Even though mixing the paint with some Zinc white is always a good indicator, the more vivid difference in the pigment volume would be to mix the same amount of paint with some neutral filler, like aluminum oxide. This is when you really see the difference. Also, many cheap brands use hues, which won’t show in your test. I can actually see Winton on your table looks decent, which in reality is not true. Besides the pigmentation, you should also consider lightfastness. It would also be a very good indication of the quality of paint if you’d make some mixes with reds and yellows. PY35 is a very obvious choice for your comparison.
I mixed with Titanium Zinc white. Winton is like melted crayons in a tube, you're right. I checked that every Cobalt Blue was labeled with PB28, although there is some variety within that and also some manufacturers are not honest about what is in the paint. Your other tests sound interesting, have you tried them? I'd be interested to see how they came out.
Honestly, I'm surprised at how well the cheaper brands did. I don't think I'd be disappointed in M. Graham, Gamblin, Lukas, or Utrecht (as an example). Charvin is a bit disappointing - do you know if this was their "fine" or "extra fine" oils?
Right? I made this chart for my students so they would have a good index of overall brand quality and was also pleased at how some of the other ones did. You do notice a difference in the very top tier, but happy to see you can get decent paint at an affordable price. on the chart I made for the whites I was surprised at how some of the cheaper brands did as well
@@marctrujillo711 Sometimes I feel a 80-90% of the price is branding, haha! Everyone knows Old Holland and they can demand Old Holland prices, you know?
Very valuable info, thank you for sharing! Is the Winton and Le Franc a cobalt blue hue? Because I don't think they have real cobalt in those lines. I have Talens Van Gogh genuine coblalt blue and was please to see that it performed not that badly, given that it is very affordable.
I checked the labels and all of these said they were Pb 28, Cobalt Blue, but I think a few are not. Steve Sheehan, who I took a materials class from would go and look at the paint under an electron microscope to see if they were cobalt molecules, but I don't have one of those! And, thank you!
@@marctrujillo711 I probably wouldn't be able to tell it it had the real cobalt pigment in it or not, like I am sure great artists can. I would like an electron microscope, I just don't know where I would put it 😊
Very useful information! Can I ask you a question? Surely you have a lot of experience, please advise the paint that can be used directly from the tube, with minimal mixing with mediums. That is, the paint is as similar in consistency as possible to Daler Georgian. It suits me best. It reminds me of a cream that doesn't run off the canvas and can easily be mixed with a stiff brush. it can also be compared to shaving foam, but still denser. Maimeri Classico I find too oily and quite dense and thick. It is also desirable that the paint has a shine after drying. What other paints have a consistency similar to Georgian?
Sennelier is designed to be used from the tube without medium, but I haven't found the quality to be as good in their oil paints as it is in their pastels. Even though I have experience with different paints my own preference is for a thicker paint that's very strong like Old Holland. I like it for travel and for plein-air, since the stiffness of the pain keeps it from sliding around on the pallet if it's in a backpack. I mostly use that, Michael Harding and Blockx, Blockx is a lighter viscosity paint as well and you might like to try it. Schmincke Mussini is designed to stay glossy when dry, you might like that as well, although it may be thicker than you like.
@@marctrujillo711 Thank you for your answer. What is your opinion about Lefranc and Maimeri puro ? And do you have any favorite colors that are definitely better from this particular manufacturer (although this question is probably already from the field of professional secrets).
This was an expensive chart to make, my school helped me by finding part of it and I have continued to add other brands afterwards. There are more brands on the chart now, but they don't include any of the ones that you are asking about now that I've shown you how to do it, you can make your own and include those brands and let me know the results you get compared to some of the default high-quality brands like Old Holland.
@@marctrujillo711 My comment was in no way a criticism. I became hooked on Old Holland as soon as I discovered them, they are a non pareil among oil paints. It's just that I've never heard of Norma, Permalba, Grumbacher, Richeson Shiva, Le Franc, Soho, RGH, Vasari, Vernet, ART Spectrum or Blue Ridge. Daler-Rowney paints are widespread, of excellent quality, and I unequivocally recommend them.
I would put the Daler -Rowney on the chart- I've actually added some since I've uploaded this, but RUclips won't let me update or post a photo to include them. I tested all the brands that were readily available to me and also tested some that students and friends had and traded them Old Holland for whatever they gave me in exchange.@@alangeorgebarstow
I can only get the XL paint, and they only have a "Cobalt Blue Imitation", so the comparison wouldn't be the same. Do they make a pure Cobalt with PB28?
@@marctrujillo711 was just clarifying that the swatch was the Puro line and not the Artisti line. The Artisti line is also great. Quite affordable here where I live and it’s comes in 60mls!
Thank you!!
You're welcome!
Even though mixing the paint with some Zinc white is always a good indicator, the more vivid difference in the pigment volume would be to mix the same amount of paint with some neutral filler, like aluminum oxide. This is when you really see the difference. Also, many cheap brands use hues, which won’t show in your test. I can actually see Winton on your table looks decent, which in reality is not true. Besides the pigmentation, you should also consider lightfastness. It would also be a very good indication of the quality of paint if you’d make some mixes with reds and yellows. PY35 is a very obvious choice for your comparison.
I mixed with Titanium Zinc white. Winton is like melted crayons in a tube, you're right. I checked that every Cobalt Blue was labeled with PB28, although there is some variety within that and also some manufacturers are not honest about what is in the paint. Your other tests sound interesting, have you tried them? I'd be interested to see how they came out.
FANTASTIC info. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this! Amazing to see all of the brands compared so closely. Cheers
Thank you!
Honestly, I'm surprised at how well the cheaper brands did. I don't think I'd be disappointed in M. Graham, Gamblin, Lukas, or Utrecht (as an example). Charvin is a bit disappointing - do you know if this was their "fine" or "extra fine" oils?
Right? I made this chart for my students so they would have a good index of overall brand quality and was also pleased at how some of the other ones did. You do notice a difference in the very top tier, but happy to see you can get decent paint at an affordable price. on the chart I made for the whites I was surprised at how some of the cheaper brands did as well
@@marctrujillo711 Sometimes I feel a 80-90% of the price is branding, haha! Everyone knows Old Holland and they can demand Old Holland prices, you know?
Very valuable info, thank you for sharing! Is the Winton and Le Franc a cobalt blue hue? Because I don't think they have real cobalt in those lines. I have Talens Van Gogh genuine coblalt blue and was please to see that it performed not that badly, given that it is very affordable.
I checked the labels and all of these said they were Pb 28, Cobalt Blue, but I think a few are not. Steve Sheehan, who I took a materials class from would go and look at the paint under an electron microscope to see if they were cobalt molecules, but I don't have one of those! And, thank you!
@@marctrujillo711 I probably wouldn't be able to tell it it had the real cobalt pigment in it or not, like I am sure great artists can. I would like an electron microscope, I just don't know where I would put it 😊
@@pjjmsn Right? It would be fun to look at all kinds of things with it! I wouldn't be able to recognize a cobaly molecule under on right now, anyway.
Very useful information! Can I ask you a question? Surely you have a lot of experience, please advise the paint that can be used directly from the tube, with minimal mixing with mediums. That is, the paint is as similar in consistency as possible to Daler Georgian. It suits me best. It reminds me of a cream that doesn't run off the canvas and can easily be mixed with a stiff brush. it can also be compared to shaving foam, but still denser. Maimeri Classico I find too oily and quite dense and thick. It is also desirable that the paint has a shine after drying. What other paints have a consistency similar to Georgian?
Sennelier is designed to be used from the tube without medium, but I haven't found the quality to be as good in their oil paints as it is in their pastels. Even though I have experience with different paints my own preference is for a thicker paint that's very strong like Old Holland. I like it for travel and for plein-air, since the stiffness of the pain keeps it from sliding around on the pallet if it's in a backpack. I mostly use that, Michael Harding and Blockx, Blockx is a lighter viscosity paint as well and you might like to try it. Schmincke Mussini is designed to stay glossy when dry, you might like that as well, although it may be thicker than you like.
@@marctrujillo711 Thank you for your answer. What is your opinion about Lefranc and Maimeri puro ? And do you have any favorite colors that are definitely better from this particular manufacturer (although this question is probably already from the field of professional secrets).
You have finally not given your preference. Which paint to buy?
For Cobalt Blue, I use Old Holland or Michael Harding.
I'm wondering why you didn't sample: Daler-Rowney (Artist's and Georgian), Langridge, Shin-Han, Isaru or Jackson's?
This was an expensive chart to make, my school helped me by finding part of it and I have continued to add other brands afterwards. There are more brands on the chart now, but they don't include any of the ones that you are asking about now that I've shown you how to do it, you can make your own and include those brands and let me know the results you get compared to some of the default high-quality brands like Old Holland.
@@marctrujillo711 My comment was in no way a criticism. I became hooked on Old Holland as soon as I discovered them, they are a non pareil among oil paints. It's just that I've never heard of Norma, Permalba, Grumbacher, Richeson Shiva, Le Franc, Soho, RGH, Vasari, Vernet, ART Spectrum or Blue Ridge. Daler-Rowney paints are widespread, of excellent quality, and I unequivocally recommend them.
I would put the Daler -Rowney on the chart- I've actually added some since I've uploaded this, but RUclips won't let me update or post a photo to include them. I tested all the brands that were readily available to me and also tested some that students and friends had and traded them Old Holland for whatever they gave me in exchange.@@alangeorgebarstow
Didn’t try Robert Doak?
RGH made Doak's paint for a while, although I'm sure Doak wouldn't admit it. They are about the same- good quality and pretty affordable.
You never tried Pebeo?
I can only get the XL paint, and they only have a "Cobalt Blue Imitation", so the comparison wouldn't be the same. Do they make a pure Cobalt with PB28?
Maimeri Puro?
Top row second from left at the start of the video. One of the first ones I tested. A little slippery, but good stuff.
@@marctrujillo711 was just clarifying that the swatch was the Puro line and not the Artisti line. The Artisti line is also great. Quite affordable here where I live and it’s comes in 60mls!
My bad for not labeling it completely- I haven’t tested the other line.
@@marctrujillo711 no worries ❤️.