Review: RGH Oil Paint

RGH Oils is a small manufacturer that promotes its wide-range of lead-based whites. I think that is smart. There is an opportunity here for small suppliers to fill the gap left as the larger companies cut production–and raise prices to lurid heights.

After using the paints from my first order (shipped instantly, by the way), I’m very enthusiastic about their paint. Their cold-press cremnitz white is extremely good. While not as heavily pigmented as Old Holland’s or Blockx,’ it has a lot of body and is very smooth–creamy. I usually don’t like paint in jars because it tends to dry too quickly, but this jar of white is perfectly fresh.  

Read moreIn the Studio Oct. 14 2012

RGH Paint’s flake white being put through its paces

I also tried cadmium red, carbazole violet, and phthalo green, which were excellent too–especially the cadmium red.

As impressive as RGH’s quality is their pricing. The entire line is very reasonably priced, below my usual every-day brands, Winsor Newton, and Holbein. With pricing below good mid-range brands, and quality that equals or surpasses them, it’s easy to be enthusiastic about RGH.

My rating:

Quality: B

Price: A

After a larger order (which I am placing later today) and more testing, I will finalize my rating and update my Oil Brand Reference. Looks like we have the Rookie of the Year.

EDIT 3/22/15

After several orders from RGH, I downgraded my rating to Quality: B (from A-). I modified my initial rating on my Oil Brand Reference but neglected to update it here. The reason for the downgrade is the cheap jars RGH uses for some of their colors. Their jars render the fast-drying colors, like the all-important lead white, useless because the colors dry too fast. I lost half of a 250 ml jar even after spraying the paint with water. I will not buy any more lead white until they use tubes for all colors and sizes.

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