Phthalo Blue
24 Phthalo Blue paints from 12 brands, measured in CIE L*a*b* and compared with Delta E 2000.
Why Phthalo Blue isn't one colour
Every brand makes its own Phthalo Blue, 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 24 of them from 12 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 Phthalo Blue 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 24 paints. Below 2 is imperceptible to most people; above 10 is obviously a different colour.
| Brand | Distance from the average | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Sennelier | Delta E 1.01 | Near-identical |
| Schmincke | Delta E 1.50 | Near-identical |
| Vallejo | Delta E 1.59 | Near-identical |
| Holbein | Delta E 1.69 | Near-identical |
| Amsterdam | Delta E 2.04 | Very close |
| M. Graham | Delta E 2.12 | Very close |
| Daler-Rowney | Delta E 2.15 | Very close |
| Winsor & Newton | Delta E 2.26 | Very close |
| Gamblin | Delta E 2.98 | Very close |
| Williamsburg | Delta E 2.98 | Very close |
| Lukas | Delta E 3.06 | Very close |
| Royal Talens | Delta E 6.92 | Noticeably different |
Which brands are interchangeable?
The closest pairs among 66 brand comparisons - swap one for another and most people would not see the difference.
- GamblinvsWilliamsburgDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- GamblinvsLukasDelta E 0.24Near-identical
- LukasvsWilliamsburgDelta E 0.24Near-identical
- SchminckevsSennelierDelta E 0.53Near-identical
- SchminckevsVallejoDelta E 0.61Near-identical
- Daler-RowneyvsSchminckeDelta E 0.68Near-identical
Which brands are clearly different?
The furthest apart. Same name on the tube, visibly different paint.
- LukasvsRoyal TalensDelta E 9.87Noticeably different
- Royal TalensvsWilliamsburgDelta E 9.76Noticeably different
- GamblinvsRoyal TalensDelta E 9.76Noticeably different
- Royal TalensvsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 9.06Noticeably different
- AmsterdamvsRoyal TalensDelta E 8.67Noticeably different
- M. GrahamvsRoyal TalensDelta E 8.55Noticeably different
Pigments used
Brands do not always use the same pigment for the same colour name.
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney
Daler-Rowney
Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Lightfastness
How well the colour resists fading. ASTM I is the most permanent; V is fugitive.
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Opacity
How much the paint covers what is underneath.
Daler-Rowney, Holbein
Daler-Rowney
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Brands that make it
Every brand in the database with a Phthalo Blue. Each links to that brand's full range.
Available in
The kinds of paint this colour is made as.
Every Phthalo Blue we have measured
All 24 paints, with the measurements the comparisons above are built from.
| Brand | Line | Medium | Hex | L*a*b* | Pigment | Opacity | Lightfastness | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Expert Series | acrylic | #003787 | 25.2, 18.6, -48.9 | PB15 | Transparent | I | |
| Amsterdam | Standard Series | acrylic | #00378c | 25.6, 20.7, -51.3 | PB15 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine | watercolor | #14508c | 33.5, 4.7, -38.5 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine Gouache | gouache | #0f4b91 | 32.2, 9.7, -43.7 | PB15,PW6 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Graduate | acrylic | #00378c | 25.6, 20.7, -51.3 | PB15 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | System3 | acrylic | #003787 | 25.2, 18.6, -48.9 | PB15 | Opaque | I | |
| Gamblin | Artist's Oil Colors | oil | #003594 | 25.8, 25.5, -56.0 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Acryla Gouache | gouache | #0044a2 | 31.2, 20.9, -55.6 | PB15:3 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Oil Color | oil | #003a98 | 27.6, 23.6, -55.5 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Lukas | 1862 Artists' Oil | oil | #003594 | 25.8, 25.5, -56.0 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Lukas | Berlin Water-Mixable Oil | oil | #003491 | 25.3, 24.9, -55.0 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #003796 | 26.6, 24.9, -56.0 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Watercolor | watercolor | #003c9e | 28.6, 24.7, -57.4 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Royal Talens | Van Gogh | watercolor | #14508c | 33.5, 4.7, -38.5 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | AKADEMIE Acrylic | acrylic | #00378c | 25.6, 20.7, -51.3 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Horadam Aquarell | watercolor | #195591 | 35.5, 3.9, -38.4 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Norma Professional | oil | #00378c | 25.6, 20.7, -51.3 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | Abstract Acrylic | acrylic | #00378c | 25.6, 20.7, -51.3 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #003791 | 26.1, 22.8, -53.6 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | l'Aquarelle | watercolor | #14508c | 33.5, 4.7, -38.5 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Vallejo | Acrylic Studio | acrylic | #004191 | 29.0, 15.8, -49.0 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Williamsburg | Handmade Oil Colors | oil | #003594 | 25.8, 25.5, -56.0 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Galeria | acrylic | #003796 | 26.6, 24.9, -56.0 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Winton Oil Colour | oil | #003791 | 26.1, 22.8, -53.6 | PB15:3 | Transparent | I |
