PROSPECTUS:_Rublev claims to use natural and historical pigments like those used by the old masters. They also claim that they make them as they did before modern oil colors—without additives. Rublev Artists Oils are formulated to maintain the unique characteristics of each pigment in oil. What you find in each tube is unique due to the pigment inside, giving you new choices of texture, opacity, consistency, tone, and hue.
The particles of natural pigments are larger and more varied than pigments in modern artists’ oil colors.
Rublev Colours Artists Oils do not contain additives, such as fillers, driers, and stabilizers—simply pigment and oil. We use linseed oil in our paint sometimes with a small amount of heat-bodied linseed oil.
When you see a color name on our label, you get just that—one pure pigment. Rublev Colours Artists Oils offer an extraordinary range of tinting strength and an immense diversity between opacity and transparency, as well as texture—from smooth, fine-grained to grainy.
- SELECTION_Around 85 colors providing a somewhat limited range. It is impossible to have a large selection of colors when only using single historic colors. Many pigments are close in hue.
- PROPRIETARY COLORS_They only use single-pigments so there are no proprietary colors in the Natural Pigments Product Line, however they are the only manufacturer of paints using several of these pigments.
- PIGMENT LOAD_Varied because of particle size
- CONSISTENCY AND TEXTURE_Varies for each pigment, this is old school, every pigment has individual characteristics. These are the opposition each of triple-milled or extra-fine the particle sizes are varied larger there is less dispersion of pigment which limits tinting strength but the larger particle provides some refraction.
- BINDERS_Primarily Alkali Refined and Heat Thickened Linseed Oil. (The Old Masters used Cold Pressed Linseed Oil)
- ADDITIVES_Rublev Colours Artists Oils are simply pigment and oil. They do not use additives, fillers, stabilizers or waxes there is in all probability and vehicle or two used besides the flaxseed oils.
- FINISH OR SHEEN_Depends on the pigment painting need to be vanished or waxed to have a consistent surface sheen.
- PACKAGING_Substantial packaging with good information.
- TOXICITY_Relative few Cadmiums in their line but numerous Lead-based pigments.
- TRANSLUCENCY_Linseed is not as translucent as Walnut, Safflower, or Poppyseed.
- OPACITY/COVERAGE_Good to Weak
- MIXABILITY/TINTING STRENGTH_Good to Weak
- INTENSITY_Medium to Weak
- LIGHTFASTNESS_Very Good
- DRYING TIME_ Varies depending on the pigment.
- AVAILABILITY_ On-line_limited at retail.
SYNOPSIS:_This is a stand-alone product, our recommendation would be to limit one’s palette to only Rublev colors or other pigment centric brands such as Williamsburg. They do not fair well with the Extra-Fine product lines. Their prospectus is wordy and largely advertising copy, we included what we determined to be the key features and eliminated the rest. We like this product a lot and think it fills a needed niche. It is the truest to the tradition of the Old Masters of any of the paint lines available. They deviated from their core philosophy recently with the addition of some metals including Cadmiums, but all in all this line is Professional-Grade and should be one’s first choice if they wish to remain true to the past.