OIL PAINT 101
Choosing the right paint can be really overwhelming…
If you’ve been in an art store, you know that there are OFTEN TIMES DOZENS of brands to choose from. Usually there will be paints that will range from a student grade, to a professional one.
If you haven’t read my blog post on the differences between the grades, I would recommend reading that first! It will help you understand what paint is best for you.
To sum it up for you, there are 3 grades of paint,
Student
Artist
Professional
(There is an entry/beginner grade but we won’t get into that as they are a very low quality and usually only offered in kits)
The biggest difference between the grades is quality, and therefore PRICE. If you are an Artist that is showing or selling your work, you should be using a professional grade product. Although there are some great student grade paints out there, the longevity of the paint in a professional quality is superior. Remember, you are spending hours, weeks, maybe even months on a piece. It is important to make sure you are choosing a paint that can do the job and last for future generations to enjoy.
In this entry, I’m going to be taking a dive deep into each ingredient that goes into a tube of oil paint and sharing some tips on what to look for so when you go out to buy your next tube of paint, you can make an informed decision.
Let’s start with the basics.
An oil paint is made up of…
Pigment
Binder (an oil in this case)
& possibly fillers but you will not usually find these in high quality paints. Fillers are used in student grade paints because it will reduce the amount of pigment needed. Therefore, the paint will be more affordable but the quality and longevity of the paint will take a hit
A LITTLE ON PIGMENT…
Why are some colours more expensive than others?
Pigment is what makes the colour of the paint. Different pigments come from a variety of sources which is why some colours may be more expensive than others. Look at your tube of paint and you will see ‘Series 1’ or ‘Grade 1’ (differs by brand written on the label).
These are the different price groups. A SERIES 1 colour for instance is the most easily sourced pigment and therefore the least expensive. A SERIES 6 on the other hand (or the highest series in that range) would contain pigments that are more rare such as the Cobalts. For this reason, you may see these colours with ‘hue’ written beside it. This means it is a synthesized version of the pigment.
SYNTHETIC IS NOT A DIRTY WORD! There are lots of paints out there today are synthesized for two reasons-
The original colour may no longer be available
Synthetic versions are safer to use. Organic pigments such as lead-white, cadmium, and cobalt would be considered toxic.
Synthetic does not necessarily mean it is a lesser quality, especially if it is an artist grade paint! You will still be getting a high degree of lightfast, and excellent working capabilities. Having said that, hue paints may not mix as well as a single-pigmented colours and here’s why…
In order to develop a ‘hue’, the manufacturer mixes multiple pigments to achieve a colour that is close to the original. The more colours you mix together, the closer you will get to the grayscale and ‘muddier’ it will look. So think of it this way. I am dealing with a tube of paint that already has 3 pigments in it, then I mix it with another colour that may have 2 pigments… That’s like mixing 5 colours together already!
Professional quality paints will have more single-pigmented colour options because artists are more likely to mix their own colours than use straight out of the tube. Therefore, they can intermix while maintaining gorgeous, vibrant colours. They also will have a higher-pigment concentration so you’ll need less paint to cover a surface which is why you’ll see a lot of Professional Grade paints come in smaller tubes.
Same name, different colours?
Manufacturers have the freedom to name the paint whatever they want! A Yellow Ochre in brand, may look completely different under another brand. For this reason, it is helpful to know how to read the CI (Colour Index) numbers on the label so you can see if the paints are made from the same pigment (or a mixture of pigments). Colour Index Names consist of two parts: the pigment code, and the number. These are 10 basic pigment categories.
PY = Pigment Yellow
PO = Pigment Orange
PR = Pigment Red
PV = Pigment Violet
PB = Pigment Blue
PG = Pigment Green
PBr = Pigment Brown
PBk = Pigment Black
PW = Pigment White
PM = Pigment Metal
The numbers that follow the pigment code are the exact identification number. There are way too many to list on here but if you really want to get into it, there is an excellent book by Ralph Mayer called, ‘The Artist’s Handbook of Materials and Techniques’. It is claimed to be the ‘Artist’s Bible’ and it REALLY is. It talks about the chemical and physical properties of pretty much any medium you can think of and has a full pigment catalog. You can also refer to the many pigment databases online that are really useful! I will link the book and a couple of databases that I have used below.
What is Lightfast and how important is it?
Lightfastness refers to the pigments resistance to light. It is the most important principle in choosing your paint if you are wanting your work to last. Some manufacturers may have different ways of labeling the lightfast. Here are some of the common scales that you will see.
Lightfastness I: Excellent
Lightfastness II: Very good
Lightfastness III: Fair
Lightfastness IV: Poor
Lightfastness V: Very Poor
_________________________
I (Excellent lightfast)
II (Good)
III (Poor)
_______________________
*** (Maximum lightfastness)
** (High lightfastness)
* (Reasonable lightfastness)
Professional grade paint should contain the MAXIMUM amount of lightfast throughout the colour range.
BINDERS
Pigment will start off as a solid, then is ground into a powder, mixed with the binder , and milled through steel rollers to create a thick smooth paste.
The most common binders used in oil paint are linseed oil, walnut oil, poppyseed oil and safflower oil. All of which, perform differently.
Linseed Oil
Very strong
Slightly Gloss
Dries quickly (awesome for underpaintings)
Yellow colour that can range from a slight tinge to a medium yellow colour. This is due to the impurities in the oil. This will cause your paint to yellow over time. A REFINED Linseed oil has less impurities and will look more clear. Therefore, less yellowing over time.
Walnut Oil
Similar drying time to Linseed oil
More glossy than linseed
Very strong
Less yellowing than linseed oil making it a popular choice for more pale colours
Rich, thick texture
Poppy Seed Oil
One of the more expensive oils
Non-yellowing
Slower dry time compared to Linseed so if you like a wet-on-wet technique this is a great oil for you
Not as strong as linseed so it should not be applied in thick applications because it could crack overtime
Safflower Oil
Similar to poppy seed oil but less expensive
Less tendency to yellow
Slower dry time compared to Linseed
Similarly to poppy, should not be applied in thick applications