Home Forums Explore Media Oil Painting The Technical Forum Which Oil Paint Brand Do YOU Recommend?

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  • #982744

    I’m just getting back into oil painting after a looong time away. I always used to use Windsor-Newton, but the salesperson at my local art store said that they are not so hot.

    Which PROFESSIONAL grade (lightfast) paints do you all prefer and why? Thanks!!!

    #995986

    Alot of people don’t like Winsor & Newton because they keep on raising their prices and the quality remains the same, but I still think they’re a fine Artists’ oil-not the best, but next in line to Old Holland, Blockx and Maimeri Puro; at least that’s my experience. Haven’t tried all the paints around, only those available in most major chains and mail order catalogues like Jerry’s, Daniel Smith and Pearl’s. I compared Winsor Newton’s Cad. Yellow Medium to Gamblin’s Cad. Yellow Med., since some of my fellow workers (I sell art materials) say Gamblin is as good as WN and the Winsor is much purer and brighter and I think a clean yellow is the most valuable color on the palette. Squeeze some Winsor out and compare for yourself. Good painting.

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    #995987
    KHH

        Originally posted by icefan13:
        [b]I’m just getting back into oil painting after a looong time away. I always used to use Windsor-Newton, but the salesperson at my local art store said that they are not so hot.

        Which PROFESSIONAL grade (lightfast) paints do you all prefer and why? Thanks!!![/b]

        I like Windsor-Newton Artist Oil Colors… better than others I’ve tried. I like the consistency. Some others seemed too wet, thinner.

        #995978

        I used to consider consistency a major factor in choosing my paints, but now I prioritize according to what’s IN the paint. Although consistency is certainly important, I have to consider the fillers, cleanliness of oil, kind of oil, quality of pigment, pigmentation, etc. etc. When I buy preground paint from Robert Doak, I buy it because he grinds only with high quality oil and high quality pigment (for the most part). Personally, I think he adds too much oil, but since it’s super easy to just drain out the excess, it’s no big deal. Paints that have fantastic shelf life is, as a fact, filled with mucho fillers. Great for shelf life, bad for artists.

        #995979
        blondheim12
        Default

            I like Old Holland, but they are expensive. I can’t always afford them.

            ——————
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            Linda Blondheim Art
            http://www.lindablondheim.com
            Blondheim Art and Stories
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            #995988

            Personally, I love Holbein. They’re expensive, but less expensive than Old Holland. Their pallette is a little higher key than traditional, though. They’re beautiful, however.

            Windsor-Newton artist oils are ok, but for the price? I often find that Gamblin or Utrecht makes a fine substitute, with a few exceptions. For instance, Gamblin’s cad yellow light is too greeny-neon for me.

            Still, I’d rather work with Holbein and Old Holland to the extent that I can afford it.

            #996107

            I used lots of different brands when i began to paint. But for years, i’ve painted with nothing than Old Holland. They are really the best. Some painters find them too stiff because they are acustomed to greasy oily extended paints very light-pigmented. Some others find it expensive. They are, indeed. But with one dark cobalt violet tube from Old Holland, you can make two or three Talens Rembrandt tubes of the so-calling same color, only by adding oil and fillers to the actual paint. You can experience yourself the comparison: buy the two brands of this color and look at the two paints. The facts will convince you.
            Buy directly the good paint. If you want it softer, dilute it with some turpentine or add some oil with a rheology modifier to make your paint as short as the pure one. With this brand you have only linseed oil and the maximum loading of pure pigment. Then if you want something else in it, you can add it by yourself. In this way, you know exactly what is in your paint and you have the choice of painting with pure unadultered materials or extending it – and then sacrifying the exact quality (lightfastness, ageing, mechanical film resistance, color purity…) you can sacrify, not another one.
            Some friends told me about Williamsburg paints made by Carl Plansky in NY. They seem to be as good as Old Holland, and since you live in USA they will be probably easier to find. May be less expensive because they don’t have to be shiped across the ocean. But I can’t confirm because I have never tried them.

            #995980

            Anyone have any experience with Art Spectrum Oils, from Australia?

            I’m placing a small order (8 150 ml tubes) from them tomorrow; they have some interesting colours, to add to the ‘mix’ of other paints I have: Grumbacher, Rembrandt, M. Graham, Utrecht, W & N…

            Keith.

            Forcing the waveform to collapse for two decades...
            http://www.syntheticskystudios.com
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, "Small Works", December 2019

            #996043
            dcorc
            Default

                Just to point out that this is a 5 year old thread which has been disinterred here.

                I’d also point out that there are several premium grade oil paint manufacturers now – local availability can vary.

                Keith, I should imagine several of our Aus and NZ painters have experience of the Art Spectrum Oils and can comment about them :)

                Dave

                #996132
                sbaraci
                Default

                    There are different paints that suit the different people with their styles and goals. I chose Norma by Schmincke paints, because they use high quality pigment and they feel wonderful. For me it was long search, I hope you can find what suits you the most soon. Also I hated Artist Spectrum and Artist Prism paints they did not feel right, bad quality pigment felt like student grade paints sometimes too oily sometimes felt like clay. I found that the Normas felt smooth, never too oily and could go long way.

                    #995981

                    Well, I’ve ordered the Art Spectrum paints, primarily in colours I can’t find in any other manufactuer’s line. I have a pretty serious collection of various oils, in various thicknesses, and never use paint ‘straight’ out of the tube, either in terms of unmixed, or without some oil and/or thinner added.

                    So, if I don’t like the consistency of the Art Spectrum paints, don’t worry.

                    I can fix that…

                    Keith

                    Forcing the waveform to collapse for two decades...
                    http://www.syntheticskystudios.com
                    Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, "Small Works", December 2019

                    #996054
                    gunzorro
                    Default

                        Keith — I’ve been curious for some time about the AS paints and recently started buying some. I have had good results with their acrylic clear gesso and Trisha in England has done some really great paintings on their primed colored papers (black, I think she used the most). So I bought a few of the “Australian” colors — leaf green, in light and dark, the leaf green bluish, the Red Gold, as well as transparent black. These colors are unique and very pleasant. I am impressed. Although these are blends of multiple pigments, they are very nicely done. That shouldn’t scare any OH fans — many OH colors have four or more pigments in them, but we still love those too! :) I am planning on ordering more, especially the clear, and a few others. I think you will be happy and I’d like to hear from you after you try them. Jim

                        #996031
                        Marty C
                        Default

                            Hi Keith,
                            I have used Art Spectrum for all my oils and really like them, although I have just bought some Archival oils on the recommendation of a friend of mine who has used them for some time. Pigment load is good, some colours seem to have a higher oil content than others but overall they are high quality oils. They have an “Australian ” range of colours to cover the Aussie landscape with its unique hues, but increasingly I find myself using just a cad yellow, permanent crimson, pthalo or um blue plus titanium white with burnt umber/burnt sienna making the occasional appearance. Price wise they are the very competitive in Australia. I think you will be very happy with them.

                            #995982

                            Thanks, gunzorro and Marty.

                            The paints have been ordered; can’t wait ’til they arrive.

                            I’ll let everyone know how I like them, after I’ve used them…

                            Keith.

                            Forcing the waveform to collapse for two decades...
                            http://www.syntheticskystudios.com
                            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, "Small Works", December 2019

                            #996243
                            borodin
                            Default

                                I am doing the same thing. At first I believe that it does not really matter which paint you use cheap or expensive. What matters is that you get back into it, remember, relearn, put paint – any paint on the canvas and see what evolves when you get back to where you were, or better then worry about the paint. I even dug up my old paints and am using those that are useable, and only purchased the three primaries. Good luck.

                                However, if you have lots, and lots, of money it really does not matter either, start with the cheapest.

                                Borodin:)

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