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Choosing Colors
Anyone who has browsed the paint aisle of an art supply store recently is well aware of the confusion. So many brands, so many colors, so many names, and quite a few will be calling out to you, promising that they are the missing ingredient for your next masterpiece. Learning about the various pigments and how to properly research them can save you a lot of befuddlement and expense though. There are far fewer pigments involved in the various tubes of paint than anyone would guess looking at the rows upon rows of options. The names are all over the map and without comparing the ingredients it's very difficult to know what you're getting.
I'm old enough to remember when the full name of the pigments were right there on each tube but now those have usually been replaced by a standardized code of numbers and letters (for example -- Cobalt Blue, 3rd from left, is listed as PB28).
Brands (L to R) are Winsor Newton, Winsor Newton, M.Graham, Rembrandt, Holbein, Holbein
As you can see in the photo above, the pigment designations are standard, but the placement and tiny print can make them challenging to find. Even within the same brand sometimes the information will be in a somewhat different location, as is the case with the 2 tubes at the far left.
Another helpful bit of information on almost all paint tubes is the degree of transparency. Sometimes it is written out but more commonly signified by either a square or circle. If the square is totally filled in, that's an indication the pigment is opaque whereas a line across or a partially filled in shape will indicate varying degrees of transparency. An empty circle or square signifies maximum transparency.
Fortunately some of the pigments commonly used many years ago have been replaced by similar colors that are generally more permanent and less toxic but I think it's still a smart idea to check the lightfastness rating before loading up on a new color, avoiding those with a low or fugitive ratings.
Again, the information will almost always be on the tube somewhere but not necessarily in the same format. Some companies have a rating system from 1-5 while others will use plus signs or asterisks. Winsor Newton also adds a permanence rating which is basically the same as the lightfastness from what I can tell. That can be found on the front panel and their recommendation is to stick with AA or A unless you don't mind your colors fading.
Those are the 3 important things to look for on a tube of paint with much of the other stuff having more to do with price, inventory control, etc. So now that you know how to find this info, here's how I would suggest applying it. Transparency affects the working properties and therefore is good to know before you purchase. I always advise sticking to pigments within the top 2 lightfastness categories if possible. Last but not least are the pigment designations. You can figure out the full pigment names by typing the code letters and numbers in a search bar or by studying the manufacturer's color charts. More than the names, I'm usually more concerned with how many pigments are listed on the label. If there is more than one, there's a good chance that I already have the pure, unadulterated version of that color on My Palette. In other words, I already have what I need to create that same mixture but if I buy another version of it already mixed it isn't possible to unmix it. My idea has always been to preserve as much range as possible without a lot of unnecessary duplication.
Something to watch out for is the word 'Hue' on a paint label. 'Hue' by definition is that color's position on the color wheel -- red, blue, yellow, etc. Manufacturer of artist's colors however, put hue on the label to indicate that the paint in that tube is a mixture that replicates where a pigment lands on the color wheel. For example, genuine Cobalt Blue is a fairly expensive pigment so it's common to find less expensive tubes marked Cobalt Blue Hue that may basically just be a mixture of Ultramarine Blue and white. As far as permanence goes the 'hue' mixtures might be just as lightfast but they won't have the same properties of transparency and depth of color that you would get with the real Cobalt pigment, not to mention most people already have Ultramarine and white on their palette already.
The bottom line is this -- learning more about pigments can be an enormous help in organizing your head and improving your mixing skills. You will come closer to knowing when you have made the best statement possible with your paint and instead of scrambling around to find a tube of paint to save the day, that knowledge of your limitations can instead lead you to discovering another path for creating the illusion you're after. As a side benefit you can save money and start making progress on unclogging your paint box. My best advice would be to check your paint assortment and the color charts before you go shopping or at the very least take along a good pair of reading glasses and study the labels. I know....not as much fun as randomly throwing pretty colors into a basket, but in the long run, just a tiny bit of research and planning can definitely be of more benefit to your painting.
If you have a particular combinations of pigments you are partial to, it can be more convenient to buy it already in the tube, but otherwise, I would suggest sticking with the pure pigments and in particular, avoiding combinations with white already added. After all, you can always add white yourself but it's not possible to remove it once its in there. That way you can hang onto the option of using some colors transparently at their strongest chroma and come closer to capturing some of the stunning visual effects that nature provides us.
For the brands I use the most, listed below are links to the paint manufacturer's info. These charts are also often made available at art supply stores and some of the better online vendors.
https://www.winsornewton.com/na/education/guides/how-to-read-the-label-on-a-winsor-newton-colour/
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