Olive Green
39 Olive Green paints from 16 brands, measured in CIE L*a*b* and compared with Delta E 2000.
Why Olive Green isn't one colour
Every brand makes its own Olive Green, 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 39 of them from 16 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 Olive Green 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 39 paints. Below 2 is imperceptible to most people; above 10 is obviously a different colour.
| Brand | Distance from the average | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Talens | Delta E 1.54 | Near-identical |
| Sennelier | Delta E 1.71 | Near-identical |
| Daler-Rowney | Delta E 1.75 | Near-identical |
| Holbein | Delta E 1.80 | Near-identical |
| M. Graham | Delta E 2.04 | Very close |
| Michael Harding | Delta E 2.07 | Very close |
| Schmincke | Delta E 2.22 | Very close |
| Daniel Smith | Delta E 2.45 | Very close |
| Winsor & Newton | Delta E 2.75 | Very close |
| Gamblin | Delta E 3.99 | Very close |
| Williamsburg | Delta E 3.99 | Very close |
| Vallejo | Delta E 4.55 | Very close |
| Lukas | Delta E 4.90 | Very close |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Delta E 5.47 | Noticeably different |
| Amsterdam | Delta E 6.10 | Noticeably different |
| Atelier | Delta E 23.92 | Clearly different |
Which brands are interchangeable?
The closest pairs among 120 brand comparisons - swap one for another and most people would not see the difference.
- GamblinvsWilliamsburgDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- Royal TalensvsSennelierDelta E 0.19Near-identical
- Daniel SmithvsM. GrahamDelta E 0.52Near-identical
- HolbeinvsM. GrahamDelta E 0.52Near-identical
- Daler-RowneyvsRoyal TalensDelta E 0.98Near-identical
- Daniel SmithvsHolbeinDelta E 1.02Near-identical
Which brands are clearly different?
The furthest apart. Same name on the tube, visibly different paint.
- AmsterdamvsAtelierDelta E 30.60Clearly different
- AteliervsVallejoDelta E 29.40Clearly different
- AteliervsLukasDelta E 29.35Clearly different
- AteliervsWilliamsburgDelta E 28.06Clearly different
- AteliervsGamblinDelta E 28.06Clearly different
- AteliervsNevskaya PalitraDelta E 27.22Clearly different
Pigments used
Brands do not always use the same pigment for the same colour name.
Vallejo
Gamblin
Nevskaya Palitra
Daler-Rowney
Daler-Rowney, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier
Vallejo
Amsterdam
Schmincke, Sennelier
Sennelier
Daniel Smith, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Royal Talens, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Schmincke
Williamsburg
Daler-Rowney
Michael Harding, Winsor & Newton
Holbein
Daler-Rowney
Atelier
Atelier
Lightfastness
How well the colour resists fading. ASTM I is the most permanent; V is fugitive.
Amsterdam, Atelier, Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Gamblin, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Atelier
These brands publish their own lightfastness scale rather than ASTM I-V, so the ratings below are not directly comparable with those above.
Vallejo
Opacity
How much the paint covers what is underneath.
Holbein, Michael Harding, Schmincke, Vallejo, Winsor & Newton
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Nevskaya Palitra, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Daler-Rowney, Holbein, M. Graham, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Atelier, Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Gamblin, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Royal Talens, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Brands that make it
Every brand in the database with a Olive Green. Each links to that brand's full range.
- Amsterdam · 1 paint
- Atelier · 2 paints
- Daler-Rowney · 4 paints
- Daniel Smith · 1 paint
- Gamblin · 1 paint
- Holbein · 4 paints
- Lukas · 1 paint
- M. Graham · 2 paints
- Michael Harding · 1 paint
- Nevskaya Palitra · 1 paint
- Royal Talens · 2 paints
- Schmincke · 5 paints
- Sennelier · 5 paints
- Vallejo · 3 paints
- Williamsburg · 1 paint
- Winsor & Newton · 5 paints
Available in
The kinds of paint this colour is made as.
Every Olive Green we have measured
All 39 paints, with the measurements the comparisons above are built from.
| Brand | Line | Medium | Hex | L*a*b* | Pigment | Opacity | Lightfastness | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Expert Series | acrylic | #505f32 | 38.1, -14.1, 23.8 | PG7,PR101 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Atelier | A2 Lightfast | acrylic | #d0c74e | 78.9, -11.5, 59.8 | PY74, PG7, PBk11, PO5 | Transparent | I | |
| Atelier | Interactive | acrylic | #957a36 | 52.5, 2.3, 40.3 | PY74, PBk7 | Transparent | II | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine | watercolor | #5f6937 | 42.5, -12.4, 26.7 | PG7, PY42 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine Gouache | gouache | #5f6937 | 42.5, -12.4, 26.7 | PG36,PO36,PW6 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Artists' Watercolour | watercolor | #5f6937 | 42.5, -12.4, 26.7 | PY153,PG7,PR264 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Georgian Water Mixable Oil | oil | #626234 | 40.5, -7.5, 26.1 | PY73,PR177,PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Daniel Smith | Extra Fine Watercolors | watercolor | #66663e | 42.3, -6.8, 22.6 | PY129, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Gamblin | Artist's Oil Colors | oil | #5f5f37 | 39.4, -6.7, 22.9 | PBr7, PY1, PB29 | Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Acryla Gouache | gouache | #707048 | 46.3, -6.8, 22.3 | PY129, PBk9 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Oil Color | oil | #64643a | 41.4, -7.0, 23.8 | PY129, PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Watercolor | watercolor | #69693e | 43.4, -7.2, 24.2 | PY129, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Heavy Body Acrylic | acrylic | #646437 | 41.4, -7.4, 25.5 | PY42,PG7 | Opaque | I | |
| Lukas | Berlin Water-Mixable Oil | oil | #5c5c34 | 38.2, -6.7, 23.0 | PY129, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #62623a | 40.6, -6.8, 22.8 | PY129, PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Watercolor | watercolor | #6c6c41 | 44.6, -7.2, 24.1 | PY129, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Michael Harding | Artists Oil Colours | oil | #646437 | 41.4, -7.4, 25.5 | PY42, PG7 | Opaque | I | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Master Class | oil | #556937 | 41.7, -16.8, 25.6 | PG17, PY83, PBk7 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Royal Talens | Rembrandt Oil Colors | oil | #626234 | 40.5, -7.5, 26.1 | PY129, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Royal Talens | Van Gogh | watercolor | #5f6937 | 42.5, -12.4, 26.7 | PG7, PY42 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | AKADEMIE Acrylic | acrylic | #646932 | 42.8, -10.8, 30.0 | PG7,PY42 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | Designers' Gouache | gouache | #5f6932 | 42.4, -13.0, 29.4 | PG7, PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | Horadam Aquarell | watercolor | #5f6432 | 40.9, -10.2, 27.5 | PY129, PG7 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Norma Professional | oil | #5f6932 | 42.4, -13.0, 29.4 | PY129, PG7 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | PRIMAcryl | acrylic | #5f692d | 42.4, -13.5, 32.0 | PY129, PG7 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Abstract Acrylic | acrylic | #5f6432 | 40.9, -10.2, 27.5 | PG7,PY42 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #5f5f32 | 39.3, -7.3, 25.6 | PY129, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | Extra-Fine Acrylique | acrylic | #646937 | 42.9, -10.2, 27.3 | PG7,PY42 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Gouache | gouache | #5f6437 | 40.9, -9.6, 24.8 | PG8, PY13, PY42, PBr23 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | l'Aquarelle | watercolor | #5f6937 | 42.5, -12.4, 26.7 | PG7, PY42 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Vallejo | Acrylic Artist Color | acrylic | #555a32 | 36.9, -9.0, 22.4 | PG7, PY42, PR101 | Opaque | I | |
| Vallejo | Acrylic Studio | acrylic | #555f37 | 38.5, -11.2, 21.6 | PG7, PY42, PR101 | Opaque | I | |
| Vallejo | Liquid Watercolor | watercolor | #5a6432 | 40.4, -12.5, 26.9 | Dye | Semi-Transparent | ★★★ | |
| Williamsburg | Handmade Oil Colors | oil | #5f5f37 | 39.4, -6.7, 22.9 | PY129, PY42, PG36 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Artisan Water Mixable Oil | oil | #737348 | 47.5, -7.2, 23.8 | PY129, PBk9 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Artists' Oil Colour | oil | #5f5f37 | 39.4, -6.7, 22.9 | PY129, PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Designers Gouache | gouache | #7a7a52 | 50.3, -6.8, 22.0 | PY129, PBk9 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Galeria | acrylic | #646437 | 41.4, -7.4, 25.5 | PY42, PG7 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Professional Watercolour | watercolor | #737348 | 47.5, -7.2, 23.8 | PY129, PBk9 | Transparent | I |
