Oil Paint Brands/Lines Pro/Student Grades

Brand	pro/student	Notes
Amsterdam (Royal Talens)	student
Art Spectrum (Australia)	pro
Bellini (Golden / Bocour)	pro*	*No longer manufactured but "Bellini was regarded as a decent paint, and was used by professional artists (Rothko, Pollock, de Kooing, etc.)."
Beverly (Morilla co inc.)	pro*	*Best guess, no info but label reads "highest grade pigments ground in pure linseed oil" - looks to be a small company, maybe went under
Blick Artists' Oil Color	pro
Blick Oil Colors	student
Blockx Artist Oil Colors	pro
Bocour (Golden)	pro*	*No longer manufactured but "Bellini was regarded as a decent paint, and was used by professional artists (Rothko, Pollock, de Kooing, etc.)."
central artist oil color (made for NY Central Art Supply)	tbd	call 'em :)
Chroma Archival Oil Colors	pro	*patented for long-term flexibility- keep in mind for later installations
Classico	student
Da Vinci Artists' Oil Colors	pro/student*	*formulated pro but they add dryers- should be rich and lightfast though
Daler-Rowney Artists’ Oils	pro/student*	*formulated pro but they add wax- should be rich and lightfast though
Daler-Rowney Georgian Oil Colors	student
Daler-Rowney Graduate Oil	pro/student*	*formulated permanance but they add dryers
Daler-Rowney Simply Oils	student
Daniel Smith	pro
DR Georgian	student
Fragonard extra fine oil (Pebeo)	pro/student*	*"a touch of beeswax"
Gamblin Art Sketching Oil Colors	student
Gamblin Artist's Oil Colors	pro
Golden - Bocour artist colors	pro*	*No longer manufactured but "Bellini was regarded as a decent paint, and was used by professional artists (Rothko, Pollock, de Kooing, etc.)."
Golden - Williamsburg Handmade Oil Paints	pro
Grumbacher - Golden Palette	student
Grumbacher Academy Oil Colors	student
grumbacher gainsborough	student*	*Best guess- there's no info anywhere
Grumbacher Pre-Tested Artists' Oil Colors	pro
Holbein Artists' Oil Colors	pro
Holbein Ecolse Oil	student
John Howard Sanden (Martin/F. Weber Co.)	student*	*this is a judgement call on my part- they're listed as pro, but I'm just not buying it- they only come in dabbler sets and the prices are WAY too low.
Lefranc & Bourgeois Artists' Oils	student
Lefranc & Bourgeois Oil Fine	pro/student*	*I think- leans toward pro- they say they're lightfast
Lefranc & Bourgeois Oil Lefranc extra fine	pro
Liquitex Artist Oil Color	student	*No longer manufactured
London Oil Color (Winsor & Newton)	student	*No longer manufactured but "The W&N London colors, student grade, served as my introduction into oil paint in mid-1987." varies
M. Graham Artists' Oil Colors	pro
Maimeri Artisti Oil Colors	student*	*Crapshoot: Looks like older itterations are not lightfast, but new are? "The less lightfast pigments, and especially those which are hazardous to the health, have recently been replaced with synthetic pigments guaranteeing comparable colour purity with improved stability and safety." They also seem to have fillers
Maimeri Classico Oil Colors	pro/student*	*Crapshoot: "They contain no waxes or thickeners… Average pigment concentration is very high…" earths & cadmiums are true, some others substituted, generally lightfast, but check.
Maimeri Italian Natural Earth Oil Colors	pro/student*	*Maximum pigment possible but "larger grain size than other oil paints currently being formulated and so create slightly opaque and rougher coats" - also may dry patchy - in other words, highly specialized purpose, not for your typical pro use
Maimeri Mediterranean Oil Colors	pro/student*	* "The grain size of these colours is larger than for other oil paints and paste density is thicker, with brushstrokes accentuated. ... It is best to avoid solvents and essential oils, which would weaken the pastes." - also may dry patchy - in other words, highly specialized purpose, not for your typical pro use
Maimeri Olio / Olio HD Oil Colors	student
Maimeri Puro Oil Colors	pro
Maimeri Rinascimento /  Renaissance Oil Colors	pro
Martin/F. Weber Co. - John Howard Sanden Promix Set	student*	*this is a judgement call on my part- they're listed as pro, but I'm just not buying it- they only come in dabbler sets and the prices are WAY too low.
Martin/F. Weber Co. - Original Permalba White & Black	student
Martin/F. Weber Co. - Prima Oil Colors	student
Martin/F. Weber Co. - Professional Permalba Oil Colors	student*	*this is a judgement call on my part- they're listed as pro, but … no.
Michael Harding Artists Oil Colors	pro	*bonus: ethical- note on site to replace caps from a bad manufacturing run :)
Mir Artist Mediterranean Oil Colors	pro
Old Holland Classic Oil Colors	pro
Pebeo - Fragonard extra fine oil	pro/student*	*"a touch of beeswax"
Pebeo XL Studio Oil Colors	student
Pebeo-  Huile d'Art super fine oil	pro/student*	*not much info- seems lightfast but there may be additives in the binder
Permalba/Bob Ross	student	:D
Permanent Pigments Artist Oil Colors (Liquitex)	pro*	*this is a judgement call on my part, "1933 - Henry Levison establishes Permanent Pigments, Inc., a small, family owned enterprise that makes artists’ oil paint. 1942 - Permanent Pigments plays the leading role in the introduction of the first quality standards for artist’s paints, established by the federal agency, the Bureau of Standards. Permanent Pigments becomes the first art material company to test paint for lightfastness. Permanent Pigments becomes the first company to list pigment identification and lightfastness ratings on artists’ paint container labels. 1950 - Henry Levison and other founding members created the National Art Materials Trade Association. The first trade organization dedicated to the advancement of artist materials. " - & -  *Artnerd alert- this is just interesting "Crayola acquires Permanent Pigments Inc., producers of Liquitex art materials."
Reeves Oil Colors	student
Rembrandt (Royal Talens)	pro/student*	*this is a judgement call on my part- they're listed as pro, but… no.
Richeson/ Jack Richson Oils - Shiva Series	student	*little info but one scathing review from someone who sounds like they know what they're talking about- I am happy to learn from the mistakes of others.
Robert Doak	pro	*bonus: ethical- & a small bus in Brooklyn, also "artist approved" :)
Royal Talens - Amsterdam	student
Royal Talens - Rembrandt	pro/student*	*this is a judgement call on my part- they're listed as pro, but… no.
Royal Talens - Van Gogh	student
Schmincke AKADEMIE® Öl Color	student
Schmincke Mussini Oil Colors	pro
Schmincke Norma Professional Oil Colors	pro/student*	*not quite pro but I'll count it as a viable GREEN alternative product - high pigment concentration & lightfast
Sennelier Oil Extra-Fine	pro
Sennelier Oil Study /  Etude Art Student Oil Colors	student
Shiva Signature Artist Oil Colors	student	*little info but one scathing review from someone who sounds like they know what they're talking about- I am happy to learn from the mistakes of others.
Speedball (Hunt Manufacturing Co.)	student*	*Best guess- there's no info anywhere
Utrecht Artists' Oil Color	pro
Utrecht Studio Series Oil Color	student
Van Alt	student*	*Best guess- there's no info anywhere
Van Gogh (Royal Talens)	student
Vasari (Terre Verte Inc.)	pro	*Bonus- they put their phone number right on the label! "handcrafted, intensely pigmented" 11 Prince Street- T-Sat, 10-5:00, (800) 932-9375
Weber Permalba Artists Oil Colors (Martin/F. Weber Co.)	student*	*this is a judgement call on my part- they're listed as pro, but … no.
Williamsburg Handmade Oil Paints (Golden)	pro
Winsor & Newton Artists' Oil Colors (alt label: WN)	pro
Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Colors	student
Zecchi	pro*	*this is a judgement call on my part- there's little information and no concensus but it looks like an old, reputable company- read your labels and Id say you should be ok.