What Are Opaque Colors? - EHow

Home » What Is The Color Opaque » What Are Opaque Colors? - EHow

Maybe your like

Share
  1. Get Crafty
  2. Art Projects
What Are Opaque Colors? By Kathy Adams eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here. Painted Wall A thick coat of paint brushed onto a wall. Image Credit: Mega_Pixel/iStock/Getty Images

In crafting with paper, glass or even paints and stains, opaque is a term used to describe the material's ability to block light. Opaque means light cannot travel through the object; in other words, it is neither translucent nor transparent. Opaque properties may apply to any color of crafting material.

Advertisement

Opaque, Transparent and Translucent

Video of the Day

To understand opaque qualities, compare red construction paper and red tissue paper. The construction paper is opaque -- you cannot see through it at all -- while the tissue paper is translucent, meaning light travels through it. Holding the object up to a light source allows you to test whether it is translucent or opaque. A transparent item is virtually clear, such as a clear gift-wrapping tape. Paint is generally opaque when applied to a surface in a thick coat. Adding a transparent glaze allows you to see the color underneath. This technique comes in handy when creating a color wash, for instance, by layering a color such as a blue glaze over an opaque color, such as yellow.

Video of the Day

Advertisement

Related Stories

Get Crafty How to Make Metallic Colored Font Get Crafty How to Make a Life Size Puppet Get Crafty How to Stain a Poster Board references & resources
  • Createx Colors: Opaque Colors
  • Artist's Network: Transparent and Opaque Colors: How We Perceive Them
eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

you may like

1
How to Make Bumper Pads for Baby Crib
2
How to Decoupage a Poster to a Canvas
3
How to Paint a Portrait in Black & White Tones

You May Also Like

1
How to Make a Greek Helmet in a Half Hour With Cardboard
2
How to Use Scroll Saw Patterns
3
How to Make a Paper Envelope

Tag » What Is The Color Opaque