Series

The series indicates the relative price of the color, which is determined mainly by the cost of the pigment. Series 1 is the least expensive, and Series 10 is the most expensive color.

Color Range and Color Name

We identify the Color Range with either Artists Oil Colors for the range of historical oil colors or Modern Oil Colors for the range of modern colors—pigments developed after the late nineteenth century. The Color Name is the name of the color that is not necessarily unique to a range or medium. For example, Lazurite is available in oil colors and watercolors and as a dry pigment powder. For complete information, including videos of the color, visit the individual product page of the color.

Lightfastness

The lightfastness of pigments is listed on all labels of Rublev Colours Artist Oils and Watercolors. Shown here is the ASTM rating for the pigment in oil. I is the highest lightfastness available in this system, and V is the lowest. Both ratings I and II are considered permanent for artists’ use. ASTM stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials, an organization that has set standards for the performance of art materials, including a color’s lightfastness. In this example, the standard is ASTM D4302, the Standard Specification for Artists’ Oil, Resin-Oil, and Alkyd Paints. When the standard is unavailable for a pigment, we provide our own lightfastness rating based on the same test methods in the ASTM standards. For more information about the permanence and compatibility of Rublev Colours Artist Oils and ASTM standards, visit Artist Oils Composition and Permanence.

33% More Than Most Other Brands

The standard tube of Rublev Colours Artist Oils is 50 milliliters (50 ml) or 1.69 fluid ounces. Each 50 ml tube has 33% more color than 37 ml tubes of other brands and 25% more color than 40 ml tubes. Larger tubes, 150 ml (5.07 fluid ounces), are also available.

No Addtives

While other brands of oil colors contain fillers, pigment stabilizers, and other additives, Rublev Colours Artists Oils are simply pigment and oil. Without these additives, you may find a little oil coming out of the tube. The separation of oil and pigment in artist-grade paint does not indicate poor quality; it often means that little or no additives were used.

The Vehicle or binder is always identified on the label, such as Linseed Oil or Walnut Oil.

Health and Safety

Other brands use the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) AP and CL Seals on their labels. AP stands for APPROVED PRODUCT and is usually accompanied by the word "Nontoxic." CL is an abbreviation for Cautionary Label and is used when risk and safety information is required on the label.

Our concern with the word "non-toxic" is that it is a marketing term that is largely unregulated. The term can mislead artists for several reasons: First, potentially toxic chemicals are likely present at some level in all products, regardless of risk assessment. Second, it is inappropriate to assume that all possible chronic hazards of chemicals are currently known. Third, personal exposure should be prevented when using chemical products. Indicating "non-toxic" on the label implies to some that the paints could be used for things not intended, such as body painting, painting with the fingers, tattooing, and decorating dishware.

For more information about the health and safety of artists materials, please visit Health and Safety.

Pigment Content

All Rublev Colours Artist Oils are single pigment colors except for the historical hue range of colors and mixed whites that contain multiple pigments. Each Pigment is identified by its Colour Index Generic Name (CIGN). For example, Ultramarine Blue is Pigment Blue 29, abbreviated PB29. More than one pigment abbreviation indicates multiple pigments. Some historical colors in the range of Rublev Colours Artist Oils are not registered in the Colour Index and so are not assigned a Colour Index Generic Name, such as the mineral lazurite (natural ultramarine). The label also identifies the chemical composition of the pigment on the line below the Colour Index abbreviation.