How to Use Paint List

Discover Paints Across Brands by Pigment Code

Ever wished you could just search "Cadmium Red Light" and see the all the Cadmium Red Light paints?

Have you ever wished you could look up a pigment like Ultramarine Blue (PB29) and find all the paints that have it?

And have you ever found yourself wishing for a related paint color? Maybe one like your favorite color but in a different brand?

Us, too. So we made Paint List.

Quick Start

Finally, you can easily search for paints by name or even by pigment code

We made a tool to help you search for paints across brands. This helps to discover new paint colors and broaden your painting horizons.

How it works is simple. From the home page, just type in a paint name or a pigment to get started. We recommend starting out with a paint you already know like Ultramarine Blue. From here you can see all the paints across brands.

Just make sure the drop-down has the correct medium selected (for example, oil, acrylic, gouache, etc.)

Search by Brand You can also try typing a brand name to see all the paints in a given paint line.

Finally, you can search by pigment This is one of the most powerful ways to discover new paints. Try typing a pigment code (like PB29, the code for Ultramarine Blue). This allows you to see all the paints with that color as well as the convenience blends. As a tip, we recommend omitting the spaces in the code (for example, type PB29 all together, without spaces).

A view of the home page with the search modal in the center

Paints can be easily searched from the home page. Just select your desired paint medium from the drop down

A closeup of the search box

One can select many different mediums

Here's a closeup of the search box. The drop-down will show the various mediums. On Paint List you can search for paints in oil, acrylic and watercolor. You can also search for paints in gouache, Water-Mixable Oil, Acrylic-Gouache (or Acryla Gouache), Alkyd, Casein, Encaustic, Egg Tempera, Oil Stick or Oil Bar, and even for Dry Pigments.

A dropdown shows the many mediums that can be searched (such as oil, acrylic, alkyd, etc.)

A closeup of the search function showing the various paint mediums you can search on Paint List

Now for a Pro-Level Tip: Combinations

Pigment Code combined with pieces of the Paint Name

Here is a sample view from a search, in this case "PR108 deep".

PR108 is a pigment code-- in this case, it is the pigment for Cadmium Red.

Since Cadmium Red naming can have a lot of variety (like Cadmium Red Light, Medium or Deep), there may be a time when we just want to find Cadmium Red Deep. To find all the genuine Cadmium Reds made of PR108, we paired PR108 with the term "Deep" with the pigment code to see all of the Cadmium Red Deep paints across brands.

A grid of paint card chips. Every grid square represents a tube of paint.

Search result tiles on Paint List for the search "PR108 Deep". In this case, we wanted pigment PR108 (the pigment code for genuine Cadmium Red) and all of the paint titles that contained the word "Deep". Each rectangle represents a tube of paint. Just as an side note, bear in mind that screen colors are approximate and may not represent the actual color of the paint. Colors are from the supplementary materials provided by brands and retailers.

Exploring the Paint Cards

Brands, Paint Names, and Pigment information at a Glance

When you search paints, the results are shown as Paint Cards.

This paint card shows key information at a glance like the brand, (e.g. Winsor and Newton) and sub-brand/paint line (for example, Winton vs. Artists' Oil Colours), the pigments, and a digital color swatch. Please note: the digital swatch is not representative of the paint.

As a note on the digital color swatches, unfortunately, it's impossible to portray the colors completely accurately for a number of reasons. First, paint is a material. It may look totally different when thinned vs. in masstone (think here Phthalos). Second, several important colors are out of gamut (here we have the cadmium yellow lights, ultramarine, and the blue-greens). Third, every display is different. So even when we color correct something it will look different from one screen to another.

The color swatches are not a reliable indicator of a paint's color. This lack of color correspondence is true for many reasons that go beyond the scope of this quick start guide. For now, don't trust the digital swatch (or any other online color approximations of paints for that matter)!

A paint card shows a swatch (but this is not usually a great representation of the color). It also has the brand name, the sub-brand or line of paints to which the color belongs, the Paint Color name, as well as the pigment code.

Each Individual Paint Has Its Own Paint Page

Many paint pages are filled with information about a given paint. This one has pictures, a review, and shopping links. Some links are affiliate links - that means we may get a commission at no expense to the purchaser. Paint pages often include important information about the paint from the manufacturer, such as lightfastness or transparency. Also, if you're logged in, you can also see related paints at the bottom of the page.

Each paint has its own dedicated page filled with information about it. This information comes from manufacturers and retailers, and we are always adding more. We try to find information from the brand on lightfastness, pigment composition, binder, and opacity.

Paint Type

Let's start out with the first thing on the Paint Page. Here you'll find the medium, such as Oil, Acrylic, or Watercolor. It's important to pay attention to the medium, since some paint lines offer similar colors across paint types- such as offering Cadmium Red in oil and also acrylic. You may also find paints in Gouache, Alkyd, Oil Sticks, Encaustic, Water-Mixable Oils, Egg Tempera, Casein, Acryla Gouache, or Dry Pigment!

The Brand/Manufacturer and Specific Paint Line

Next we have the brand. As a general note, many artist paints have two paint lines-- for example, a student line. Student-quality paints tend to have more filler, cheaper pigments and lower price points. They may also have a line that is their "aritst" brand or professional line. An example of this are Winsor and Newton Artists' Oils vs. Winsor and Newton Winton, which ist the student line. The paint line is listed under the manufacturer on the Paint Card. Some brands have multiple paint lines that could differ based on something like the whether or not the paint contains resin (Schmincke Norma and Schminke Mussini are examples of this).

Save Your Favorites

On Paint List, we've made it possible to save a paint that you'd like to add to your palette, or simply one you'd like to return to later. On the right hand side of the Paint Card is a heart icon to add the paint to your favorites! With a free account a person can save their favorite paints. This makes it easy to return to a paint you've found before as well as to build a palette of favorites. From the palette it is also easy to shop the paints one has saved, as each paint page links directly to the specific paint purchasing links. This can be helpful if a person paints with botique brands which need to be purchased from different places-- such as Rublev or Vasari. All the paints and their links can be saved in one place.

Paint Color Name

This is the name as it's found on the tube. However some paint manufacturers have the name in multiple languages. Sometimes we have information for multiple languages which is entered in the "also known as" section below.

Pigment Code

This is an important area of the paint page. The pigments are what give the paints its color. Each pigment can be researched for its properties. Also experienced painters can derive a lot of information about how a paint will mix from knowing its pigments. If you hover over the pigments on desktop, the name will appear.

If the pigment composition is crucial to your project, since it is such an important piece of information, please double check with the manufacturer. It is important for safety to understand the pigment composition in the paint-- many important artist colors are toxic. Safety concerns and toxicology go beyond our area of expertise so we advise caution and third party research as well as verification and best practices from the manufacturer. It should be common sense to say that artist colors are for professional use only and should never be in the vicinity of children, pets, or those who are not trained to use them properly.

Paint Photos, aka Glamour Shots

Where available, we will display a carousel of actual photos of the paint instead of the digital color swatch. While neither is a perfect representation of the color, the photos also aim to gesture at some of its working properties.

The Shopping Area

We've included this area for your convenience. The main picture here links directly to Blick, where you can often find additional photos as well as swatches where they have tinted the color with white. The Blick links are affiliate links, so if you make a purchase within about 24 hours or so from clicking on the link, we may make a commission at no extra expense. More about how we maintain independence and our affiliate links is found below.

We also link to other retailers. Some of our links are affiliate links and some are not, because we support small brands that are not yet set up with affiliate programs.

More details on the paint page are found in the next section.

A sample view of a paint page with photos, a review, as well as information from the manufacturer. To view related paints, create a free account using the icon that looks like a person at the top right of the header.

Deep Dive on the Paint Page

For the curious, here is a deeper dive on what can be found on some of the paint pages

Paint List Reviews

Some paints are ones we have tested ourselves, and if so, you'll find our review in the Paint List Reviews. (Sometimes you may also find general comments here that are much more broad in nature).

Description by the Brand

We also include what the brand has to say about themselves in their marketing materials because sometimes this helps painters to learn more about a particular color. We may also have general information based on what's been provided by the paintmaker.

If you see any mistakes please let us know. The information here, just like the rest of the Paint Page, is based on the best information we have at the time.

Lightfastness Rating

This is information from the brand, and it varies a lot. Basically lightfastness describes how well the paint is expected to hold up to light exposure over time. However, this may be a less reliable rating than once was thought.

A whole new lightfastness standard is being proposed because it turns out that lightfastness may have some complexity to it. Depending which mixing white is used, the lightfastness of certain pigments in oils appears to vary.

One of the reasons we made Paint List is to raise awareness of this issue for painters. More on this elsewhere on the site, but just know that the very best measure of lightfastness are the tests you do yourself.

Brand lightfastness schemas differ (sometimes a 1 is high, sometimes it's low) and so in the future we will be adding some additional information explaining each schema. ASTM I is considered excellent, however that is still a fairly wide category.

Binders

Binder matters a lot in oil paint, and so if the manufacturer has provided this information we like to include it. There are important differences between the way the various drying oils behave which may have consequences for the way a painting dries (or doesn't)! :) So be sure to research the various oils. Other factors may also influence a paint film.

Transparency

This is information provided by the brand, and the assessment of transparency vs. opacity can vary a lot.

Number Provided by the Manufacturer

This is an important number that can really help to pinpoint a specific paint. Sometimes this will be something like "Rose Madder #354." This is different than the pigment code. The manufacturing number is unique to the way the brand names their colors, and it can be considered a supplement to the paint name. The number "354" can really help to be sure you have the right tube. It's an extra identifying feature that's unique to a paint line.

Other Information

Sometimes brands are really robust with the information they provide and they will include categories like oil content or particle size (for watercolor we have granulation and staining).

Related Paints

These are available to logged-in users. This is a powerful feature that is the first of its kind as far as we know. Now, painters can discover related paints based on pigment code. The top carousel of paints is the most closely related by pigment code and the lines of paint cards below it branch out from there. Among these paints there are still differences of color and working properties. However these groupings can be helpful ways to browse new paints.

As a special note, for convenince mixes this is quite fascinating as a person can quickly discover similar related blends.

An explanation of the various pieces of the paint page

Videos for Paints

Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for videos of the paints

For some paints, we have videos that feature that specific tube or color. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel @thepaintlist for cross-brand reviews and spotlights on certain paint colors.

We also keep our eyes open for videos made about a certain color, and if a manufacturer has a video specifically tailored to a given color we may feature it on the Paint Page. If there is a video associated with a color, you'll find the video at the bottom of the page.

Exploring Cross-Brand Reviews

One of our favorite things on Paint List

The heart and soul of Paint List is the cross-brand review.

If we've written about a given paint in a review on the site, there may be a linked review here. In cross-brand reviews, we compare colors to very similar colors across brands and share detailed notes on how these paints compare with one another.

How Paint List Stays Independent

Our reviews are totally independent.

We believe in independent testing, which means that we do not receive free paint in exchange for reviews. Some of the links on the Paint List are affiliate links but not all of them are. Also, at the time of this writing, we do not partner directly with any manufacturers, even the small ones. (We will update our affiliate information if we partner with any small manufacturers in the future). Instead, we partner with retailers which sell many brands, so we may make a commission regardless of which brand a paint a person buys, at no extra cost to the purchaser.

####How the Affiliate Link Works

The link is time-related, so for something like 24 hours, when a person buys something after clicking through on one of our links, it is possible that we may make a commission from the retailer. In other words, the purchase has to be made within a time frame for us to potentially receive a commission from it. This is at no extra cost to the buyer.

####How We Make an Artist-Supported Community

This structure allows for an artist-supported community and also allows us to make the Paint List free for everyone, regardless of whether they buy paint through our links.

We support small manufacturers whether they have an affiliate program or not, because we love high quality boutique paints.

Check out our article section to see extensive reviews and cross-brand paint comparisons.

We are always adding more reviews, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter (at the bottom of this page) to be the first to know when a new review arrives.

Three panels show swatches of red paint mixed with varying degrees of white as well as glazed.

A cross-brand review of Cadmium Red paints. Our articles compare the similarities and differences across brands.

A Key to the Cross-Brand Review: the Oil Paint Review Legend

A brief overview of how the panels work

In our reviews you'll often see the same arrangements of test swatches. To make these reviews, we've selected paints that we've purchased and used ourselves. We've selected a handful of colors which all have similar names or similar pigments. Here's a brief tour showing how the panels are arranged.

At the top is row 1: This area shows what the paint looks like thinned.

Since we operate a solvent-free studio, we show what the paint looks like when it's been diluted with a bit of Rublev Oleogel. We find this to be a great way to show the glazing properties of a paint as it just loosens up the paint in masstone a bit.

Row 2 from the top: This shows the paint in masstone at full strength.

The paint has been applied with a palette knife on panel.

Row 3: This section is an exploration of a paint's tinting strength. The semi-circle area shows the color mixed 50/50 with Titanium White. This is the "C" shaped area. For consistency, we use the same white for all of our mixes- Williamsburg's Titanium White PW6 in Linseed Oil.

The rest of the panel explores properties of hue and color character when mixed with Titanium White. The rest of row 2 explores what the color looks like with just a bit of white- with varying amounts in each column to reach roughly similar values. The quantity/ratio of color to white needed to achieve a somewhat visually similar value varies, however here were are exploring undertone. Rows 3-5 explore this with greater additions of white.

Rows 3 and 4: Comparisons and hue exploration

Rows three and four continue the more subjective task of exploring undertone in the paint. Again, the ratios needed of color to white will vary to achieve somewhat similar results.

There are limitations in what can be conveyed through a monitor as the issues of color processing will vary from screen to screen and device to device. For this reason we often provide the nearest Munsell readings for the colors given by a spectrophotometer.

The swatches are painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

An abbreviated view of a panel with labels that explain the various elements of the panel. Panels explore what a color looks like Thinned, at Full Strength, mixed 50/50 with white, and how the color reacts with greater additions of white in various ratios.

A key to explore the cross-brand comparison panels. The tinting strength is shown in the "C" shape swatches on Row 3. Color leanings when mixed with white (or what one might think of as an undertone) are revealed by mixing various ratios of colors with white to achieve roughly similar values in the other rows on the panel.