Oil Paint

Many artists prefer to use oil paints as opposed to acrylics or oil colors; this directory has been developed in order to provide both professional and novice artists a comprehensive site from which to select the oil paints and oil based paints and supplies that will add real quality to their next pieces.

Oil paints are extremely popular among artists of all skill levels and talents, and our directory specifically recommends that you use the best quality paints available – namely Holbein, Gamblin, M. Graham, Winsor & Newton, or Rembrandt. Starting out with quality oil colors and oil paints not only makes your artwork look better – but it will last longer, too. Rule number one: no discount oil paints if you want to create beautiful, long lasting artwork that you can be proud of for years to come.

Even though the five brands listed above are the highest quality oil painting supplies available in the industry, they are available in two grades – student quality and artist quality. For those beginning painters, or painting students, student grade quality oil paint will suffice. For those who consider themselves serious artists, then artist grade quality oil paint is necessary for the longevity of your pieces. The student grade is a bit cheaper, but not as vibrant and typically has synthetic substitutes in its makeup to cut costs. You will also notice a more limited spectrum of colors available with student grade oils than with artist grade oil paints. Nevertheless, many artists are quite happy with student grade oil paints and find they serve them well. Since we are a comprehensive artist supply directory, we ask you to be your own judge when choosing between student or artist grade oil paint for your masterpieces!

Artist grade oil paint can last for hundreds of years and features colors split into series such as numerical (1,2,3) or alpha (a,b,c). Higher number or letter will signify higher quality and better performing oil paints. Artist grade oil paints have more intense colors that tend to “go further” than their student grade counterparts because of the rich pigment used in creating them. Artist quality oil paints and supplies should be considered an investment in your art – not an expense to be born.

Oil paint in both student and artist grades is available as individually labeled bottles or in sets that feature a spectrum of colors. Quality oil painting sets usually contain some basic supplies that you’ll need for oil paintings, as well as a sturdy storage case that often doubles as an easel, and some palettes, and other items.

Oftentimes, artists use thinners to either make the oil paint easier to blend and use, or to make the piece dry faster. A good quality turpentine or linseed oil can be used for this purpose, although turpentine is usually frowned on by those artists who don’t have a great deal of ventilation in their studios. There are lots of low odor thinners available that work well also.
Check our directory for all of your art supplies before you buy – we are continuously updating our material to keep with our quest to introduce you to the high quality materials that can make a huge difference in a piece of art and a masterpiece that you’ll cherish forever.

Holbein Artist's Oil Colors Holbein ranks as one of the world's finest lines of professional oil colors. The formulation of each color is modified individually to compensate for the inherent differences in the working characteristics of pigments. The result is an even consistency across the entire palette of color. Holbein maintains its quality standards by test inspection of pigment purity, color tone, applicability and adhesion, physical stability, light stability, thermo-stability, and anti-bacterial stability. Pigments are ground from three to five times as necessary to achieve a universally consistent viscosity. The manufacturing process in each of the preparation, mixing, grinding, adjustment, and filling stages is monitored by reference to optimum quality standards.

Gamblin Artist's Oil Colors Gamblin Artists Oils are based on alkali refined linseed oil as a binder. It yellows significantly less than cold pressed linseed oil, the traditional binder in oil paints, and makes a strong, flexible paint film. Robert Gamblin has sought out the finest grades of pigment available (yes, there are differences). He has constructed a paint of exceptional durability in a color palette that is proof of his devotion to painter's real concerns. All colors are mixed and packed by a dedicated crew of 20 employees in their sun-drenched (at least when we visited) factory in Southeast Portland. Robert's concern with the longevity of oil paint has led him to national recognition and extensive collaboration with groups such as the National Gallery in Washington, DC. Recently, Gamblin was commissioned to formulate a custom gold finish that was applied to the entire ceiling of the newly rehabilitated Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Robert Gamblin is evangelistic about creating safe environments and work habits for oil painters. We carry all of Gamblin's safe solvent related mediums. We encourage you to check out the extensive information on personally and environmentally responsible studio practices available from Gamblin. This is a paint you can trust from a company we believe in. Made with the finest refined linseed oils, each color retains the unique characteristics of the pigments, including tinting strength, undertone, and texture.

M. Graham Oils Artist and master paintmaker Art Graham put years of experience at other companies behind him and started his own business based on his own vision and values. The result is a paint, manufactured without fillers or additives, that goes back to some of oil painting's finest traditions. Graham creates fine artist oils in small batches, using his knowledge to bring out the finest color from each pigment! Each color is rich and saturated, with the highest possible mass tone and tinting strength. Most colors are based on a single pigment. Art Graham took his new colors back to the roots of oil painting in Italy and Flanders by using walnut oil as a binder. Walnut oil has been used interchangeably with linseed oil for over a thousand years. It flows more freely, and has less tendancy to crack or yellow. Today it is known that Renaissance masters such as Da Vinci and Dürer generally favored walnut oil over linseed oil.

Winsor & Newton Artists' Oil Colors Unmatched for purity, quality, and permanence, Winsor & Newton oils use only the finest pigments. Maximum quality control throughout all stages of manufacture plus the selection of the most suitable drying oils and pigment dispersion method ensure that each color's properties are preserved. Because each color contains the maximum pigment consistent with good handling qualities, it achieves the optimum tinting strength when reduced with white. Artists' Oil Colours remain soft and wet for several days, allowing rework. All colors dry to the touch in 2–12 days. Winsor & Newton has developed permanent alternatives for the less durable traditional colors, without compromising the handling properties of oil colors. Of the 120 colors in the range, 119 are now classified as "permanent for artists' use," which aids the longevity of paintings.

Rembrandt Artists' Oil Colors Rembrandt Artists' Oil Colors are manufactured to exacting professional quality standards in Apeldoorn, Holland. They respond to the brush with a buttery feel, and have a noticeable brilliance and color intensity rarely seen anywhere in the world. Rembrandt Oils are highly durable and are produced with the highest color strength possible, using valuable, costly, pure pigments. The pigments are ground to extreme fineness in a binder consisting of the purest linseed or safflower seed oil, resulting in an oil paint whose texture is exceptionally smooth, creamy, and even.

Sennelier Etude Art Student Oil Colors Gustave Sennelier created the palette of colors used by Cézanne, Pissaro, Bonnard, Picasso, and others. Now the makers of the acclaimed Sennelier Extra Fine Artist Oils have created these student oil colors as an economical medium for teaching the techniques of the masters. These vibrant and intense colors resist yellowing and feature excellent lightfastness. The buttery texture allows smooth brushwork in thick application or glazing. In the tradition of fine sketching oils, they closely match the working characteristics of their famous "parent" colors. The selection is more limited, and the more expensive colors such as the cobalts and cadmiums are recreated as hues that blend modern pigments. Primary colors are Cadmium Yellow Light Hue, Cerulean Blue Hue, and Cadmium Red Deep Hue.

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