Lightfast, Luminous, Essential: 12 New Oil Paint Colours
There’s something transformative about a refreshed palette. The subtle shift of a yellow, the depth of a new red, the glow of a perfectly balanced green—these are the moments that change how a painting begins.
We’ve refreshed our Opus Essential Oil Colours collection, thoughtfully discontinuing slower-moving shades and introducing 12 new colours that reflect how artists are painting today. The result? A truly beautiful spectrum—luminous yellows, rich expressive reds, earthy transparents, and an exclusive new Aquamarine you’ll only find at Opus.
Like the recent expansion of our Opus Essential Acrylic Colours, this update is about possibility. These professional-quality oils offer strong pigment load, dependable lightfastness, and a versatile range of transparencies—so whether you paint in layered glazes, bold impasto, or subtle atmospheric passages, there’s something here for you.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s new.
The New Colours
Alizarin Crimson Deep
A deep, cool crimson with luminous undertones. Perfect for glazing shadows in florals and portraits, enriching skies at dusk, or deepening violets and maroons in layered passages. Its transparency makes it ideal for classical glazing techniques.
Use it for: Romantic florals, dramatic drapery, portrait shadows, moody landscapes.
Pigment(s): PV19 / PR149 / PB29
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Transparent
Aquamarine (Opus Exclusive)
A vibrant, oceanic blue-green exclusive to Opus. Aquamarine bridges the gap between phthalo blue and green, delivering high chroma and stunning clarity in glazes.
Use it for: Seascapes, tropical waters, contemporary abstracts, luminous glazing effects, and mixing vibrant teals.
Pigment(s): PB15:4 / PG7
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Transparent
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
A bright, cool yellow with strong covering power. Clean and punchy, it creates crisp greens and high-key highlights.
Use it for: Sunlit foliage, citrus tones, florals, and mixing vibrant spring greens.
Pigment: PY35
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Opacity: Opaque
Cinnabar Green Medium
A naturalistic, slightly muted green with warmth and depth. It sits beautifully in landscape work and botanical studies.
Use it for: Forest midtones, eucalyptus leaves, vintage-inspired palettes, tonal landscape painting.
Pigment(s): PY73 / PBr7 / PG7
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Semi-Transparent
Magnetite Genuine
A unique mineral black with subtle character and depth. Unlike flat carbon blacks, Magnetite Genuine offers nuanced mixing possibilities.
Use it for: Atmospheric greys, shadow glazes, toning canvases, subtle monochromatic studies.
Pigment: PBk11
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Transparent
Mixing Gold
A versatile golden earth that offers warmth without overpowering mixes. It creates rich neutrals and glowing undertones.
Use it for: Autumn landscapes, glazing warm light, skin undertones, and mixing earthy greens.
Pigment(s): PR101 / PY83
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Semi-Transparent
Perylene Red
Deep, slightly earthy, and dramatic, Perylene Red leans toward a darkened crimson and produces stunning low-key effects.
Use it for: Wine tones, florals, shadowed petals, and dark atmospheric passages.
Pigment: PR149
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Semi-Transparent
Pyrrole Red
A powerful, warm red with high chroma and strong presence. It holds its intensity beautifully in mixes.
Use it for: Bold florals, expressive abstracts, contemporary portrait accents, vibrant highlights.
Pigment: PR254
Lightfastness: II (Very Good)
Transparency: Semi-Transparent
Rose Madder
A luminous, cool rose with beautiful glazing properties. This colour glows when layered.
Use it for: Petals, skin undertones, subtle skies, and delicate glazing in portrait work.
Pigment: PV19
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Transparent
Thioindigo Violet
A rich, red-leaning violet that adds drama and depth. It shifts beautifully between warm and cool mixes.
Use it for: Twilight skies, florals, shadow modelling, and contemporary colour-forward compositions.
Pigment: PR88
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Semi-Transparent
Titanium White Fast Dry
A brilliant, fast-drying white designed to speed up layering. Excellent for underpainting and building structure efficiently.
Use it for: Underpainting, highlights, alla prima work, accelerating drying between layers.
Pigment: PW6
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Opacity: Opaque
Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide
A glowing, honeyed earth yellow with exceptional glazing strength. It brings warmth and luminosity without heaviness.
Use it for: Sunlit glazes, landscape warmth, portrait undertones, golden atmospheric effects.
Pigment: PY42
Lightfastness: I (Excellent)
Transparency: Transparent
A Palette Designed for Today’s Painters
This refresh is more than a colour swap—it’s a curated evolution. By discontinuing slower sellers and introducing colours artists are actively reaching for, we ensure the Opus Essential Oil line stays relevant, inspiring, and responsive to how you create.
The new palette leans beautifully into expressive reds and luminous yellows, anchored by versatile earths and powerful transparent mixing colours. It’s equally at home in classical glazing, expressive contemporary abstraction, plein air landscapes, and portraiture.
And with excellent lightfastness across the range (predominantly Lightfastness I), you can paint with confidence, knowing your work is created with oil colours that will last.
What Could One Colour Change in Your Work?
A new red might push your florals further.
A new yellow might brighten your landscapes.
Aquamarine might shift your entire sense of water and sky.
Refreshing your palette isn’t about replacing what you love—it’s about expanding what’s possible.
Explore the 12 new Opus Essential Oil Colours in-store or online, and see where your next painting begins.