Best Oil Paints for Artists — Top 9 Picks in 2023
Looking for the best oil paints for your artistic creations? We have you covered!
Every artist will attempt to create oil-based art, and if you are among them, you will know it isn’t easy to create such fine artwork without the right oil paints. We have compiled a list of the best oil paints that blend well to help you make your art.
You don’t have to be an artist to be familiar with the Mona Lisa (1503) by Leonardo da Vinci. It’s the most famous piece of artwork in history. But do you know that this masterpiece was created using oil paints?
Not just that, but the majority of the world’s most famous paintings, like Lady with an Ermine (1489) by Leonardo da Vinci, Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1801 – 1805) by Jacques-Louis David, and the Old Guitarist (1903 – 1904) by Pablo Picasso were all created using oil paints.
Oil paints are slow-drying with pigment particles suspended in drying oil that harden when exposed to air into a colorful film.
Oil paint brings the vision of attractive colors that are gloriously thick and rich to live. Artists like oil paints because they make changing their artwork, combining colors, and adding a lot of detail simpler.
We adore oil paints for their light and deep colors, and our list combines the best ones for blending.
Before jumping into the list, quickly read the characteristics and types of oil paints so you choose the right one.
If you are interested you can visit our post on pastel pencils.
9+ Best Oil Paints in 2023
- Michael Harding Oil Paint — Best oil paint overall
- Sennelier Oil Paints — Best budget oil paint
- Williamsburg Oil Traditional Colors Set — Best value oil paint
- Gamblin Artists 1980 Oil Color — Best non-toxic oil paint
- MEEDEN Oil Paint Set — Best oil paint for professionals
- ZenART Oil Paints — Best oil paint with an amazing blend and excellent coverage
- Van Gogh Oil Colors — Best economical oil paint
- Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Paint — Best professional use oil paint
- Bob Ross Artist Oil Paint — Best beginners oil paint
What are the Best Oil Paints for Artists?
Michael Harding Oil Paint is the best oil paint available. Have a look at the table given below to find the comparison between various oil paints and choose the one that fits your requirements.
Types of Oil in Oil Painting
There are different types of oils used for oil paints. Some even use the painting medium to manipulate the drying time of each oil painting as the oils in these paints add to their opacity. The amount of opacity depends upon the kind of oil you add to it. The kinds of oil that you can use in oil paintings are:
- Linseed Oil: This oil is the most commonly used in oil painting. It produces a great feeling of transparency and a shiny appearance. Linseed oil is a great choice for painting with oil painting. There are three types of linseed oil to choose from: sun-bleached, stand oil, and thickened linseed oil.
- Poppy Seed Oil: This type of painting is best when you want to work with wet painting. The poppy seed takes several days to dry.
- Walnut Oil: Walnut oil gives a thin color to your oil paint. Walnut oil is also expensive and comes with a distinctive smell when you work on it.
- Safflower Oil: Safflower oil has the same characteristics as poppyseed, but it dries much faster than poppyseed.
Top 3 Most Popular Oil Paints
These are the three best-selling oil paints on Amazon right now:
9+ Best Oil Paints in 2023
1. Michael Harding Oil Paints
Best oil paints available
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 10.47 x 4.33 x 1.14 inches | Item Weight: 1.52 pounds | Item Volume: 40 Milliliters
If you are looking for oil paints that offer a great deal of vibrancy and accurate colors, Michael Harding’s is what you need.
We really liked these paints’ textures because they are creamy, buttery, and easy to handle.
Professional artists look for oil colors with rich pigment content that resists fading. We found Michael Harding’s oil color.
The fact that no fillers, extenders, or driers were added to this paint amazed us. One of the impressive features of Michael Harding’s oil color is that it prevents brittleness through increased drying time.
There are no driers in these colors, so they may take more time to cure when the application is thick. To optimize the curing time, you can set the colors in a warm room with good sunlight. The colors in the line are ground in refined cold-pressed linseed oil.
Artists looking for a wide range of colors will be disappointed with its limited color range.
The colors arrive in a handy box in 40mL tubes.
Pros |
Cons |
 High-quality paint |
 Expensive |
| No fillers |
Smaller color range |
| Resistance to fading |
|
| Buttery Consistency |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Michael Harding Oil paint was inspired by the Old Masters
- High pigment content with rich color are fade resistant
- Great coverage, buttery and easy to manipulate texture
- 10-color Desert Set of 40ml tubes
- Includes rich, earthy colors and Warm White
2. Sennelier Oil Paints
Best budget oil paints available
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 9.3 x 4.6 x 1.1 inches | Item Weight: 1.06 pounds | Item Volume: 21 Milliliters
If you are an artist, don’t you want to use the same paints as the masters? Painting on panels or canvases with them gives you a special feeling, doesn’t it?
Introducing Sennelier, not the oldest brand available, but a remarkable brand all the same. Great artists like Pablo Picasso, Paul Cezanne, and Camille Pissarro used Sennelier paints.
We were impressed to learn that Safflower oil is the primary ingredient in preparing these paints. This oil prevents yellowing and provides your painting with a silky-smooth finish.
However, the negative side is that it causes paint separation and dries out the paint faster than linseed oil.
Contemporary artists select a brand like Sennelier as the source of inspiration comes from great painters. Sennelier offers value and a buttery texture.
Fast-drying paints are always welcome because they are ideal for layers in the foundation process of painting. Sennelier features twice-as-fast drying time.
The quality and price of the paint make it attractive for students and professionals. You can purchase Sennelier paint online, but if you live in Paris, you may visit their store across the street from the Louvre.
Pros |
Cons |
| Pigmented |
Safflower oil causes paint separation |
| Has historical value |
|
| Paint dries quickly |
|
| Affordable |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Made with safflower oil for less yellowing
- Fast drying time
- Satin finish
- 21ml
3. Williamsburg Oil Traditional Colors Set
Best value oil paints available
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 6.2 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches | Item Weight: 12 ounces | Item Volume: 40 Milliliters |
Though oil painting is not an easy medium, there is no lack of oil paints for beginners. The Williamsburg handmade oil paint set is the perfect starting place for artists who are looking forward to experiencing the traditional color range with great quality paint.
We admire each color as they enhance the beauty and luminosity specific to that particular pigment, so some colors feel gritty, and others are extremely smooth.
Williamsburg is handy for artists looking for granular textures, but for others looking for a smooth finish without a rough texture, it is not ideal.
We chose this paint because the materials manufacturers use are hand measured, so every ounce is scrutinized to give you a professional painting experience.
In a nutshell, for artists who are looking for quality oil paints, Williamsburg is a great choice.
Pros |
Cons |
| Massive color selection |
Paints have a granular texture |
| Established brand |
Expensive |
| Great color chart |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Contains eight 11ml colors and one 37ml tube of Titanium White
- Cadmium Lemon - Cadmium Yellow Med - Cadmium Red Med - Alizarin Crimson
- Ultramarine Blue - Cerulean Blue - Raw Sienna - French Raw Umber
- Handmade Oil Colors known for their excellent lightfastness
- Great gift idea for any artist looking to use quality oil paints
4. Gamblin Artists 1980 Oil Color
Best non-toxic oil paints
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 9.3 x 4.6 x 1.1 inches | Item Weight: 1.06 pounds | Item Volume: 21 Milliliters
If you are a versatile artist looking for oils that will support any style of painting, Gamblin is a great choice.
Gamblin is a brand that makes studio safety its priority. They create paints, mediums, and solvents with low toxicity.
When it comes to providing good quality oil paints with an amazing selection of colors, Gamblin is hard to beat. Artists choose Gamblin over others because the paint texture is consistent, thick, and buttery.
You need not mix any solvents when you are working with these colors. By using linseed oil, you can clean, thin, and polish them. You can easily wipe and wash the paint with soap and water or a brush cleaner.
We found that Gamblin oil paints use alkali-refined linseed oil as a binder to prevent it from yellowing over time.
Another important thing that you must note in the Gamblin set of colors is that there are 10 different versions of white in cool and warm tones and are all non-toxic.
The pigment load and consistency are less expensive than some of the other brands in this category.
The only drawback is that the individual tubes cost more, so we suggest you use the Gamblin oil paint set instead.
Pros |
Cons |
| Low toxic level |
The caps of these paints are defective |
| No odour |
|
| Ideal for artists with health conditions |
|
| Affordable |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- 101100
- 729911011003
5. MEEDEN Oil Paint Set
Best oil paint for professionals
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 13.54 x 9.37 x 3.9 inches | Item Weight: 4.91 pounds | Item Volume: 50 Milliliters
If quality and price are your top priorities, then MEEDEN Oil Paint Set is the right choice for you. It comes with the perfect balance of artist-grade oil paints at affordable prices.
This set fulfills every artist’s expectations by using precious raw pigments and linseed oil in perfect ratio. These paints will be a delight for both students and professionals.
With 13 artist-grade oil paints and a 10-piece hog bristle brush set, this kit is a savior for artists.
Being an artist-grade oil paint, it is disappointing to know that it comes with a lackluster pigment texture. However, this can be ignored when considering its strong colors and coverage.
Overall, this could be ideal if you are looking for unique art supplies at an affordable price.
Pros |
Cons |
| Strong color power |
Lackluster pigment texture |
| 100% Non-toxic |
|
| Affordable |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- ONE SET TO ENTER: Has all thing you need to experience the joy of the real classic way - oil painting. 13 x 50ml artist-grade oil paints, 10-piece hog bristle brush set, 1 x canvas pad(9'' x 12'', 10...
- ARTIST GRADE OIL PAINTS: MEEDEN oil paint strictly abides by the artist's highest standards, using precious raw pigments and linseed oil in perfect ratio to fulfill a wonderful experience. MEEDEN...
- UPGRADED BRISTLE BRUSHES: Handcrafted of high-quality hog bristle, and solid rosewood, these 10 artist-grade brushes feature strong elasticity and strength, specially designed for professional oil...
- EXTRA ACCESSORIES: With a 9"x12" 100% India cotton-made canvas pad, the 350gsm grammage can hold all methods smoothly and brightly. The paintbrush washer has a spring brush holder, and a removable...
- MEEDEN for ULTIMATE SATISFACTION: MEEDEN is more like a family with hundreds of members wholly dedicated to helping you succeed in your artistic endeavors through high-quality, unique art supplies....
6. ZenART Oil Paints
Best oil paint with an amazing blend and excellent coverage
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 10.24 x 5.51 x 1.38 inches | Item Weight: 1.54 pounds | Item Volume: 50 Milliliters
If fundamental oil colors are what you need, ZenART Oil Paints is a great start because they come with limited palettes so you can choose one that fits your needs.
Whether a student or a master, ZenArt oil paints are easy to use, and you will see a difference in your work. It comes with a high load of the finest non-toxic pigments, and linseed oil decreases the drying time.
Unlike other brands that give a splash of oil first, ZenArt ensures artists experience richly soft, buttery consistency oil colors right out of the tube.
They blend beautifully, providing vibrancy and excellent coverage. Because they are easy to brush and mix, ZenArt is also an excellent choice for beginners.
The only downside is that they do not sell individual tubes except for a set of whites. Artists who run out of one color must buy the entire set again.
Pros |
Cons |
| Great value for money |
No individual tubes available |
| Smooth buttery consistency |
|
| Beginner-friendly |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆… using few essential colors to mix almost any color brings a...
- 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆-𝗧𝗼-𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮-𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮 (𝗪𝗲𝘁-𝗜𝗻-𝗪𝗲𝘁)… professional grade oil-paints, with high load of the finest non-toxic...
- 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗲 & 𝗩𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗜𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝟱𝟬 𝗠𝗹 𝗧𝘂𝗯𝗲𝘀… using single pigments where possible to ensure vibrancy and...
- 𝗧𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗻-𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 & 𝗘𝗰𝗼-𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆… these oil paints are safe to use, containing only non-toxic pigments, free from harmful driers and solvents...
- 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗱𝟰𝟮𝟯𝟲… this oil paint set conforms to the toughest international standards which attests to the professional quality of...
7. Van Gogh Oil Colors
Best economical oil paints
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 13.98 x 14.37 x 3.15 inches | Item Weight: 7.72 lbs | Item Volume: 10366 Cubic Centimeters
Van Gogh Oil Colors offers strong and intense colors while coming in the range of economical oil paints.
We admire the colors because they are of good quality and have the same uniformity and thickness.
The entire range of colors has excellent lightness and does not use fugitive pigments that will prevent your painting from changing in appearance over time.
When you squeeze the paint from the tube, the Van Gogh colors are thin which allows them to spread across the canvas quite easily, but it is troublesome for artists who prefer a thicker consistency.
The broad color range is vibrant, so they might not be suitable for artists with realistic painting styles.
Pros |
Cons |
| Good pigment load |
Soft consistency |
| Larger tubes with good value for money |
Might not be suitable for professional artists |
| Affordable |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Dutch-made Van Gogh oils have a buttery consistency with excellent tinting strength.
- All colors have a high level of pigmentation, uniform level of gloss, and consistent thickness.
- This range of oil colors has good to excellent lightfastness ratings.
- These oil paints are at an artist grade quality with student grade prices.
- See the description for content details of this set.
8. Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Paint
Best professional use oil paints
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 1.25 x 9.15 x 4.9 inches | Item Weight: 9.2 Ounces | Item Volume: 21 Milliliters
Wondering where to start trying oil painting? Winton oil color paints are the best choice for beginners. The Winton is a traditional range of oil colors that are not expensive.
Winton oil color paints are formulated for students, beginners, and professional artists who require a large range of colors.
This range of colors is the result of the application of traditional skills and modern color chemistry and is of excellent quality. Winsor & Newton Winton creates these paints by using moderately priced pigments while providing quality and affordability.
Rather than reducing the pigment load and compromising the color performance, a high level of pigmentation provides a good tint to the paintings. The Winton range of colors is much stronger than most of the artists’ quality ranges.
The glossiness of Winton is due to the pigments used so that the gloss level varies across individual colors.
Making a proper selection of surfaces and solvents will help you give your oil painting a glossy finish.
Pros |
Cons |
| Beginner oil paint |
Pigment content is lesser |
| Slight stiff consistency |
|
| Affordable |
|
| Mixes well |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Sold as a Set of 10 colors
- Individually formulated colors
- High quality oil colors at a moderate price
- Lightfast, permanent and intermixable with other brands
- Convenient 21ml. tubes
9. Bob Ross Artist Oil Paint
Best beginners oil paints
Paint Type: Oil | Package Dimensions: 1.97 x 8.86 x 13.39 inches | Item Weight: 2.65 pounds | Item Volume:
Bob Ross is a great artist whose life and work are a source of inspiration to millions of people. These oil paints are created for beginners to develop realistic paintings within a few hours.
These oil paints are mid-range priced ones and their pigment load is not high when compared to artist-grade paints.
The consistency of these oils is extremely soft, which makes the mixing of oils extremely easy.
Bob Ross has a limited color selection of eight tubes: Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Bright Red, Alizarin Crimson, Van Dyke Brown, Phthalic Blue, Sap Green, and Midnight Black.
Though they might have a limited range of oil colors, the available oil paints are sufficient for beginners to start their artwork.
Pros |
Cons |
| Beginner-friendly |
Limited color selection |
| Vibrant colors |
|
| Soft consistency |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Ideal for landscape painting
- Ideal for artists
- Contents: 1 bottle of Liquid White 100 ml, 1 painting knife no 10, 4 landscape brushes, instructions, a DVD and 8 tubes of oil colours 37 ml (Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Bright Red, Alizarin...
Characteristics of Good Quality Oil Paints
Understanding the properties of oil paint helps you to understand the painting medium better. These properties will help you to understand why this particular painting medium was popular among artists in the middle ages.
- Drying Composition: One of the first properties of oil paint is the slow drying composition. This allows an artist to manipulate paint on their final product. Another advantage is that they can focus on their artwork without worrying about their palettes or paints drying easily.
- Vibrating Colors: Oil paints are famous among artists for the vibrating colors that they produce. Oil paints not only consist of only pigments but also the binder and the oil that they use to reach the right color you are looking for after they dry. Unlike acrylic paints which tend to get darker after they dry. However, oil paints retain the same color and vibrancy until they are completely dry and even after years of painting.
- Painting Surface: One of the finest characteristics of oil paint is its painting surface, and its best painting surface is wood panels. Due to the demand for its large painting surface, the painting canvas was created and prepared (by whom?) to cater to such composition. However, you can use oil paints on design paper for an easy and convenient way to create artwork.
- Cost: Oil paints come in various price ranges. High-quality and expensive oil paints are vibrant in nature and last longer than cheap ones. You can also select affordable oil paints that are on the market. The price you pay for the paint depends upon various factors like how often you use them and your skill level. If you select the cheaper varieties, then they might have fewer pigments and more fillers, but they are suitable for beginners.
- Effects: The best feature of oil paints is the effects they create on the painting surface as the painting reaches its curing time and the beauty of the same reaches forever, which makes oil painting one of the most popular mediums of painting. Each oil painting adds refinement to the entire environment wherever they are put up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do oil paints take time to dry?
Yes, oil paints take time to dry. This is the main reason that you may change these paints according to your needs before they dry.
Are oil paints toxic?
Oil paints are not toxic because they come from natural oil and pigments. The majority of the pigments in these oil paints are safe and non-toxic.
Do the colors of oil paints deteriorate over a period of time?
The paintings of oil paints tend to decline from the time the painting is over, but is minimal. It may take a long time to fade, darken or become transparent over time. Oil paint is made of pigment particles suspended in an oil binder.
Can I use oil paints on wood?
Yes. Oil paints can be used on wood. Oil paints dry faster, but after some time, the application thins out.
Why are oil paints expensive?
Oil paints are expensive due to the quality of pigments available in oil paints. Good oil paints come with good quality pigments. These pigments are difficult to discover and produce.
Wrapping Up!
Oil paints help you create attractive pictures. Oil paints help you to create memorable pictures and you can preserve them for decades. It is the most sought-after painting by professional artists as you can change the way it looks while you paint. Now it’s up to you to make the right choice for yourself based on your needs and demands to make the best paintings with these oil paints.
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