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Paint Brand Preferences?

• One thing I want to know you might not want to answer publicly: what brand(s) of paint do you use/recommend? Do different brands offer variable quality--meaning do you go to Brand X  for one color, but Brand Y for others? 

                   Sidney Oliver

Forthwith my preferences based on my experience with paints:

• Watercolor Paints: 

When I began to paint, it seems that Winsor Newton had saturated the market or at least saturated the Knoxville market. Most everyone painted watercolors at the time and that’s what we used. Because Holbein (HSC) bought up the manganese supplies, as I mentioned in the post on limited palettes, I began buying some of their paints. I have some other brands from other manufacturers I was given when I demonstrated for Ampersand Art Supply at some trade shows. I wasn’t great at the demonstrating part, but I love it when manufacturing reps would give me paint and brushes because they wanted me to use their products.  Therefore, for watercolors, I would say Winsor Newton or HSC.

As I stated earlier in this blog, use the best paints you can afford. Not doing so means you are using more binder than actual paint and your work will not be true or accurate and will not stand up over time.

• Oil Paints:

If it’s locked in a glass case, it’s good paint. If you can afford it, buy it. Usually, the two brands locked in glass cases are Old Holland & Williamsburg. I think I have one tube of Old Holland and I wonder if it was given to me. I think I fear using it. Williamsburg, on the other hand, is superb paint-all made by hand. I love it and use it as often as possible.

Lesser Quality Oils-I do have a lot of other tubes from different manufacturers. I inherited my artist mother’s paints and she had mainly Winsor Newton with a little Rembrandt thrown in. I fell for a spiel on M. Graham oils and I do like them.

I love the white Sargent used on fabric and have even made a special trip to the National Gallery (70 miles away) to look at that white. Of course, I had to sneak in a Turner or two while there. At any rate, from research, Sargent used Lead White, which is more difficult to obtain now and probably not advisable health-wise.  

When paint comes out of the tube buttery, it has more binder. Thicker is better. Paint can be thinned with medium or loosened a little by working it with a palette knife.

Also, some colors are made only by some manufacturers and some pigments do vary from one manufacturer to another. For instance, I much prefer Indian Yellow from Williamsburg over some other brands I've seen. Manufacturers sometimes give their own name to some pigments. Sometimes it's confusing, but if you find what you like and what fits your style, there is no reason to become confused. Remember, you should be limiting your palette and you should be on intimate terms with each color. 

I want to reiterate that these are only my opinions. I do have other brands not mentioned above, but those brands aren’t predominant. I’m sure if you Google something like best oil paint brands you will be supplied with dozens of answers that will be far more scientific than mine. The ratio of binder to pigment will be provided and you can have a grand old time wallowing in the weeds.

Enjoy the process!

         Ruthie Windsor-Mann

This post is part of a series of Q & As between Ruthie Windsor-Mann and Sidney Oliver. 

We invite the reader to join in with other questions in the comments section. This needs to be interactive in order to work.

All photographs are by Ruthie Windsor-Mann unless otherwise credited.

Copyright 2019 Ruthie Windsor-Mann All Rights Reserved