I’ve been using Grumbacher Pre-tested for almost 9 years. Since I started painting in oils really. My art teacher Peggy Riley and I noticed that recently their colors have been rather oily. Like when you squeeze out some color, and half of it is oil.

By the way, I was told by Gamblin that this phenomenon of oily paint could be either that the tube sat on the shelf too long, or it was exposed to warm temperatures.

So, I started looking for another brand. I already liked M. Graham’s watercolors. I use them exclusively. They have a reputation for being highly pigmented.

I do like M. Graham’s paint. They are softer than the stiffer Grumbacher paints. I would say M. Graham’s points are softer than butter. They are made with walnut oil, so I have noticed they take a bit longer to dry than linseed based paints. I especially noticed their titanium whites are slower drying. After a week, they were still tacky.

So, I am finishing a tube of Grumbacher Titanium white. It’s a big 150ml tube, so I don’t want to waste it. After I am done with that, I have a Williamsburg Titanium White tube I want to use.

I have two tubes of Williamsburg paint. They are Graphite Gray and Naples Yellow Italian. Both have a butter-like texture similar to Grumbacher’s Pre-Tested paints.

In the future, I would like to try Michael Harding, Vasari, or Blue Ridge Oil Colors. All of them have a reputation for exceptional quality. However, Michael Harding and Vasari paints are rather expensive in my opinion.

Blue Ridge Oil Colors are made by Eric Silver. It’s a one-man operation. What is interesting is that he makes his paints with a blend of linseed and walnut oils. He sells his paints directly online, and his prices are competitive.

A 150ml tube of Blue Ridge Titanium White is $25.00. I paid $31.00 for Williamsburg Titanium White in 150ml tube on Dick Blick. Also, I paid $21.00 for the same size tube of Grumbacher Pre-Tested Titanium White on Dick Blick.

Slowly, I am trying to find different brands and experiment with their different qualities.