NAPLES YELLOW

Naples Yellow - an Abteilung 502 acrylic paint

Naples Yellow is the traditional artist's name for a muted yellow shifted toward cream. In the Abteilung 502 range it is a shade from the acrylic line, a paint thinnable with water. The brand is best known for its oil paints, so it is worth knowing that this item belongs to the acrylic branch: it dries quickly, needs no solvents and the tools are washed out with water.

Use

• Light cream and sand areas where a pure yellow would look too garish.
• Lightening earth and khaki shades: adding it brightens the base color without turning it green.
• Flesh tones and highlights on figures, where Naples yellow is traditionally used as a component of a mix.
• Glazes and toning that fill grayish transitions with a warm undertone.

How to work with the paint

With a brush it is applied straight from the container; for an airbrush it has to be thinned with water or an acrylic thinner of the same chemistry. Build light yellows over a light base as a general rule, as more coats are needed over a dark surface and the result tends to be uneven. Apply the paint thinly and let each coat dry; once dry, acrylic can no longer be washed off with water, so clean the tools as you go.

Who the paint is for

• Figure painters who work with flesh tones and highlights.
• Modelers of equipment who mix their own sand and desert shades.
• Authors of dioramas looking for warm brightening tones.

The volume of the package, the degree of gloss and the exact shade against the manufacturer's color chart are not stated here. Work in a well-ventilated space and close the container carefully after use.