Yellow Ochre
60 Yellow Ochre paints from 20 brands, measured in CIE L*a*b* and compared with Delta E 2000.
Why Yellow Ochre isn't one colour
Every brand makes its own Yellow Ochre, 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 60 of them from 20 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 Yellow Ochre 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 60 paints. Below 2 is imperceptible to most people; above 10 is obviously a different colour.
| Brand | Distance from the average | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Daler-Rowney | Delta E 0.61 | Near-identical |
| Lukas | Delta E 1.05 | Near-identical |
| Daniel Smith | Delta E 1.13 | Near-identical |
| Old Holland | Delta E 1.14 | Near-identical |
| Williamsburg | Delta E 1.14 | Near-identical |
| M. Graham | Delta E 1.18 | Near-identical |
| Sennelier | Delta E 1.21 | Near-identical |
| Schmincke | Delta E 1.29 | Near-identical |
| Amsterdam | Delta E 1.36 | Near-identical |
| Liquitex | Delta E 1.48 | Near-identical |
| Winsor & Newton | Delta E 1.51 | Near-identical |
| Holbein | Delta E 1.54 | Near-identical |
| Gamblin | Delta E 1.61 | Near-identical |
| Vallejo | Delta E 2.01 | Very close |
| Michael Harding | Delta E 2.14 | Very close |
| Royal Talens | Delta E 2.17 | Very close |
| Maimeri | Delta E 2.62 | Very close |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Delta E 2.62 | Very close |
| Golden | Delta E 6.89 | Noticeably different |
| Atelier | Delta E 9.73 | Noticeably different |
Which brands are interchangeable?
The closest pairs among 190 brand comparisons - swap one for another and most people would not see the difference.
- MaimerivsNevskaya PalitraDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- Old HollandvsWilliamsburgDelta E 0.00Near-identical
- M. GrahamvsOld HollandDelta E 0.28Near-identical
- M. GrahamvsWilliamsburgDelta E 0.28Near-identical
- Daniel SmithvsM. GrahamDelta E 0.29Near-identical
- HolbeinvsLiquitexDelta E 0.41Near-identical
Which brands are clearly different?
The furthest apart. Same name on the tube, visibly different paint.
- AteliervsNevskaya PalitraDelta E 12.26Clearly different
- AteliervsMaimeriDelta E 12.26Clearly different
- AteliervsRoyal TalensDelta E 11.02Clearly different
- AteliervsHolbeinDelta E 10.98Clearly different
- AteliervsMichael HardingDelta E 10.87Clearly different
- AteliervsDaniel SmithDelta E 10.75Clearly different
Pigments used
Brands do not always use the same pigment for the same colour name.
Amsterdam, Atelier, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, Lukas, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Maimeri
Daler-Rowney
Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Golden, Holbein, M. Graham, Maimeri, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Nevskaya Palitra
Lightfastness
How well the colour resists fading. ASTM I is the most permanent; V is fugitive.
Amsterdam, Atelier, Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, Lukas, M. Graham, Maimeri, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Opacity
How much the paint covers what is underneath.
Amsterdam, Atelier, Daler-Rowney, Gamblin, Golden, Holbein, Liquitex, Lukas, M. Graham, Michael Harding, Nevskaya Palitra, Old Holland, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Vallejo, Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton
Daler-Rowney, Daniel Smith, Golden, Maimeri, Royal Talens, Schmincke, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton
Daler-Rowney
Brands that make it
Every brand in the database with a Yellow Ochre. Each links to that brand's full range.
- Amsterdam · 2 paints
- Atelier · 2 paints
- Daler-Rowney · 8 paints
- Daniel Smith · 1 paint
- Gamblin · 1 paint
- Golden · 6 paints
- Holbein · 5 paints
- Liquitex · 1 paint
- Lukas · 2 paints
- M. Graham · 2 paints
- Maimeri · 2 paints
- Michael Harding · 1 paint
- Nevskaya Palitra · 3 paints
- Old Holland · 1 paint
- Royal Talens · 2 paints
- Schmincke · 5 paints
- Sennelier · 6 paints
- Vallejo · 1 paint
- Williamsburg · 1 paint
- Winsor & Newton · 8 paints
Available in
The kinds of paint this colour is made as.
Every Yellow Ochre we have measured
All 60 paints, with the measurements the comparisons above are built from.
| Brand | Line | Medium | Hex | L*a*b* | Pigment | Opacity | Lightfastness | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Expert Series | acrylic | #c39b41 | 66.1, 5.2, 51.3 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Amsterdam | Standard Series | acrylic | #c89b37 | 66.5, 6.8, 56.3 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Atelier | Free Flow | acrylic | #df8d2b | 65.7, 23.8, 61.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Atelier | Interactive | acrylic | #ed9a33 | 70.4, 23.1, 63.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine | watercolor | #d2aa4b | 71.5, 4.2, 53.1 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Aquafine Gouache | gouache | #c39b48 | 66.2, 5.7, 48.1 | PY42,PW6 | Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Artists' Watercolour | watercolor | #c39b48 | 66.2, 5.7, 48.1 | PY42 | Semi-Transparent | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Cryla Artists' Acrylic | acrylic | #c69029 | 63.4, 11.4, 58.7 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Georgian Oil Colors | oil | #c39b48 | 66.2, 5.7, 48.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Georgian Water Mixable Oil | oil | #c39b48 | 66.2, 5.7, 48.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | Graduate | acrylic | #c39b41 | 66.1, 5.2, 51.3 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Daler-Rowney | System3 | acrylic | #c39637 | 64.7, 7.4, 54.3 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Daniel Smith | Extra Fine Watercolors | watercolor | #c69e48 | 67.2, 5.3, 49.4 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Gamblin | Artist's Oil Colors | oil | #c09844 | 65.0, 5.7, 48.7 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Golden | Fluid | acrylic | #b97e44 | 57.6, 17.1, 40.3 | PY42 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Golden | Heavy Body | acrylic | #c39b48 | 66.2, 5.7, 48.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Golden | Heavy Body | acrylic | #bd8042 | 58.6, 17.5, 42.5 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Golden | Heavy Body | acrylic | #b97f45 | 57.8, 16.8, 39.6 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Golden | OPEN | acrylic | #bd8042 | 58.6, 17.6, 42.6 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Golden | QoR Modern Watercolors | watercolor | #d2aa50 | 71.6, 4.6, 50.9 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Acryla Gouache | gouache | #caa552 | 69.5, 4.0, 47.4 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Oil Color | oil | #c69e48 | 67.2, 5.3, 49.4 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Artists' Watercolor | watercolor | #c8a04b | 68.0, 5.3, 48.9 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Heavy Body Acrylic | acrylic | #c39b41 | 66.1, 5.2, 51.3 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Holbein | Mat Acrylic | acrylic | #c8a046 | 67.9, 5.0, 51.2 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Liquitex | Soft Body | acrylic | #c8a04b | 68.0, 5.3, 48.9 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Lukas | 1862 Artists' Oil | oil | #c39b46 | 66.1, 5.5, 49.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Lukas | Berlin Water-Mixable Oil | oil | #c39b46 | 66.1, 5.5, 49.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #c39b46 | 66.1, 5.5, 49.1 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| M. Graham | Artists' Watercolor | watercolor | #caa24e | 68.7, 5.3, 48.4 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Maimeri | Classico | oil | #c3a04b | 67.5, 3.1, 48.2 | PY42, PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Maimeri | Puro | oil | #c3a04b | 67.5, 3.1, 48.2 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Michael Harding | Artists Oil Colours | oil | #be9641 | 64.3, 5.7, 49.2 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Ladoga | oil | #c3a04b | 67.5, 3.1, 48.2 | PY43, PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Master Class | oil | #c3a04b | 67.5, 3.1, 48.2 | PY43, PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Nevskaya Palitra | Sonnet | oil | #c3a04b | 67.5, 3.1, 48.2 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Old Holland | Classic Oil Colors | oil | #c69e4b | 67.2, 5.5, 48.0 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Royal Talens | Rembrandt Oil Colors | oil | #c39b48 | 66.2, 5.7, 48.1 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Royal Talens | Van Gogh | watercolor | #d2aa4b | 71.5, 4.2, 53.1 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | AKADEMIE Acrylic | acrylic | #c39632 | 64.7, 7.1, 56.3 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | Designers' Gouache | gouache | #cda550 | 69.8, 5.1, 48.7 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | Horadam Aquarell | watercolor | #d2aa50 | 71.6, 4.6, 50.9 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | Norma Professional | oil | #c39b46 | 66.1, 5.5, 49.1 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Schmincke | PRIMAcryl | acrylic | #c39b41 | 66.1, 5.2, 51.3 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Abstract Acrylic | acrylic | #c39632 | 64.7, 7.1, 56.3 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Artists' Oil Colors | oil | #c39b46 | 66.1, 5.5, 49.1 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Extra-Fine Acrylique | acrylic | #c89b3c | 66.6, 7.1, 54.2 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Gouache | gouache | #c8a041 | 67.9, 4.7, 53.4 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | Rive Gauche | oil | #c39b46 | 66.1, 5.5, 49.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Sennelier | l'Aquarelle | watercolor | #d2aa4b | 71.5, 4.2, 53.1 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Vallejo | Acrylic Artist Color | acrylic | #c39637 | 64.7, 7.4, 54.3 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Williamsburg | Handmade Oil Colors | oil | #c69e4b | 67.2, 5.5, 48.0 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Artisan Water Mixable Oil | oil | #cc9a37 | 66.7, 9.1, 56.6 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Artists' Oil Colour | oil | #c8a04b | 68.0, 5.3, 48.9 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Cotman Watercolour | watercolor | #cda852 | 70.6, 3.6, 48.7 | PY43 | Semi-Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Designers Gouache | gouache | #d0ac5c | 72.0, 3.5, 45.5 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Galeria | acrylic | #c39b46 | 66.1, 5.5, 49.1 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Professional Acrylic | acrylic | #cc9a37 | 66.7, 9.1, 56.6 | PY42 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Professional Watercolour | watercolor | #cda852 | 70.6, 3.6, 48.7 | PY43 | Opaque | I | |
| Winsor & Newton | Winton Oil Colour | oil | #cc9a37 | 66.7, 9.1, 56.6 | PY43 | Opaque | I |
