spend the money on old holland. Highest quality and highest price. We were always encouraged at The Art Students' League to buy the most expensive white. Also, I gave Windsor Newton a professional/student rating because their prices are lower and more affordable for student and beginners. We received a lot of complaints, in particular about the poor quality caps, which break quite easily. ___________________________________________________________________. Review:Winsor & Newton is a top choice for students as well as professional painters around the world. This paint combines some of the purest and brightest oil paint pigments I have ever used. Gamblin, which is based in Portland, Oregon, does not use lead in their white and Naples Yellow paints, which makes them a good choice for artists with health conditions. Some reviewers noted that Van Gogh Oil Colours are very thin, bordering on runny, especially when they are first squeezed out of the tube. This is to ensure that a painting wont lose its lustre for decades. i used williamsburg and they add so much barium sulfate filler i struggled to get opacity when i wanted it and had to layers same colors as a workaround. A fellow student allowed me to sample and use some of their Georgian colors. PROS: mixes well, vibrant colours, can be used straight out of the tube, CONS: expensive, not many colours offered in larger tube sizes, dries slowly. Though the range of colours is not extensive, they do mix well and allow the budding oil artist the ability to experiment. Old Holland has been in operation since 1664. The colors are bright and vivid. Thanks for your excellent question. There were some of the students there who were using this brand of oil paint. The price is right for the pigment load and most artists said that it has a very workable consistency. for instance, to make a flesh tone i use a bean of white, dab of yellow ochre and literally a pen tip of vermilion. The best advice I can give is to experiment. They contain the highest level of pigmentation consistent with good handling properties, unsurpassed covering power and permanence. You should always purchase the most expensive white artist oil pigment you can afford. Ive used them, tested them and found them to have about 85-90% of the strength of Winsor & Newton artist brand, a good deal. The consistency of the Blockx product is thinner than other professional grade paints and some feel that it is a bit too oily. I have used this brand many times throughout my professional career and have always been completely satisfied with the result. I have used Winton oil colors extensively throughout my art career and wholeheartedly recommend them. No one mentioned that they were thick or stiff, so this is best suited to artists who like a good flow across the support. For alizarin crimson, I recommend Gamblin Oil Paints. Very interesting. Are you confused by the many manufacturers of artist oil paints and their claims? Daler Rowney oils are well-known for their economical color. I have to rank Old Holland and some of the others higher because of the fact that they use absolutely no fillers, only pure pigments and the highest level mixing oils in their manufacturing process. Student Grade oil paint tends to use more inert fillers and less pure pigment. Harding does not add any fillers, driers or artificial ingredients, which ensures that the colours do not dry, crack or flake over time. How to Choose a Frame that will Complement Your Work of Art You may want to switch to acrylic paints or watercolor if you are allergic to oil paints and mediums. But overall, the quality is excellent. They combine the perfect combination of quality and price. A shortlist of our favourite products can be found at the end of this post under the heading Final Thoughts. I have been painting since the early 70ies and have tried just about all oil paints over time. Windsor Newton(Gallera). Can you believe that? I rank it 6th in my ratings because there are other manufacturers that have higher quality standards than Windsor Newton. It combines the best of quality with the best of economy. The Best Sewing Machines One of theoldest paint manufacturers in Europe, Sennelierwas once the choice for Pablo Picasso. PROS: luminous colours, creamy consistency, good tube sizes, CONS: Mediterranean colour line has insufficient pigment load. I use Gamblin. This means less confusion and frustration for the budding oil artist. i guess i am trying to simply say, you have total control when using old holland, there are no weak links that will compromise longevity or force you to paint in a certain style. Review: I was first introduced to this oil paint brand at the Art Students' League of New York. Though the quality is not as fine as some of the other products in this category, artists are generally pleased with it and say that its good value. Within a year or so the paintings had completely faded away. PROS: affordable, great for transitioning from acrylic to oil, mixes well, CONS: caps are difficult to remove and replace, dries slowly. Windsor Newton is a good quality professional paint. its not that much more and will last years. Their manufacturing process creates a smooth and buttery pigment that is unequaled. Choosing the Best Paintbrush How To Draw a Cat, Choosing the Acrylic Paint thats Best for You. Do You Know These 5 Oil Painting Health Risks? As with their acrylics line, Utrechts oils line can boast of a loyal following among artists. Once you understand and balance your particular needs as an artist with the benefits of each oil paint described, you will be able to make the best choice possible in choosing your oil paint brand. Most of the reviewers for this article are oil painters, but a few artists more experienced with acrylics found that this product was able to ease their transition to oil colours nicely. However, even at a higher price point, loyal fans of this product admire its pigment load and consistency. Can you do a list for acrylic paint and watercolors? Thanks again. Though some complained about stiffness when first squeezing the colours out of the tubes, many others noted that it does flow well across the canvas without the need for added oil or mediums. There was no color left. The latter prevents some of the cooler colours from yellowing over time, which many of our artists observed with other brands. PROS: large tubes, reasonably priced, can be used straight from the tube, CONS: very low pigment load, defective caps, thin. The Jack Richeson line is actually the old Shiva line that some of us old timers relied upon back in the 60s. Old Holland white pigment will do best as your base white. This brand is quite popular in Germany, where it is manufactured. Comparable to Winsor & Newtons Winton student grade artists oil colors in price and quality. I am now working on a serious major piece and can afford to spend more on the oils and now I can do it with confidence thanks to you. PROS: affordable, good pigment load, great customer service, CONS: thick and difficult to squeeze from tube. Are you a serious oil painter and would like the top oil paints rated? I do an underpainting with Golden acrylics blocking in large areas and shapes. I also make use of Sennelier, Holbein, Daniel Smith, Weber and Gamblin. PROS: heavy colour saturation, creamy texture, mixes well. I am familiar with them but have never used them myself. I find with oil paints you get what you pay for. Even for a student grade paint, the pigment load of Daler-Rowneys Graduate Oil Colours is disappointingly low. Thanks for the recommendations. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, which supports the operation of our blog and helps to keep all our content free for everyone. Think about this: white is the color that will make up 80% or more of your painting. The texture of this paint was described by one reviewer as being like that of whipped cream. Several artists appreciated that it could be used directly from the tube, without needing to add solvents or mediums, but others found it to be too oily for their taste. However, some complained that the larger opening made the paint run out of the tube much faster than desired. And there is a link there to the website. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Also, their premixed colors make for fast, consistent color. Hi Richard. PROS: colours are true, reasonably priced, mixes well with other brands. The main thing that impressed me with this paint was the extreme buttery consistency. Old Holland is by far and away the most superior oil paint on the market. Learn more. PROS: great coverage, colours stay true over time, high pigment load, CONS: expensive, oily consistency, strong odor. Santa Fe, NM 87507, plz tell me,which brand ,except old holland,others,i can afford will be best for traditional realist oil paint for painting in layers,glazing,etc. I am partial to Grumbacher Red. Have you ever found yourself in front of the rows and rows of oil paints unable to decide which ones were best suited for you? The Best Sewing Machines How To Draw a Palm Tree HAving said that, the final 5 brands are top quality you probably wont even end making such a great that justify such quality. Thanks for commenting Thomas. However, more than one of our reviewers did say that the paint can separate in the tube and complained about the quality of the tube itself. Thanks again. I've sorted through the many artist paint manufacturers and rated the top oil paints so that it will make it easy for you next time you are making your art supply list for your studio. Some said that they had been using it for decades without noticing any change in the colour. Most reviewers enjoyed its thick consistency, but some found it a bit too stiff for their liking. I do know that you get what you pay for. PROS: walnut oil binder, no odor, less toxic, CONS: packaging defects, dries very slowly. All of the pigments are ground with stone, rather than a metal roller and the entire manufacturing process is overseen by artists. Windsor Newton is an excellent oil paint and I highly recommend it as I have used it myself. I will pass it on to my artist friends. Thanks for your comments. Because its price is comparable to most student grade paints, its great for students and professionals who dont want to break the bank. I know there are some problems with Alizarin Crimson. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive comparison of oil colours that you will find online. Choosing the Acrylic Paint thats Best for You At that time, the quality of the paint was much superior than it is today. Ive been using Shiva for 40 years, mostly always trying to accomplish Winslow Homers brush strokes, ha ha. However, we did learn that the colour inside the tube is not necessarily true to the name on the label, which is common with many student grade products. It is quite inexpensive compared to the other brands and is quite good. Take Care M. Graham Artists Oil Colours are unique because they are made with walnut oil instead of the traditional linseed oil binder. Combines highest quality pigments with highest quality manufacturing processes. You can usually find this brand at most art supply stores, department stores even drugstores. Gamblin is far superior than any other oil paints of the market and the safest, Hi Sushma, If you are a student or beginning painter and have the extra budget, I strongly recommend that you try this oil paint. I am one of those art supply junkies! This commitment to tradition ensures that the paints are very high quality, but it also means that they come with a higher price tag. When I was still a student, I had the exact same experience as your friend. The Best Products for Cleaning Up After Youve Finished Painting But you wont find them at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. For the latter, the grains of pigment are ground to half the size of the pigment found in standard products, which results in the light being reflected more evenly across the surface of a painting. Its on my list. Students of his method from both the televised and YouTube re-runs or of his certified instructors will find that this line of paint is designed specifically for their style of painting. He has been helping artists make better art and sell more art since 2011. I completely agree that Old Holland are the best oils paints in the world. The tinting strength is unequaled. You should be okay with using oil over acrylic like you mention. They have real Cadmiums for about 22 for 225 ml and you can really feel the weight in the tube. Good for painting in layers and for glazing techniques. PROS: affordable, consistent, creamy texture. Holbein produces two varieties of professional oil paints: Artists Oil Colours and Vernt Superior Artists Colours. Review:Grumbacher was the first oil paint that I painted with when I was a teenager. Though Daler-Rowneys professional line is well loved by our artists, it appears that its student grade product leaves much to be desired. you can always add any combinations of those later, or not. These oils are tested and approved by professional artists, ensuring that they are high quality and consistent. These paints contain the purest pigments you will ever see in a tube of oil. The creamy and buttery consistency glides onto the canvas with ease. Robert. Good blog Gary. For beginning artists who want a reliable brand that doesnt break the bank we recommend Blick Studio. Professional or Artist Grade oil paints usually have more pure pigment. They seem to be very much like regular oil in texture and feel. Artists who use his paints like the vibrancy of his colours, but some wish for a wider selection. Ive been using it for about 50 years with no loss of color. Student grades vary widely in quality and so research and experimentation is needed to find the right balance of cost verses quality that will fit your need. So if you use a very high quality white pigment, it will raise the entire quality of your painting. The Renaissance and Puro lines were well received by reviewers, however, many said that the Mediterranean line was lacking the same heavy pigment load that they had come to expect from Maimeris paints. Also, Classico oil paint which is Italian made and comparable to the Lucas Studio and also economical. Pingback: Gary Bolyers Top 5 Kick-Ass Art Blogs of All Time | Gary Bolyer Fine Art. PROS: flows well, consistent colour, mixes well, CONS: some separation in the tube, bright colors not recommended for realistic style of painting. They are very expensive. In the long run they are more than worth it. - Gary Bolyer, Pingback: How to Sell Art Online: Case Study - GARYBOLYER, For me its Blockx, schmincke and Rembrandt, Thank you VERY MUCH Gary for your excellent breakdown of your oil choices, prices and quality. I consider Sennelier to be an excellent oil paint. Gary, can you write a bit more about sennelier oil paints,its pros and cons. The pigment load is relatively high and the colours mix well with Grumbachers professional line, in addition to many other brands of oil paint. Sennelier prides itself on being the choice of many famous artists, including Paul Cezanne and Camille Pissarro, and it does have a number of contemporary fans. Review: I was first introduced to Georgian oil paints by Daler Rowney when I was a student at the Art Students' League of New York. Many of our artists loved Gamblin and M. Grahams commitment to ingredients that are better for the environment and for artists health. PROS: affordable, reliable colour, mixes well. I have been using Charvin oils (and Sennelier) for several years. As with many other premium brands of oil paint, Williamsburg comes with a hefty price tag. Ive thought about cutting it open and working in some oil and putting it back in the bottom of the tube. Walnut oil was preferred by many artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, during the Renaissance, because it prevents yellowing as a painting ages. We have divided the paints into two groups: professional and student grade. Review: I have had the chance to use this oil paint and found it to exceed all expectations. I know many readers might want to check into these and try them out. PROS: reasonably priced, mixes well, vibrant colours, CONS: caps break easily and leak oil, consistency not as fine as some other professional brands. I am using Daniel Smith brand. If you stay with these major brand names, you cant go wrong. You will certainly get the results you want without breaking the bank. Several reviewers noted that the substandard plastic tubes do not adequately maintain the quality of the paint over a long period of time, so this brand is not recommended for the occasional artist. They are valued because the price is quite reasonable and they have a lovely translucency thats unmatched by most other brands. He is a published author, award-winning artist, avid art blogger and artist advocate. Lukas 1862 are also good for the price. The company also offers a Renaissance, Mediterranean and Puro line of colours. Review:Winton Oil paints are my favorite pick for beginning painters. PROS: reasonably priced, good coverage, wide range of colours. Famous for his television program, The Joy of Painting on the American Public Broadcasting System (PBS), which aired during the 1980s and 90s, Bob Ross is still a recognizable name to the self-taught artist.