Transparent yellow oxide is a variant of yellow oxide. Because of its transparency, this version is more suitable in glazing techniques and watercolour style washes. It can be used in blends to desaturate clean transparent colours (such as phthalos and quinacridones) without affecting their transparency. This colour is from the pigment group, synthetic iron oxides, which also includes mars black, red oxide and violet oxide. These pigments are derived from the oxidation of metallic iron.