Oil paints have been around for centuries. Artists have abundant choices, from affordable student-grade tubes to pricier professional-tier premiums. How do you decide which tier is right for you, and how do you know if it’ll be worth your money?
Expensive oil paints
are worth it if you’re a professional artist and know how to use oils efficiently. To decide if it is worth it, think about what skill level you are currently at and the qualities you value most in oil painting. Then, plan your budget accordingly.
Below, I’ll explore the differences between the two categories of oils and take you through the factors to consider when deciding if splurging on oil paints is worth your money. So, Are Expensive Oil Paints Worth It? Let’s start by talking about their differences to understand the associated cost.
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The Difference Between Expensive and Cheap Oil Paints
Is expensive always better? Ultimately, the answer depends on what you want to achieve as an artist.
While more expensive oils have better material composition, paying more for paint doesn’t mean it’ll consistently deliver superior results. Most people are unable to tell the lower-grade paints apart from the higher-end ones after the artwork has dried.
Essentially, longevity is the most significant distinction between the two types of paints. Pigmentation matters less in the long run, as you can adjust color intensity through the mix and match process.
Student-grade paints have a wider variety in terms of quality, so you’ll need to research and test to see what fits your needs. Conversely, artist-grade paints are slightly more exclusive, commonly cataloged into six series in ascending order of rarity and cost.
Decide What Kind of Oil Paint Suits You
There are many brands for you to choose from when deciding what to buy for your canvas. Only you’ll know what qualities you’re looking for when determining the right paint for you.
Know What Type of Painter You Are
Are you a budding beginner or a professional artist? Depending on what skill level you’re at can determine the type of paints you may want to use.
For Beginners in Oil Painting
When starting out, you’ll want to pick the most economical route to get into oil painting.
According to artist Emily Clarke, owning just a few colors from a respected brand will suffice — consider getting the primary colors, white and burnt umber. This way, you can learn how to mix a broad color spectrum while saving costs on paint.
Starting with inexpensive paints reduces financial waste as you experiment with oil painting techniques. As the cost is low, student-grade oils will encourage you to create more expressive brushstrokes by using more paint, helping you nurture your painting style.
For Professionals in Oil Painting
Professionals will have to evaluate their options more diligently. As skilled artists, they accumulate technical skills that can help dictate which brands complement their art style.
Artists invest in expensive paints because they offer high pigmentation and permanence, which enhance the painting experience and extend the artwork’s life. However, sometimes cheaper paints are preferred because of the lower pigment saturation, which is appropriate for impasto brushwork.
If you intend to purchase artist-grade oils, think about whether you need a complete set or just a few select colors. You can use different brands of oils on your palette and save the high-end paints for when you want an intense, clean pigment.
Alternatively, you can learn to make oil paints at home by mixing ground pigment with a drying oil.
Know What Goes Into the Pricing of Oil Paint
The main difference between lower-end and top-shelf oils is the materials used in production, which will translate to the quality of your painting. Learning about the properties of good oil paints helps you handle the paint better to adapt to your painting preferences.
When deciding what oils to buy, the main qualities that artists are after are pigmentation, lightfastness, and permanence.
Pigmentation
Pigments are a cost-bearing and significant ingredient in oil paints, as they’re responsible for giving the color its vibrancy.
Generally, top-tier oils contain up to 75% pigment. However, since natural pigments are scarce, lower-grade oils use fillers or synthetic hues to compensate for the lack of color. This disparity in pigmentation is the most influential factor in deciding the price point of oil paints.
Lightfastness
When thinking about lightfastness, the question at hand is: how long do I want my painting to last?
Lightfastness measures how well paint pigments resist fading under prolonged UV light exposure in day-to-day circumstances. The better the lightfastness of the oils, the longer the color of your masterpiece will last, and the higher the quality and cost of materials used.
To give you some perspective, the vibrancy of historical artworks such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Klimt’s The Kiss has stood the test of time due to the strong lightfastness of the paints used.
Permanence
According to paint manufacturer Winsor & Newton, permanence is the oils’ longevity when applied to canvas or paper with a paintbrush, assessed over time in a glass casing in a dry room under normal atmospheric conditions.
Lightfastness is considered a property of permanence in paints. Therefore, the permanent quality of oils is influenced by UV light and the chemical composition of binders and pigments used.
Generally, paints with higher permanence ratings are costlier because manufacturers use components with better chemical stability.
Final Words
Are expensive oils worth more than cheaper ones? Not always. Sometimes, budget-friendly paints can deliver equally satisfying results as costly paints.
To determine which oils are best, think about your skill level at present and the pigmentation, lightfastness, and permanence properties of oil paints.
These will help you decide what the best options are for you. However, it all boils down to personal preference and the size of your budget. Cheaper paints can get the job done just as well as expensive ones, as long as you know how to make the best of them.
Sources
- Business Insider: A Liter of Oil Paint Can Cost $1,100 — Here’s Why It’s So Expensive
- Fine Art Tutorials: Best Oil Paint Brands
- My Modern Met: 13 Best Oil Paints for Beginners and Professionals
- Old Masters Academy: How to Choose Oil Paints
- Virtual Art Academy: A Guide to How to Choose Oil Colors
- Winsor & Newton: Terms Explained