Where can I find inexpensive oil paints?

Question

I like to paint. So I was wondering were I could find oil paint tubes for less (and brushes too) lol.

Answer 1

Any number of on-line sources have a range of products to choose from. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

There are two main categories of paint quality: artist grade and student grade.

Artist grade paint is more expensive because the pigment drives the price. Typically, the only ingredients will be pigment and binder (either linseed or walnut oil). Artist grade paints are more lightfast, with superior mixing and blending capabilities.

For the student grade paints, the manufacturers will synthesize the pigment as much as possible. The ingredients will usually be larger amounts of binder, filler, and lesser amounts of pigment (real or synthetic). This affects the blendablity of the colors and the lightfastness (how much it will fade over time).

In the artist grade category, pigment costs dictate the price points as I mentioned above. The more pricey the pigment (e.g. cadmium or cobalt) the more expensive the tube of paint will be. I have used Winsor Newton Artist oils, M. Graham Artist Oils, and Rembrandt Artist oils and recommend them without reservation.

Student grade paint is usually one or two price points. It is definitely a lesser quality paint. You can, however, still get a decent quality. I recommend Winsor Newton Winton Oils. It's the brand I recommend to all my students.

Keep in mind that using the cheapest brand available can affect the quality and success of your outcome. I've tried out some pretty nasty, sticky cheap oil paints.

Someone else mentioned buying quality brushes and I definitely support that. I always encourage my students to buy the best brushes they can afford. Again, cheap is not always the wisest purchase.

Ultimately the decision is yours :>)

Have fun!

Answer 2

All of the above answers have value and I don't disagree with them.
My response is not the answer to your question, but I think I can help you as a beginner.
I believe that no artist should work with cheap colors. Lesser quality colors will show up as muddy or chalky and you will not be happy with the results. The only colors you can get cheap and good on are the earth colors (browns, blacks, ochres, even some whites) because they are inexpensive to begin with.
In these times, with the new acrylics, you can paint on almost anything if you coat it with acrylic gesso.
Therefore, I would suggest that you swap your expensive or pre-stretched canvas for cardboard or paper, canvas board etc etc, give it a good priming and then go at it with the best colors you can afford.

Answer 3

Paint thinner or gasoline both work, but you need to condition the brush afterwards (if it is an artist brush and not a house painting brush) and a really good conditioner is: transmission fluid! Just put the brush in the fluid and then wrap the brush part in a paper towel. If you didn't get all the oil paint off the brush, this will keep the brush from drying out. Only use soap and water for a water base paint clean up.

Answer 4

I think Grumbatcher is among the more affordable of good oil paints. Buy the bigger tubes to save more. The cheaper paints are of inferior quality when you do try them, and I think you can see the difference when you try them.

Answer 5

College book stores. You can also research how to make your own paints, as many still do, and was done in the Renaissance.

Answer 6

Uttrecht art supply store...most major cities have one, or you can order online from them. They have great supplies and carry their own brand name items for a much lower price and the quality is still very good.

Answer 7

better to go for a good brush love as the cheep ones are useless

Answer 8

I've always found that Hobby Lobby has cheap items. Wal*mart always has cheap brushes.