Phthalo Green
24 Phthalo Green paints from 13 brands, measured in CIE L*a*b* and compared with Delta E 2000.
Why Phthalo Green isn't one colour
Every brand makes its own Phthalo 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 24 of them from 13 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 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 24 paints. Below 2 is imperceptible to most people; above 10 is obviously a different colour.
| Brand | Distance from the average | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Schmincke | Delta E 0.43 | Near-identical |
| Sennelier | Delta E 0.52 | Near-identical |
| Amsterdam | Delta E 0.69 | Near-identical |
| Winsor & Newton | Delta E 0.69 | Near-identical |
| Royal Talens | Delta E 1.21 | Near-identical |
| M. Graham | Delta E 1.39 | Near-identical |
| Daler-Rowney | Delta E 1.66 | Near-identical |
| Gamblin | Delta E 1.73 | Near-identical |
| Vallejo | Delta E 1.83 | Near-identical |
| Holbein | Delta E 2.15 | Very close |
| Williamsburg | Delta E 2.44 | Very close |
| Lukas | Delta E 2.73 | Very close |
| Maimeri | Delta E 5.79 | Noticeably different |
Which brands are interchangeable?
The closest pairs among 78 brand comparisons - swap one for another and most people would not see the difference.
- AmsterdamvsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- SchminckevsSennelierDelta E 0.28Near-identical
- AmsterdamvsSchminckeDelta E 0.55Near-identical
- SchminckevsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 0.55Near-identical
- AmsterdamvsSennelierDelta E 0.83Near-identical
- SenneliervsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 0.83Near-identical
Which brands are clearly different?
The furthest apart. Same name on the tube, visibly different paint.
- HolbeinvsMaimeriDelta E 7.84Noticeably different
- MaimerivsWilliamsburgDelta E 7.39Noticeably different
- M. GrahamvsMaimeriDelta E 7.14Noticeably different
- LukasvsMaimeriDelta E 6.78Noticeably different
- MaimerivsRoyal TalensDelta E 6.76Noticeably different
- MaimerivsSennelierDelta E 6.31Noticeably different
Pigments used
Brands do not always use the same pigment for the same colour name.
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Maimeri, 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, Maimeri, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Opacity
How much the paint covers what is underneath.
Daler-Rowney, Holbein
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Holbein, Lukas, M. Graham, Maimeri, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Brands that make it
Every brand in the database with a Phthalo Green. Each links to that brand's full range.
Available in
The kinds of paint this colour is made as.
Every Phthalo Green 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 | Standard Series | acrylic | #00645a | 37.6, -27.5, -1.4 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine | watercolor | #00695f | 39.5, -28.3, -1.7 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Artists' Watercolour | watercolor | #0f695f | 39.6, -27.1, -1.5 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Cryla Artists' Acrylic | acrylic | #007f5b | 46.9, -39.2, 11.3 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Georgian Oil Colors | oil | #00625c | 36.9, -25.9, -3.6 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Graduate | acrylic | #005f55 | 35.7, -26.7, -1.1 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | System3 | acrylic | #006455 | 37.4, -29.1, 1.4 | PG7 | Opaque | I | |
| Gamblin | Artist's Oil Colors | oil | #006158 | 36.5, -26.7, -1.8 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Acryla Gouache | gouache | #007069 | 42.2, -28.5, -3.8 | PG7 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Oil Color | oil | #00645c | 37.6, -26.9, -2.6 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Lukas | 1862 Artists' Oil | oil | #005f58 | 35.8, -25.7, -2.9 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Lukas | Berlin Water-Mixable Oil | oil | #005f58 | 35.8, -25.7, -2.9 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #00625a | 36.9, -26.5, -2.5 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Watercolor | watercolor | #006c64 | 40.6, -28.2, -3.0 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Maimeri | Classico | oil | #195f48 | 35.7, -27.6, 7.0 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Royal Talens | Van Gogh | watercolor | #00695f | 39.5, -28.3, -1.7 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | AKADEMIE Acrylic | acrylic | #00645a | 37.6, -27.5, -1.4 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Horadam Aquarell | watercolor | #00695f | 39.5, -28.3, -1.7 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Norma Professional | oil | #00645a | 37.6, -27.5, -1.4 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | Abstract Acrylic | acrylic | #00645a | 37.6, -27.5, -1.4 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Sennelier | l'Aquarelle | watercolor | #00695f | 39.5, -28.3, -1.7 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Vallejo | Acrylic Studio | acrylic | #006455 | 37.4, -29.1, 1.4 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Williamsburg | Handmade Oil Colors | oil | #00625c | 36.9, -25.9, -3.6 | PG7 | Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Galeria | acrylic | #00645a | 37.6, -27.5, -1.4 | PG7 | Transparent | I |
