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Mars Black
Blockx Mars Black is a bodied yet flowing paint. It dries matte. This color could be thought of as a cool counterpart of the warmer version of Mars Black made by Old Holland. The most similar paint is RGH’s Mars Black which is less flowing in viscosity. This paint has some viscosity to it and yet has glide to it, so if an even more flowing paint with high tinting strength is desired, M Graham is similar and yet more flowing (also M Graham retains a lot more gloss).
A general note on binding oils: some of the paints in Blockx’s range are bound in linseed oil and some are bound in poppyseed oil. An artist should educate themselves on the benefits and drawbacks of both oils. In general, linseed oil tends to form strong paint films, and poppyseed oil is not known for this. Linseed oil tends to yellow, and one of the main draws to poppyseed oil is that it resists yellowing to an amazing degree. However in some cases there are reports of problems with drying that are associated with poppyseed oil. Please research both oils so that you know what is right for your art practice. Blockx’s range is a gorgeously chromatic and unique addition to the world of oil paints, and we especially love their non-yellowing formulations in blues and purples.
