Vandyke Brown
24 Vandyke Brown paints from 9 brands, measured in CIE L*a*b* and compared with Delta E 2000.
Why Vandyke Brown isn't one colour
Every brand makes its own Vandyke Brown, 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 9 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 Vandyke Brown 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 1.60 | Near-identical |
| Daler-Rowney | Delta E 1.63 | Near-identical |
| Royal Talens | Delta E 1.63 | Near-identical |
| Winsor & Newton | Delta E 2.92 | Very close |
| Amsterdam | Delta E 2.95 | Very close |
| Holbein | Delta E 3.12 | Very close |
| Sennelier | Delta E 3.53 | Very close |
| Maimeri | Delta E 4.57 | Very close |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Delta E 4.57 | Very close |
Which brands are interchangeable?
The closest pairs among 36 brand comparisons - swap one for another and most people would not see the difference.
- Daler-RowneyvsRoyal TalensDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- MaimerivsNevskaya PalitraDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- AmsterdamvsSennelierDelta E 1.36Near-identical
- Daler-RowneyvsSchminckeDelta E 1.52Near-identical
- Royal TalensvsSchminckeDelta E 1.52Near-identical
- HolbeinvsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 1.92Near-identical
Which brands are clearly different?
The furthest apart. Same name on the tube, visibly different paint.
- Nevskaya PalitravsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 7.38Noticeably different
- MaimerivsWinsor & NewtonDelta E 7.38Noticeably different
- HolbeinvsNevskaya PalitraDelta E 6.80Noticeably different
- HolbeinvsMaimeriDelta E 6.80Noticeably different
- Nevskaya PalitravsSennelierDelta E 6.03Noticeably different
- MaimerivsSennelierDelta E 6.03Noticeably different
Pigments used
Brands do not always use the same pigment for the same colour name.
Amsterdam
Maimeri
Nevskaya Palitra
Winsor & Newton
Daler-Rowney, Holbein, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Winsor & Newton
Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Lightfastness
How well the colour resists fading. ASTM I is the most permanent; V is fugitive.
Amsterdam, Daler-Rowney, Holbein, Maimeri, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Nevskaya Palitra
Opacity
How much the paint covers what is underneath.
Holbein, Winsor & Newton
Amsterdam, Maimeri, Schmincke
Amsterdam, Nevskaya Palitra, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Daler-Rowney, Holbein, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Winsor & Newton
Brands that make it
Every brand in the database with a Vandyke Brown. Each links to that brand's full range.
Available in
The kinds of paint this colour is made as.
Every Vandyke Brown 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 | #412d1e | 20.4, 7.0, 13.3 | PBk11,PR101 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Amsterdam | Standard Series | acrylic | #50321e | 23.9, 11.2, 18.2 | PBk11,PR101 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine | watercolor | #463228 | 22.8, 7.5, 9.9 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Acryla Gouache | gouache | #5f4b41 | 33.7, 6.8, 9.2 | PBr7, PBk9 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Oil Color | oil | #48342a | 23.7, 7.4, 9.8 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Watercolor | watercolor | #4e3a30 | 26.3, 7.2, 9.6 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Maimeri | Classico | oil | #3a2a20 | 18.6, 5.8, 9.4 | PBk9, PBk7, PBr7 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Ladoga | oil | #3a2a20 | 18.6, 5.8, 9.4 | PBr7 | Semi-Transparent | II | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Master Class | oil | #3a2a20 | 18.6, 5.8, 9.4 | PBr7 | Semi-Transparent | II | |
| Royal Talens | Van Gogh | watercolor | #463228 | 22.8, 7.5, 9.9 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | AKADEMIE Acrylic | acrylic | #4b321e | 23.2, 8.7, 17.2 | PBr7,PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Designers' Gouache | gouache | #463228 | 22.8, 7.5, 9.9 | PBr7, PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Horadam Aquarell | watercolor | #463228 | 22.8, 7.5, 9.9 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Mussini Oil Colors | oil | #442a20 | 20.0, 10.7, 11.5 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | Norma Professional | oil | #463223 | 22.7, 6.8, 13.1 | PBr7, PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Schmincke | PRIMAcryl | acrylic | #412d23 | 20.5, 7.7, 10.1 | PBr7, PBk9 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Abstract Acrylic | acrylic | #4b321e | 23.2, 8.7, 17.2 | PBr7,PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Artists' Oil Colour | oil | #463228 | 22.8, 7.5, 9.9 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Cotman Watercolour | watercolor | #58443a | 30.7, 6.9, 9.3 | PBr7, PBk7 | Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Designers Gouache | gouache | #6c5248 | 37.3, 9.3, 10.1 | PBr7, PBk9 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Galeria | acrylic | #463228 | 22.8, 7.5, 9.9 | PBr7, PBk9 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Professional Acrylic | acrylic | #553723 | 26.1, 10.9, 17.9 | PBr7,PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Professional Watercolour | watercolor | #58443a | 30.7, 6.9, 9.3 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Winton Oil Colour | oil | #553723 | 26.1, 10.9, 17.9 | PBr7, PBk9 | Transparent | I |
