Colour reference

Burnt Sienna

69 Burnt Sienna paints from 21 brands, measured in CIE L*a*b* and compared with Delta E 2000.

Why Burnt Sienna isn't one colour

Every brand makes its own Burnt Sienna, and no two are quite the same. They pick different pigments, grind them differently and mix them to their own recipe — so two tubes with the same word on the label can look noticeably different once they are on the paper.

We measured all 69 of them from 21 brands and compared them the way a lab would, using a number called Delta E. It is just a measure of how far apart two colours look to the human eye. Under 2 and almost nobody can tell them apart; over 10 and most people would call them different colours.

Useful when your usual Burnt Sienna is out of stock and you need the closest substitute, when you are deciding which brand to buy, or when a mix you got right last time will not come out the same again.

How far is each brand from the average?

Every brand's version measured against the average of all 69 paints. Below 2 is imperceptible to most people; above 10 is obviously a different colour.

BrandDistance from the averageIn practice
Old HollandDelta E 0.30Near-identical
WilliamsburgDelta E 0.30Near-identical
Daler-RowneyDelta E 1.27Near-identical
VallejoDelta E 1.27Near-identical
Daniel SmithDelta E 1.38Near-identical
SennelierDelta E 1.51Near-identical
M. GrahamDelta E 1.64Near-identical
Royal TalensDelta E 1.68Near-identical
HolbeinDelta E 1.75Near-identical
LukasDelta E 1.92Near-identical
MatisseDelta E 2.34Very close
Michael HardingDelta E 2.34Very close
AmsterdamDelta E 2.35Very close
GamblinDelta E 2.40Very close
LiquitexDelta E 2.42Very close
SchminckeDelta E 2.48Very close
Winsor & NewtonDelta E 2.73Very close
Nevskaya PalitraDelta E 2.78Very close
MaimeriDelta E 3.13Very close
AtelierDelta E 6.25Noticeably different
GoldenDelta E 7.84Noticeably different

Which brands are interchangeable?

The closest pairs among 210 brand comparisons - swap one for another and most people would not see the difference.

  • MatissevsMichael HardingDelta E 0.00Near-identical
  • Old HollandvsWilliamsburgDelta E 0.00Near-identical
  • Daniel SmithvsM. GrahamDelta E 0.31Near-identical
  • Royal TalensvsVallejoDelta E 0.49Near-identical
  • MaimerivsNevskaya PalitraDelta E 0.51Near-identical
  • GamblinvsLukasDelta E 0.57Near-identical

Which brands are clearly different?

The furthest apart. Same name on the tube, visibly different paint.

  • AteliervsGoldenDelta E 13.28Clearly different
  • GoldenvsMaimeriDelta E 10.47Clearly different
  • GoldenvsNevskaya PalitraDelta E 10.28Clearly different
  • GoldenvsSchminckeDelta E 10.19Clearly different
  • GoldenvsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 10.09Clearly different
  • AmsterdamvsGoldenDelta E 9.82Noticeably different

Pigments used

Brands do not always use the same pigment for the same colour name.

PBr7

Atelier, Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, M. Graham, Maimeri, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton

PBr7, PR101

Matisse

PBr7, PY42, PR101

Vallejo

PR101

Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Holbein, Liquitex, Lukas, Winsor & Newton

PR101, PBk7

Sennelier

PR101,PR101

Daler-Rowney

PR101,PR206,PBk9

Daler-Rowney

PR101,PW6

Daler-Rowney

PR102

Williamsburg

PR64, PY83

Nevskaya Palitra

PY42

Atelier

PY42, PR101

Sennelier

Lightfastness

How well the colour resists fading. ASTM I is the most permanent; V is fugitive.

I

Amsterdam, Atelier, Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, Lukas, M. Graham, Maimeri, Matisse, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton

Opacity

How much the paint covers what is underneath.

Opaque

Daler-Rowney, Golden, Holbein, Sennelier, Vallejo, Winsor & Newton

Semi-Opaque

Golden, Maimeri, Williamsburg

Semi-Transparent

Amsterdam, Atelier, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, Nevskaya Palitra, Schmincke, Winsor & Newton

Transparent

Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Maimeri, Matisse, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton

Available in

The kinds of paint this colour is made as.

Closest other colours

If you cannot get this one, these sit nearest to it across the same brands.

Every Burnt Sienna we have measured

All 69 paints, with the measurements the comparisons above are built from.

BrandLineMedium HexL*a*b*PigmentOpacityLightfastness
AmsterdamExpert Seriesacrylic#a04b2d42.3, 33.1, 34.0PR101Semi-TransparentI
AmsterdamStandard Seriesacrylic#a04b2842.2, 32.8, 36.6PR101Semi-TransparentI
AtelierA2 Lightfastacrylic#a7614748.5, 25.8, 26.9PBr7Semi-TransparentI
AtelierFree Flowacrylic#b55f3a49.9, 31.7, 36.3PY42Semi-TransparentI
AtelierInteractiveacrylic#b1533b46.8, 36.5, 32.0PBr7Semi-TransparentI
Daler-RowneyAquafinewatercolor#a0553244.5, 28.0, 33.7PBr7TransparentI
Daler-RowneyAquafine Gouachegouache#9b4b3241.6, 31.3, 30.1PR101,PW6OpaqueI
Daler-RowneyArtists' Watercolourwatercolor#9b4b3241.6, 31.3, 30.1PR101TransparentI
Daler-RowneyCryla Artists' Acrylicacrylic#6d371e29.6, 21.7, 26.0PR101,PR206,PBk9TransparentI
Daler-RowneyGeorgian Oil Colorsoil#984e3441.8, 28.6, 29.1PR101TransparentI
Daler-RowneyGeorgian Water Mixable Oiloil#984e3441.8, 28.6, 29.1PR101,PR101OpaqueI
Daler-RowneyGraduateacrylic#a04b2d42.3, 33.1, 34.0PR101TransparentI
Daler-RowneySystem3acrylic#a04b2842.2, 32.8, 36.6PR101OpaqueI
Daniel SmithExtra Fine Watercolorswatercolor#9b4e3742.3, 30.1, 28.1PBr7TransparentI
GamblinArtist's Oil Colorsoil#94473039.6, 30.5, 28.7PBr7TransparentI
GoldenFluidacrylic#70453a34.0, 17.6, 14.2PBr7Semi-OpaqueI
GoldenHeavy Bodyacrylic#94473039.6, 30.5, 28.7PBr7Semi-TransparentI
GoldenHeavy Bodyacrylic#6e403732.4, 18.9, 14.1PBr7Semi-OpaqueI
GoldenHeavy Bodyacrylic#72453b34.3, 18.1, 14.2PBr7Semi-OpaqueI
GoldenHeavy Bodyacrylic#70463c34.2, 17.0, 13.7PBr7OpaqueI
GoldenOPENacrylic#72453b34.4, 17.8, 14.4PBr7Semi-OpaqueI
GoldenQoR Modern Watercolorswatercolor#a0553244.5, 28.0, 33.7PBr7TransparentI
GoldenSoFlatacrylic#6e403732.3, 18.8, 13.9PBr7Semi-OpaqueI
HolbeinAcryla Gouachegouache#ac5f4848.8, 29.0, 26.8PBr7OpaqueI
HolbeinArtists' Oil Coloroil#984b3441.1, 30.2, 28.3PBr7TransparentI
HolbeinArtists' Watercolorwatercolor#9e523a43.7, 29.3, 28.1PBr7TransparentI
HolbeinHeavy Body Acrylicacrylic#9b462d40.5, 33.7, 31.7PBr7TransparentI
HolbeinMat Acrylicacrylic#a0553244.5, 28.0, 33.7PR101Semi-TransparentI
LiquitexBasicsacrylic#914b3240.0, 27.2, 27.9PR101Semi-TransparentI
LiquitexProfessional Heavy Bodyacrylic#94483239.9, 30.1, 27.8PBr7Semi-TransparentI
LiquitexSoft Bodyacrylic#91463239.0, 29.9, 26.6PBr7Semi-TransparentI
Lukas1862 Artists' Oiloil#96483040.1, 30.8, 29.4PR101TransparentI
LukasBerlin Water-Mixable Oiloil#96483040.1, 30.8, 29.4PR101TransparentI
M. GrahamArtists' Oil Colorsoil#96483240.2, 30.9, 28.2PBr7TransparentI
M. GrahamArtists' Watercolorwatercolor#a2553e45.0, 29.6, 27.5PBr7TransparentI
MaimeriClassicooil#a0523043.8, 29.5, 34.0PBr7Semi-OpaqueI
MaimeriPurooil#a0553244.5, 28.0, 33.7PBr7TransparentI
MatisseFlow Formulaacrylic#96462d39.7, 31.7, 30.6PBr7, PR101TransparentI
MatisseFluidacrylic#96462d39.7, 31.7, 30.6PBr7, PR101TransparentI
MatisseStructure Formulaacrylic#96462d39.7, 31.7, 30.6PBr7, PR101TransparentI
Michael HardingArtists Oil Coloursoil#96462d39.7, 31.7, 30.6PBr7TransparentI
Nevskaya PalitraLadogaoil#a0523043.8, 29.5, 34.0PR64, PY83Semi-TransparentI
Nevskaya PalitraMaster Classoil#a0523043.8, 29.5, 34.0PBr7Semi-TransparentI
Nevskaya PalitraSonnetoil#a0523043.8, 29.5, 34.0PBr7TransparentI
Old HollandClassic Oil Colorsoil#984e3441.8, 28.6, 29.1PBr7TransparentI
Royal TalensRembrandt Oil Colorsoil#984e3441.8, 28.6, 29.1PBr7TransparentI
Royal TalensVan Goghwatercolor#a0553244.5, 28.0, 33.7PBr7TransparentI
SchminckeAKADEMIE Acrylicacrylic#a04b2842.2, 32.8, 36.6PBr7TransparentI
SchminckeDesigners' Gouachegouache#a5553245.3, 30.1, 34.8PBr7Semi-TransparentI
SchminckeHoradam Aquarellwatercolor#a0553244.5, 28.0, 33.7PBr7TransparentI
SchminckeNorma Professionaloil#a5503244.2, 32.7, 33.5PBr7TransparentI
SchminckePRIMAcrylacrylic#9b4b2d41.5, 31.0, 32.9PBr7Semi-TransparentI
SennelierAbstract Acrylicacrylic#a04b2842.2, 32.8, 36.6PBr7TransparentI
SennelierArtists' Oil Colorsoil#964b3240.8, 29.3, 29.0PBr7TransparentI
SennelierExtra-Fine Acryliqueacrylic#a5502d44.1, 32.5, 36.2PBr7TransparentI
SennelierGouachegouache#a0503243.4, 30.7, 32.5PY42, PR101OpaqueI
SennelierRive Gaucheoil#964b3240.8, 29.3, 29.0PR101, PBk7OpaqueI
Sennelierl'Aquarellewatercolor#a0553244.5, 28.0, 33.7PBr7TransparentI
VallejoAcrylic Artist Coloracrylic#9b503242.7, 28.6, 31.4PBr7, PY42, PR101OpaqueI
VallejoFluid Acrylicacrylic#9b503242.7, 28.6, 31.4PBr7, PY42, PR101OpaqueI
WilliamsburgHandmade Oil Colorsoil#984e3441.8, 28.6, 29.1PR102Semi-OpaqueI
Winsor & NewtonArtisan Water Mixable Oiloil#a5502d44.1, 32.5, 36.2PBr7TransparentI
Winsor & NewtonArtists' Oil Colouroil#91463239.0, 29.9, 26.6PBr7TransparentI
Winsor & NewtonCotman Watercolourwatercolor#a85c4447.5, 28.7, 27.4PR101TransparentI
Winsor & NewtonDesigners Gouachegouache#b66c5253.3, 26.8, 27.1PBr7OpaqueI
Winsor & NewtonGaleriaacrylic#91463239.0, 29.9, 26.6PBr7Semi-TransparentI
Winsor & NewtonProfessional Acrylicacrylic#a5502d44.1, 32.5, 36.2PBr7TransparentI
Winsor & NewtonProfessional Watercolourwatercolor#a85c4447.5, 28.7, 27.4PBr7TransparentI
Winsor & NewtonWinton Oil Colouroil#a5502d44.1, 32.5, 36.2PBr7TransparentI
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