Discovering Artisan Quality: A Deep Dive into Michael Harding Oil Paints

As an artist are you looking for the best materials to bring your visions to life on canvas? With the many of art supplies available, finding the right quality oil paint that stands the test of time can be daunting. This article and review aims to spotlight Michael Harding's oil paints, renowned for their superior quality and traditional craftsmanship. Read on:

​Introduction to Michael Harding Oil Paints

Watch the video review.

Michael Harding oil paints are crafted with a meticulous approach. Michael Harding, the founder, has committed himself to creating artist oil paints using only the finest ingredients, ensuring no fillers or additives that could compromise the paint's longevity. That means no fading due to any defects in the paints. Colors will retain their vibrancy according to the properties of the pigments and not influenced by artificial additives.

Traditional Craftsmanship
Michael Harding's paints are known for their traditional manufacturing process. The paint is crafted by hand, reflecting a dedication to quality that many painters find invaluable. The avoidance of fillers not only ensures vibrancy and intensity but also enhances the durability of artworks, making them resistant to fading over time.

Exploring the Introductory Set
If you want to study the paints try the discounted introductory set available from Jackson's Art Supplies, which includes a carefully selected range of colors:

• Titanium White (safflower oil-based to prevent yellowing)
• Ultramarine Blue
• Burnt Umber
• Scarlet Lake
• Yellow Ochre Deep
• Yellow Lake

These colors are packaged in 40 ml tubes, providing a practical amount for artists to experiment with.

I found the paint to have a buttery texture and the high pigment concentration of the paints is clearly evident. Even mixing in white paint does not make the colors cold and chalky.

Each of the colors in the set demonstrated a consistency of color and buttery texture.

• Titanium White:
  Buttery and not too soft, made with safflower oil to prevent yellowing.
• Ultramarine Blue:
  Deep and rich in pigment.
• Burnt Umber:
  Strong and dark.
• Scarlet Lake:
  Deep red with an opaque quality.
• Yellow Ochre Deep:
  Strong pigment and vibrant.
• Yellow Lake:
  Transparent yet vibrant, suggesting a good substitute for cadmium yellows due to its cost-effectiveness.

Color Mixing: The Michael Harding color mixes are easy to mix and colors remian vibrant throughout. Beginners coming from student paints will need to adapt to these high pigment strengths as a little color goes much further.

• Scarlet Lake and Yellow Lake:
  A vibrant orange results from mixing these warm colors.
• Ultramarine Blue and Yellow Lake:
  Creates a range of greens, from dark to bright, emphasizing the versatility of Yellow Lake as a substitute for cadmium yellow.
• Titanium White, yellow and Scarlet Lake:
  Produces a strong, peachy tint that is not chalky.
• Titanium White, scarlet and Ultramarine Blue:
  Creates a vibrant violet, illustrating the importance of mixing essential colors for a comprehensive palette.

Conclusion: Why Choose Michael Harding Paints?
Michael Harding’s paints offer exceptional quality with a traditional touch, providing artists with highly pigmented, buttery paints that yield vibrant results. Though they are on the pricier side, a little goes a long way due to the high pigment concentration, making them a cost-effective choice in the long run. Certainly I will not be doing heavy impasto paintings with a painting knife. My wallet could not sustain that, however a traditional or Impressionist appraoch will benefit from these powerful paints.

For those who are selling their artwork, the longevity and richness of Michael Harding’s paints ensure that your pieces will stand the test of time, maintaining their vibrancy and integrity. The colors should also get more attention than lesser pigmented paints provided you handle them carefully without muddying them.

If you are interested in exploring Michael Harding oil paints, you can find more information and purchase the introductory set at Jackson's Art Supplies.

For additional comparisons, consider other high-quality brands like Rembrandt. Click here to view that paint in action.