Detail of Fingertips (Or close enough as makes no difference): The majority of this painting rejects the limited range of colors represented in the 1990’s-era photograph on which it is based. The flourescent “collar” around the set of hands at the top right corner alerts the viewer to a disruption-in this case a pair of hands from another source reaching towards the central figures.
Fluorescent colors appear more intense than conventional colors because they utilize a larger portion of the visible color spectrum, while also operating at lower wavelengths. While most pigments can reflect 90% of the color in the spectrum, fluorescent pigments are capable of reflecting 200-300%. The first fluorescent paints were developed by the founders of DayGlo for use in advertising displays. Makers of acrylic paints and gouaches often include fluorescent colors in their offerings, but fluorescent oils are far less common.
I began hunting for fluorescent oils three years ago, when I realized that they were uniquely capable of disrupting the dusky color schemes that dominated my photo-based paintings. At the time, Holbein’s Duo AquaOil line was my only option. More recently, a new brand called Gapka released a series of more traditional fluorescent oil colors. Langridge also offers a limited number of “video” and “neon” paints for sale only in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Gapka offers traditional fluorescent oil paints in the following colors: Neon Pink, Neon Yellow, Neon Fire Orange, Neon Green, Neon Magenta and Neon Orange. Each 40 mL tube costs $20.00, and their neon sample set (which they generously sent me for free) costs $15.00. Their impeccable customer service is free.
Holbein offers fluorescent water-soluble oils in the following colors: Luminous Opera (a fluorescent pink), Luminous Lemon, Luminous Orange, Luminous Green and Luminous Violet. Each 40 mL tube is available from Blick for $15.63.
Langridge offers traditional fluorescent oils in the following colors: Brilliant Yellow, Neon Orange, Brilliant Pink, Neon Violet, Brilliant Magenta, Video Blue, Brilliant Blue, Brilliant Green and Video Green. Each 40 mL tube is available from St. Luke’s Artist Coulourmen, and ranges in price from $11.95 (USD)-$44.00 (USD).
I have found that Gapka’s line of traditional neon oil paints is superior to Holbein’s water-soluble offerings for a number of reasons. Gapka paints often feature a loose texture, but their pigments are much more potent than the Holbein pigments. Straight out of the tube, both Holbein and Gapka fluorescents are highly transparent. When mixed with conventional colors, Gapka neons amplified brilliance and elevated the given mixture’s luminosity. One would need to use a greater proportion of a given Holbein paint to achieve the same effect. The transparent quality of both Holbein “luminous” colors and Gapka “Neon” colors requires that they be mixed with a pale, opaque paint to achieve a useful fluorescent hue. Again, Gapka’s Neons far outstripped Holbine’s Luminous colors. When mixed with Utrecht Flemish White or Gamblin Titanium White, The Gapka neon pigments generated an electrifying, brilliant range of hues distinct from even the brightest conventional colors.
The ongoing introduction of fluorescent pigments onto oil -based palettes proves that oil painters are still pushing the boundaries, and expanding our horizons.