White Oil Paint - Tough Decisions

As an artist, I've reached a stage in my career where I've become particularly fond of certain pigments and paint tubes. I know them well and use them frequently. However, I wish Titanium White was one of them. I understand its popularity; nonetheless, I tire of its overpowering tinting strength and cool shade (which I've noticed has faint hints of blue in the past).

That said, I've experimented with zinc whites, flake white alternatives, and even tried cutting Titanium White with a warm white made specifically by Gamblin. While these alternatives work, they generally lead to a messy palette, which I'd prefer to avoid.

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The obvious choice is some form of Lead White. However, I view a tube of white paint as an investment. I want to purchase a considerable quantity of whatever variation I decide on, which, as I’m sure users of this forum know, can be more costly than most other paint tubes. What I’m seeking is a relatively opaque white that has a warmer tone than what many white tubes provide.

I've become increasingly interested in Michael Harding’s Cremnitz White (Walnut Oil), Rublev’s Flemish White, Rublev’s Ceruse, and Williamsburg’s Porcelain White. If anyone has experience with these paint tubes, I would love to hear about it. Additionally, if you have other suggestions, please share!

White Pigments

Here is a list of several white pigments:
Barytes, Blanc fixe, Calcium carbonate, Silica, Diatomaceous earth, Glass, Gypsum, Lead white, Starch, Titanium white, Witherite, and Zinc white. Fluorite, Smalt, Lead tin yellow, Naples yellow, and Turner’s yellow can appear colorless when viewed in transmitted light but are not considered white pigments.

Barytes

Barytes is known as BaSO4 and contains an orthorhombic structure with a refractive index of 1.638-1.648. Ground barytes can be challenging to see when mounted in Meltmount due to its low relief. Its birefringence is also minimal, causing particles to appear as a first-order grey between crossed polars.

Blanc Fixe

Blanc fixe, an artificially prepared form of barium sulfate, exhibits low birefringence and very low relief. It is often used as a base for lakes purposes. Chemically identical to the mineral form but more finely divided, it finds usage in paper finishing and cellulose lacquers.

Calcium Carbonate Whites

Calcium carbonate can be found as limestone, chalk, limewash, eggshell, and oyster shell white. When viewed under the microscope, these particles may exhibit low relief and various shapes.

Lead White

Lead white is a basic lead carbonate (Pb3(OH)2(CO3) and has a refractive index of 1.94 to 2.09. In polarised light, it appears as irregularly shaped particles with notable birefringence. Historically, it has been produced through various methods like the Dutch method.

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