium mica powders. 

Primary Elements dry paint Arte-pigment is part ONE of a two-part paint system. 

Part TWO is left to the user to decide and the application in which they want to use it.

**Liquid Measurements (1) Tsp = 5 ml / (2) tsp= 10 ml ( heaping tsp 15ml) / Tablespoon =15 ml-20ml

**Dry Measurement- 1/8 tsp = .615 grams / 1/4 tsp-1.23 grams /  1/2 Tsp- 2.46 grams  / 1 tsp= 5 grams 

**Scoops we ship with our color (1) Small plastic scoop ( leveled) =1/8 tsp  / Heaping scoop 1/4 tsp

Mixing with Vivid PolyPour: ColourArte Bloom Base including varnish is great for creating blooms, swipes or just painting with a paintbrush.


Basic mixing Bloom recipe over wet white base: Mix ½ tsp. Primary Elements with 2 tsps. PolyPour Bloom Base. 

Mixing with Vivid Enamel: ColourArte Heavy Body base paint allows painting on canvas, glass, metal, paper, and wood. Thin slightly with Golden GAC 800 or Liquitex Pouring Medium. 

Basic mixing recipe: Mix ¼ – ½ tsp. Primary Elements with 2 tsps. Vivid Enamel, a dash of Pouring Medium and a few drops of water until desired consistency is achieved. 

Mixing with Gum Arabic ColourArte Bind and Resist

Basic mixing recipe: Mix
equal parts Gum Arabic and Bind and Resist with water, a little at a time until it forms a creamy paste. Allow to dry into a hand-mixed watercolor cake. 

Mixing with Glazing Medium:  Use Liquitex and Golden Glazing Medium to create stunning translucent glazes that shimmer.  

Basic mixing recipe: Mix ¼ – ½  tsp. Primary Elements with 2 tsps. Glazing Medium. 

Mix with Varnish: Use Golden, Liquitex, Polycrylic, or Jo Sonja Vallejo to create a varnished based glaze.

Basic mixing recipe: Mix ¼ – ½ tsp. Primary Elements with 2 tsps. varnish as listed above. 

Mix into Extra Heavy Gel: Use Liquitex or Golden Extra Heavy Gel Medium to create a heavy body impasto paint that can be used with a pallet knife


Basic mixing recipe: Mix ¼ – ½ tsp. Primary Elements with 2 tsps. Extra Heavy Gel Medium.