Which White should I use: Lead, Zinc, Titanium, etc?

Having the "right" white can make help you make your paints do exactly what you want them to do.

When picking your "perfect" white there are four things that you should consider: the color temperature, the tinting strength, the consistency, and the oil binder. More on that in a moment, but first some quick definitions of the different basic whites: 

Flake (Lead or Cremnitz) White: Is the oldest oil painting white and is made of lead. It is a stiff, quick-drying white that is warm, opaque, and a strong tinter. It is great for portrait painters, but can crack over time.  

Flake White is TOXIC and can cause serious health problems when inhaled or when exposed to skin. Luckily there are non-toxic alternatives! Such as these non-cracking options from Gamblin, Flake White Replacement, and Winsor Newton, Flake White Hue.

Zinc White: Is a stiff, slow-drying white that is warm, semi-transparent, and a weak tinter. It is great for tinting and glazing, but should only be used on panel due to its high cracking tendency. In fact, even on panel it will most likely crack. You can read more here about a 28 year study on the effects of Zinc White. Winsor and Newton's Transparent White might be an alternative to Zinc White, but I can't find a lot out about it online and have never used it. 

Titanium White: Is a soft, fast-drying white that is warm, opaque, and the strongest tinter. It is great for direct painting, Monet would have gone crazy for this white, and it's non-cracking. Sadly it is so strong of a white that it is a poor option for color mixing. 

Titanium-Zinc White: Is a soft, moderate-drying white that is neutral, opaque, and a good tinter. It is the most useful all-purpose painting white and is a much better color mixing option than Titanium White. However, due to the addition of Zinc, it could potentially have cracking problems (that being said I have never heard of anyone, nor have I ever had, a cracking problem with it). 

There is a plethora of different whites to choose from, and just about every company makes their own white options. To read more about additional white options, read here and here. 

Now that we know a little bit about the basic whites, let's help us narrow down which one we want to paint with through color temperature, tinting-strength, consistency, and oil binder. 

Color Temperature: The white you pick will slightly alter the color temperature of the colors you are mixing. Be aware of the warm, cool, or neutral natures of the white you pick. Neutrals are the best to start out with, as they will not change the color you are mixing. Titanium-Zinc White is the best neutral choice. 

Tinting Strength: It can be very frustrating to have a white that is too strong or too weak for your desired effect. Having two whites, one strong and one weak, can help you avoid this frustration. Titanium-Zinc White and Zinc White can help you create all the variation you want. However, again be careful with the amount of zinc that you use as it could easily crack. Zinc should only be painted on panel and painted as part of the final layers in order to avoid cracking. 

Consistency: Getting your preferred consistency can reduce frustration. Whites come in ranges from extremely stiff to extremely soft. Titanium-Zinc is a good middle of the road, buttery white. 

Oil Binder: Several studies, one you can read here, have found that Safflower Oil will make the whitest white that remains the most white over time. However, linseed oil has been found to make the most flexible white, which can lessen cracking. 

Below is a quick-view guide of Gamblin's whites in order to help you pick "your" white. Now, while you may not paint with Gamblin colors, it will still give you a solid understanding of your own paint company's whites. 

In the end, Titanium-Zinc is the best general option with Zinc being a good glazing option. To read more about how to pick a white, read here or here.

For more about other paint colors check out my main Tips and Techniques page.