PrimaTone Yellow Ocher – Fast-Drying Alkyd Oil Paint with Genuine Earth Pigment (PY43)

PrimaTone Yellow Ocher

Fast-Drying Oil-Alkyd Paint for Professional Results

PrimaTone Yellow Ocher is a warm, earthy yellow made with natural hydrated iron oxide (PY43), appreciated for its subtle golden undertones, excellent lightfastness, and reliability in both traditional and contemporary painting methods. Ground in a durable oil-modified alkyd binder, this color dries uniformly to a matte or semi-gloss finish within 18 to 24 hours—ideal for artists seeking dependable drying times without compromising historical character or permanence.

Its moderate transparency and strong tinting strength provide exceptional control in color mixing, underpainting, and glazing. With a rich, natural tone that harmonizes well with a wide range of palettes, PrimaTone Yellow Ocher performs beautifully in both alla prima techniques and layered, classical methods.

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 6 to 8 hours, artists can refine and blend with ease before the paint 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: Yellow Ocher (PY43)

• Chemical Composition: Natural hydrated iron oxide (Fe₂O₃·nH₂O)

• Color Index Name: Pigment Yellow 43 (77492)

• Opacity: Semi-opaque to semi-transparent

• Tinting Strength: Moderate to 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 Yellow Ocher is finely milled to ensure excellent pigment dispersion and a smooth, buttery consistency. Its moderate opacity and warm earth tone make it ideal for underpainting, color modulation, and mixing naturalistic tones. The formulation delivers even coverage and a responsive feel under both brush and knife.

This versatile ocher excels in:

• Underpainting and foundational layers

• Plein air and alla prima techniques

• Earth-toned glazing

• Subtle tonal transitions

• Classical and contemporary layering approaches

Yellow Ocher blends beautifully with both muted and chromatic palettes and maintains tonal clarity without overpowering mixtures.

Ingredient Transparency

PrimaTone is committed to full ingredient disclosure. This color contains:

• Yellow Ocher (PY43)

• Oil-modified alkyd binder

• High-flash hydrotreated petroleum distillate

• Dispersing agent

Safety and Toxicology

PrimaTone Yellow Ocher contains Pigment Yellow 43, a naturally occurring hydrated iron oxide regarded as one of the safest and most stable pigments in artists’ materials. It is non-toxic and not associated with any acute or chronic health effects under normal studio conditions. It poses minimal risk via skin contact or incidental inhalation and requires no special hazard labeling.

The oil-modified alkyd binder used in PrimaTone paints is formulated without heavy-metal driers. It includes a small amount of hydrotreated petroleum distillate, a high-flash aliphatic hydrocarbon used to optimize application and viscosity. In accordance with ASTM D4236, the concentration of this solvent does not warrant chronic hazard labeling for art materials intended for adult use.

As with all oil-based paints, proper studio precautions should be observed: avoid ingestion, do not sand dried paint films, ensure adequate ventilation, and wear gloves if skin sensitivity is a concern.

Natural Pigments discloses all pigment, binder, and additive components clearly on every PrimaTone 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 taken every care to match the color in these pictures on calibrated color monitors to the actual color. However, due to the wide variance in color monitors, your results may vary.

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 at full strength (mass tone) on the left and mixed with titanium white at a 1:2 ratio on the right.