Blue Ridge Oil Paint Brand

[Barbara WC]

I don’t see this brand often mentioned.

Anyone here use this Blue Ridge? What do you think?

What is the texture like- is it stiff out of the tube and need medium to spread more easily on the canvas, or is it more creamy and spreadable and can be used straight from the tube? Or, I doubt this is the case, is it very soft, almost runny out of the tube?

I am new to oils, and just fleshing out a palette. I really like M. Graham’s so far, but there are a few pigments in their line that I am not crazy about (at least in their watercolor paint line- like their quin rose- too acidic orangey pink to me, and I don’t care for their burnt sienna in watercolor). Right now I only have 3 MG tubes in my possession- yellow ochre (not crazy about this hue), Burnt Umber (nice) and Titanium white.

I bought one tube of Gamblin a couple of days ago- not too impressed with texture and stupidly, I bought a Perm. Aliz Crimson which in my opinion is a bad mix. I wasn’t paying attention to the label when I bought it (they use Anthraquinone Red, PR177 mixed with phthalo emerald PG36, and this combo looks nice out of the tube, and tinted with white, but is a horrible mixer with other colors in my opinion). I know it’s not fair to judge a line of paint based on one tube, and maybe this one isn’t the best example…

I was surprised to see Michael Harding and Williamsburg for sale at my local independent art supply store, and HAD to try a tube of each- but for my needs right now, M. Graham and Blue Ridge have price points that I’m happy with. The local art store also sells Vasari and Old Holland, but they were way out of my price range as a beginner oil painter. But I’m not a novice to art, or to painting, and want to use good quality paints… I liked the textures of the Williamsburg and Michael Harding okay, but liked them more with a drop of walnut oil added to the paint before using…

I think one reason I like M. Graham is perhaps the walnut oil- it is a little slippery I’ve read. I have been enjoying using the M. Graham directly from the tube with no additions for alla prima painting…

I read someone mention Blue Ridge here in my post searches, and saw a couple of people review the paint (thanks yellow oxide!). But wonder if anyone else has had a chance to try more of their paints recently?

Blue Ridge has some nice earths I’m interested in trying, and reasonable prices on their entire line of paint. They use a mix of linseed oil and walnut oil, which sounds interesting to me.

I was read to place a decent sized order of M. Graham paint, and will still be ordering some of their paints, but Blue Ridge caught my eye.

Thanks.

Barbara
https://barrighiart.wordpress.com/

[stapeliad Moderator, NYC]

Blue Ridge is fantastic paint and Eric is a great guy. :thumbsup:

Lady Mars Orange Marmalade Stapleford
Moderator: OIls, Pastels, Plein Air
Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde

[Barbara WC]

Stapeliad-

Is the paint out of the tube firm, like a lot of oil paints seem to be, or a little more spreadable straight out of the tube?

Do you have any favorite Blue Ridge colors?

Barbara
https://barrighiart.wordpress.com/

[stapeliad Moderator, NYC]

It is a very nice workable consistency. I don’t have a favorite.

Lady Mars Orange Marmalade Stapleford
Moderator: OIls, Pastels, Plein Air
Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde

[Bradicus]

Barbara,
I use Blue Ridge Oils and they are one of my favorites.
Also have M. Graham, MH, rembrandt and grumbacher, many other.
But these 5 make up the bulk of what I paint with. MG and Blue Ridge(BR) are my fav out of the bunch.

BR are a bit more variable in consistancey than the big names, but overall they are semi soft and very well pigmented. About in line with MH, Rembrandt and Gamblin.
Mgraham and grum are softer.

The quality vers the value is probibly the best you will find IMO. And they are very high quality. They have been placed by some as above artist grade, but the bottom of high-end professional grade, and I think thats fair. Makes them more usable to me personally. I dont like phthalo like stength in my paints.
BR use 25%walnut and 75% linseed except whites which are walnut and poppy I believe.

The are also 40ml instead of 37, which is better value too. But often overlooked.

I have many many colour from them.
FUB
Cobalt Blue
Cerulean
Oxide green
B. Sienna and umber
Trans oxide yellow and red
Yellow ochre
Cad orange
Cad red
Naphtol red
A/C permanent, a really close mix, IMO
Cobalt violet
And my fav, indian yell py110

I dont use all those on my everyday palette, of coarse!

A great buy, IMO, with no reservations,
Brad

[Barbara WC]

Thank you Brad! This is just the type of information I was looking for!

I will definitely be placing an order- I was surprised at the good value of the paints- I too did notice the 40 mL tubes, and the paints are in line, some pigments even lower priced, than M. graham.

I will try out their Indian Yellow- I like that pigment in watercolor painting, and glad to hear you think it’s a good one. And thanks for the info on the AC perm- the Gamblin version I bought has green in it, and doesn’t mix well- the BR version makes more sense to me for mixing…

I also am going to try their red and yellow Raw Sienna versions…

Thanks again Brad!

Barbara
https://barrighiart.wordpress.com/

[Dana Design]

If you do a search for Blue Ridge, you’ll find many threads attending to it.

When life hands you lemons, add some tequila, a sprinkle of salt and call me!

[Bradicus]

Barbara,
You are welcome.
Eric Silver is the owner/operator and he is pretty quick to return emails.
He welcomes any questions and concerns. Pretty cool when you can talk to the guy grinding your paint!

[email][email protected][/email]

One another note: if you dont care for BR A/C permanent(which is beautiful IMHO, with that unlikely tinge of blue in the smokey magenta mass) after you try, because its a mix.
Try rembrandts Permanent Madder Deep. It isnt the exact same right out of the tube(but close)but a dead ringer in mixes. Its a single pigment pr264.
I like and use both. The Blue Ridge is quite a bit stronger.

Cheers,
Brad

[Bud Ralls]

After painting 70yrs now in oils, i started out with grumbacher, and some others but my choice now has been Blue Ridge still go back with grumbacher on some paintings.
painting everyday now at 85yrs of age in my studio, my sales are still word of mouth after all the yrs. of some not so good work i still find time to learn from painters on this great wet canvas. so many good painters here. hope some day to show some of my work. God Bless….Bud

Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things. - Edger Degas

[Dana Design]

After painting 70yrs now in oils, i started out with grumbacher, and some others but my choice now has been Blue Ridge still go back with grumbacher on some paintings.
painting everyday now at 85yrs of age in my studio, my sales are still word of mouth after all the yrs. of some not so good work i still find time to learn from painters on this great wet canvas. so many good painters here. hope some day to show some of my work. God Bless….Bud

Yay, Bud! Keep painting and show us some work if you can. Good to have you here.

When life hands you lemons, add some tequila, a sprinkle of salt and call me!

[Barbara WC]

Brad-

Thanks for the perm. AC recommendations. I am getting really excited to try the BR paints! Eric wrote on his website that he is out of town this week but will be back on Monday. I will probably place an order over the weekend. The problem I’m having right now is choosing from all the wonderful choices he has! Glad to hear the customer service is great

Bud-

I’m glad to hear a recommendation for Blue Ridge from such a long time painter!

I’m half your age, and can only hope to still be in the studio everyday like you are when I reach your age! And Lucky You- I wish there was time in my day to get into the studio every day!

Thanks everyone! I’ll be placing an order this weekend. I got a couple more tubes of M. Graham yesterday at my local Dick Blick, and will be supplementing what I got with the Blue Ridge colors. The price is right on both of these brands for me… I really like the texture of the M. Graham, looking forward to trying the Blue Ridge. part of why I want to try them is the small scale aspect compared to the larger companies… I always like to support the smaller producers of my art supplies when I can…

Barbara
https://barrighiart.wordpress.com/

[Author]

Posts