Back in November, the same question was asked about watercolour paints (see POLL: Which are the best artist-quality watercolour paints?) and I got the impression people found the poll very useful - notwithstanding it had a major hiccup!
At the end of the month I will also publish a new website which will contain:
- links to all the identified brands of artists' oil paints,
- an analysis of the brands
- views about the best brands of artist quality oil paints and
- links to relevant information about oil paint for artists (eg lightfastness and fugitive colours)
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| Oil Paints - by Schminke, Charvin and Blockx - in Green & Stone in Chelsea, London |
The brands I've identified as suitable for the poll are listed below - in alphabetical order.
I thought I knew most of them but kept searching and found a number of smaller operations of the 'artists colourmen' variety which are worth bringing to your attention. To this end I've also included the link to the manufacturer's brand site in the name of the paint in case any of you are unfamiliar with the brand.
- Art Spectrum Artists Oil Colours
- Blockx Artists' Oil Colors
- Blue Ridge Oil Colours
- Charvin Extra Fine Oils
- Daler Rowney Artists Oil Colours
- Daniel Smith Oil Paints
- Da Vinci Oil Colors
- Gamblin Artist Grade Oil Colors
- Holbein Artists Oil
- Kremer Pigmente Oil Colors
- Lukas 1862 finest artists' oil colour paints
- Maimeri Oil Colours
- M. Graham Oil Colors
- Michael Harding Handmade Artists' Oil Colours
- Old Holland Classic Oil Colours
- Pebeo's Fragonard extra fine oil paints
- Pebeo Huile d'Art super fine oil
- Pip Seymour Artists Oil Colours
- RGH Artists Oil Paints
- Roberson Artists Oil
- Robert Doak’s Oil Paints
- Royal Talens - Rembrandt Oil
- Royal Talens - Van Gogh Oil
- Rublev Artists' Oil Colors
- Schminke Mussini Finest Artists Resin Oil Colors
- Schminke Norma Professional Artists
- Sennelier Artists' Oil Colour
- Vasari Classic Artists’ Oil Colors
- Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors
- Winsor and Newton Artists Oil Colour
As per usual, the Opinion Poll will run until the beginning of the 31st March - with a report of the results being provided shortly thereafter.
You can find it in the right hand column - it's probably true to say that this month it's very hard to miss it!
Do please share your views on the oil paint you prefer and say why in a comment on this post.
Links to more of my information about oil paint, oil painting and paint supplies
Please note subscriptions only become live after you have verified the link in the email you will receive
I use 'Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Colour' oil paint with the slow replacement addition of other brands of water mixable oil paint. I need to use this type of paint because of asthma but have concerns about the quality of water mixable paint. I would like to hear other artist's opinions.
ReplyDeleteDifficult choice! I use many of these brands depending on the color.
ReplyDeleteIn the end I voted for RGH because of the price-quality ratio, their fabulous customer service and the fact that I can choose which oil I want my whites ground in, no one else offers that. I also love that I can order pots and tube it up as needed. LOVE this company.
Looking forward to seeing the poll results. I'm sure most painters, like myself, mix brands through trial and error depending on the color.
KAMA Pigments, a Montreal based company, is my current favourite oil paint, but is not listed in your poll. Most recently, some of their products are being stocked in the Sennelier store in Paris.
ReplyDeleteI use several different brands, depending on specific colours that I'm used to.
A poll like this is very subjective and some artists are swayed by pretty packaging, romantic colour names and brands that well known artists use, instead of what is learned by trial and error in making choices for paint and sticking with them.
I too believe that most people likely use a variety of brands.
To be honest ... on my route to becoming the Best Painter in the World ... I have just finished making the easel, but not actually used any paint yet. Therefore I am following the outcome of this poll with interest. As I know zilch about oil (or painting.)
ReplyDeleteI found your other poll results, and as a consequence, 2 minutes ago, ordered Weber's, 'Brushwork Essentials,' and Creevy's, 'The Oil Painting Book'. I picked out, 'The Practise of Tempera Painting,' by Thompson because the idea of mixing my own paint sort of fits in with my character!
So as you can see I really do appreciate all the work you have put in on our behalf, thank you very much.
When I become the Best Painter in the World, you can take a lot of the credit ...or, know that you have influenced my bookshelves.
I am an Old Holland fan, all the way. I have a few tubes of Vasari, Williamsburg and W&N, but the pigment density just doesn't compare. :-)
ReplyDeleteI currently used the cheap Windsor and Newton "Winton" line. Not so much because of the price, but because at 5 months pregnant and with a 2 year old as well, I just can't have highly toxic cadmium's, leads and all those other goodies that apparently make for such wonderful colours around the house. So, I purchase all of the toxic colours as "hues" which are artificial mixtures without the heavy metals. I have also had to switch to cleaning up and thinning paint with walnut oil, no solvents.
ReplyDeleteIt was a choice between Daler Rowney Artists Oil Colours and Winsor and Newton Artists Oil Colour because of the consistency of quality of both brands and quality verses price dialectic. In the end I chose W&N.
ReplyDeleteI quite often use Griffin Alkyd oil paints. Does that count as oil paint?
ReplyDeleteBut nothing compares to the lovely buttery quality of Windsor and Newton artists paints.
PS Thanks for a fabulous blog!
I use Griffin Alkyd oil paints quite a lot. Does that count? But nothing compares to the buttery quality of Windsor and Newton artists paints.
ReplyDeletePS Thanks for a fabulous blog!
For me, Sennelier provides the best pigments. They are more saturated than most I have tried, even Winsor Newton, which I find to be a good quality paint. Senneilier all the way.
ReplyDeleteI use a variety of brands, including student grade oil paints, which today are quite good. However, I have mostly used Beckers "A" (artist grade), which is not in your list. It is a Swedish brand, only used by Scandinavian artists.
ReplyDeletehttp://matsgunnarsson.com/Beckers-A_72dpi_EN.pdf
Mats
I use a variety of brands, including student grade oil paints, which today are quite good. However, I have mostly used Beckers "A" (artist grade), which is not in your list. It is a Swedish brand, only used by Scandinavian artists.
ReplyDeletehttp://matsgunnarsson.com/Beckers-A_72dpi_EN.pdf
Mats