I first learned which watercolor paints are transparent by reading Jim Kosvanec’s book, “Transparent Watercolor Wheel: A Logical and Easy-to-use System for Taking the Guesswork out of Mixing Colours” (affiliate link) first published by Watson-Guptill on May 1, 1994. They republished it in paperback on April 15, 2000. However, both editions are no longer in print. But, you can buy it from used book dealers on Amazon. You can also borrow a copy from your local public library.
You can also determine what watercolors are transparent by downloading color charts from brand-name watercolor paint companies. My favorite brands are Winsor Newton and Holbein. Follow the links below to download their color charts:
- Winsor Newton watercolor chart
- Holbein watercolor chart
- For other watercolor brands’ color charts, you can search brand names on Google or your favorite browser.
Jim Kosvanec’s Color Choices
Jim Kosvanec did extensive studies of watercolor paints and developed a color chart that categorizes color names into “rings” on a color wheel, as follows:
- Ring 1 – Transparent Non-Staining
- Ring 2 – Simi-Transparent Non-Staining
- Ring 3 – Transparent Staining
- Ring 4 – Semi-Opaque & Opaque
- Ring 5 – Whitened & Blackened
Transparent Watercolor Colors
There are two groups of transparent watercolor colors. They are “non-staining” and “staining” found in Ring 1 and Ring 3 of Jim Kosvanec’s color wheel.
Ring 1 – Transparent Non-Staining Colors
Ring 3 – Transparent Staining Colors
- Winsor Yellow or Winsor Lemon
- Winsor Green (Yellow Shade)
- Hooker’s Green Light
- Permanent Green Light
- Winsor Green (Blue Shade)
- Winsor Blue (Green Shade)
- Indanthrene Blue
- Permanent Violet
- Winsor Violet
- Alizarin Crimson (or Permanent Alizarin Crimson)
- Carmine
- Winsor Red
- Thalo Red (same as Winsor Red)
- Permanent Yellow Deep
Beware When Mixing Transparent Staining Colors
Transparent staining colors in Ring 3 only mix well with other staining colors in the same Ring 3. If you try to mix Ring 3 colors with Ring 1 transparent non-staining colors, the staining color will overpower the non-staining colors. They will also overpower other colors in Ring 2 and 4.
Mixing Ring 1 & Ring 2 Colors
To quote Jim on what colors mix well, he said:
Transparents mix or glaze with other transparents without restrictions. Transparents mix well with all others pigments except staining colors, which can “dye” them. Semi-transparents may be used like transparents but with more restraint.
~ Jim Kosvanec
Ring 2 – Semi-Transparent Colors
Here are the semi-transparent watercolors Jim Kosvanec classified as Ring 2 on his color wheel. These colors mix well with Ring 1 transparent colors identified above.
- New Gambage
- Green Gold
- Sap Green
- Antwerp Blue
- Cyanine Blue
- Prussian Blue
- Permanent Mauve
- Opera Rose
- Permanent Magenta
- Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet
- Vermilion
- Quinacridone Burnt Orange
- Burnt Sienna
- Quinacridone Gold
- Raw Sienna
Recommended
I use Ring 1 transparent non-staining colors for glazing my first layers of color. Then I add colors from Ring 2 for depth and darker tones where needed. And, for my darkest darks, I use colors from Ring 3 sparingly.