PrimaTone Ultramarine Blue Paint: Fast-Drying Oil-Alkyd for Glazing & Underpainting

PrimaTone Ultramarine Blue

Fast-Drying Oil-Alkyd Paint for Professional Results

PrimaTone Ultramarine Blue is a luminous, transparent blue with a subtle green undertone, prized for its high chroma, clarity, and strength. Formulated with PB29 (Ultramarine Blue) and ground in a durable oil-modified alkyd binder, this color dries evenly to a matte or semi-gloss finish within 18 to 24 hours—ideal for artists who need speed without sacrificing performance or permanence.

Its excellent tinting strength and smooth working properties make it especially suited for glazing, layering, and optical mixing, whether in controlled studio work or dynamic plein air painting. PrimaTone Ultramarine Blue responds beautifully to both brush and knife applications, holding detail in thin veils or expressive strokes.

PrimaTone—Fast-Drying Oil-Alkyd Paints

PrimaTone paints deliver the trusted characteristics of traditional oils with the added benefit of accelerated drying. Colors are touch-dry in 18–24 hours and ready for varnishing in approximately 30 days. With a working time of 4 to 8 hours, artists can refine and blend the paint with ease before it sets.

All PrimaTone colors dry uniformly to a matte to semi-gloss surface, making them ideal for both foundational layers and final applications. The combination of lightfast pigments and a resilient alkyd binder ensures a long-lasting paint film. Compatible with traditional oil mediums and easily cleaned with mineral spirits, PrimaTone offers a practical solution for artists seeking speed without compromise.

Key Features

• Pigment: Ultramarine Blue (PB29)

• Chemical Composition: (Na,Ca)₈Al₆Si₆O₂₄(S,SO₄)

• Color Index Name: Pigment Blue 29 (C.I. 77007)

• Opacity: Transparent

• Tinting Strength: High

• Drying Time: Touch-dry to hard-dry within 24 hours (ASTM D5895 Stage III)

• Working Time: Approximately 8 hours

• Finish: Matte to semi-gloss

• Lightfastness: ASTM I (Excellent)

• Binder: Oil-modified alkyd

• Compatibility: Traditional oil paints, mediums, and solvents

Handling & Applications

PrimaTone Ultramarine Blue is milled for optimal pigment dispersion and long, flowing brushmarks. It exhibits a slight thixotropy and stringiness common to ultramarine pigments due to their hydrophilic nature. Its high transparency and chromatic clarity make it especially suitable for:

• Glazing

• Underpainting

• Plein air sketching

• High-chroma mixing

• Atmospheric and optical effects

This color responds beautifully to both brush and knife work, holding detail in both thin veils and textured passages.

Ingredient Transparency

PrimaTone upholds complete transparency about its formulation. This color contains:

• Ultramarine Blue (PB29)

• Oil-modified alkyd

• High-flash hydrotreated petroleum distillate

• Dispersing agent

• Driers

Safety and Toxicology

PrimaTone Ultramarine Blue contains the pigment PB29, an inert sodium alumino-silicate widely recognized for its excellent safety profile. It is not associated with any acute or chronic toxicity when used under normal studio conditions. As a mineral-based, non-bioavailable compound, PB29 presents minimal risk by skin contact or inhalation of incidental amounts, and no special hazard labeling is required.

The oil-modified alkyd binder in PrimaTone is manufactured without heavy-metal driers and uses a low-odor, low-yellowing formulation. It contains a small amount of hydrotreated petroleum distillate, a high-flash aliphatic hydrocarbon used to adjust viscosity and aid application. According to ASTM D4236 labeling standards, this solvent is present in a concentration that does not require chronic hazard labeling for art materials intended for adult use. However, prolonged exposure or misuse (e.g., intentional inhalation or use in confined spaces without ventilation) should be avoided.

Standard precautions should be followed when using any oil-based paint: avoid ingestion, avoid sanding dry films, use appropriate ventilation, and wear gloves if skin sensitivity is a concern.

As part of Natural Pigments’ commitment to complete ingredient transparency, all pigment, binder, and additive components are clearly listed on every label. Store in a cool, dry place and keep out of reach of children.

Composition and Permanence

For a detailed explanation of the terms in the table above, please visit the Composition and Permanence page.

Notes

All color swatches on this website are approximations of the actual color of the oil paint. We have carefully matched the color in these pictures on calibrated color monitors to the actual color. However, your results may vary due to the wide variance among color monitors.

Drawdown Note: The image of the “drawdown” shows a premixed paint film 6 mils (0.006 inches) thick, applied to a standard test card to examine color consistency, opacity, and other qualities. The drawdowns show the color’s full strength (mass tone) on the left and, on the right, mixed with titanium white at a 1:2 ratio.