What sets Artists oil colour apart
Artists is Winsor & Newton's top range. Each colour is made with the genuine pigment that gives it its name, at the highest concentration the oil will take, and ground individually to get the best out of that pigment. That is why two colours in the same range behave differently: a cadmium covers and a quinacridone is transparent, and that is deliberate.
It is the oil colour for finished work, commissions and exhibition, and for any painter who needs to know exactly which pigment is in the tube.
Why the price changes with the colour
Artists colours are grouped into five numbered series. The series does not indicate quality: it indicates the cost of the pigment. Genuine cadmium, cobalt and indanthrene blue are expensive pigments to produce and sit in the higher series. Earths, blacks and whites sit in the lower ones. Every colour is made to the same standard, and the series is printed on the tube and on the colour chart.
From series 1 to series 5 the price runs up fourfold, from the earths and whites to the genuine cobalts and Rose Madder. Choosing by series is a legitimate way to build a palette: many painters use high-series pigments only in the two or three colours that genuinely need them.
Pure pigments, not substitutes
In Artists, when the tube says Cadmium Red it contains cadmium, and when it says Cobalt Blue it contains cobalt. That is the practical difference from student ranges, where those same colours are reproduced with cheaper blends. The genuine pigment behaves differently in mixes and in glazes, which is what you want when working in layers.
The 37 ml format
We work with the 37 ml tube, the sensible format for an oil at this price: a wide palette without tying up money in large tubes of colours you rarely reach for. Titanium White, which always runs out first, we also stock in 200 ml.
Artists or Winton
If you are learning, painting large formats or need not to ration the paint, the range is Winton, Winsor & Newton's entry-level oil, with all 55 colours at one price. Artists is for when the specific pigment matters. Using both is common practice: Winton for grounds and underpainting, Artists for the colours that carry the picture.
Frequently asked questions about Artists oil colour
What do the series mean in Artists oil colour?
There are five series, and the series indicates the cost of the pigment, not the quality. Every colour is made the same way. Pigments that are expensive to produce (cadmiums, cobalts, indanthrene, genuine Rose Madder) sit in the higher series; earths, blacks and whites in the lower ones. The series is printed on the tube.
Why is Artists oil colour more expensive than Winton?
Because it carries the genuine pigment in every colour and a higher pigment concentration. In Winton the expensive colours are reproduced with cheaper pigment blends, which is what allows that range to have a single price.
Can Artists be mixed with Winton?
Yes, with no special precautions. Both are traditional oil colours with an oil binder. Plenty of painters use both ranges in the same picture: Winton for the grounds and Artists for the colours that will be most visible.
Is Artists oil colour suitable for commissioned and exhibited work?
Yes, it is the range Winsor & Newton intends for professional work, for its pigment load and permanence. It is the sensible choice when the painting has to last decades without shifting.
How many colours are in the Artists range?
The range runs to 133 colours, the widest of all the Winsor & Newton oil ranges, across five price series. We work with the 37 ml tube, and Titanium White in 200 ml as well.
Is there an Artists colour chart?
Yes, downloadable as a PDF from this page, with the series for each colour. It is the most reliable way to choose, since a screen never reproduces the pigment exactly.
