Over 85% of professional artists report that paint quality directly impacts their final results. You’re likely familiar with basic oil paints, but you haven’t experienced what truly exceptional pigment loads can do for your work. Gamblin’s carefully curated selection offers something different—colors that don’t just look vibrant on canvas, they stay that way. Uncover which seven products deserve a permanent spot in your studio.
Quick Overview
- Gamblin Artist Oils deliver rich, vibrant hues through superior pigment loads and refined oil mediums in professional-grade formulations.
- Payne’s Grey and Ultramarine Blue provide deep, nuanced colors that artists trust for sophisticated color mixing and layering.
- Professional Oil Paint Sets offer curated color selections—including the Seascape Set—optimized for specific techniques and stunning visual results.
- Independent testing confirms Gamblin’s highest lightfastness ratings ensure rich colors remain vibrant and true for fifty years without fading.
- Strategic color palette ranges from opaque to semi-transparent options, enabling artists to achieve complex, visually striking paintings across all subjects.
| Gamblin Oil Painting Mediums and Varnish Set |
| Best Starter Kit | Product Type: Mediums, solvent, and varnish set | Tube Size: 2 fl oz and 37ml (trial-sized) | Color Count: Multiple mediums/varnish (not paint colors) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Gamblin Artist Oils Payne’s Grey 37ml |
| Essential Single Color | Product Type: Single oil paint tube | Tube Size: 37ml (1.3 fl oz) | Color Count: 1 color (Payne’s Grey) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Gamblin Professional Oil Paint Set 9 Radiant Colors |
| Best For Impressionists | Product Type: Professional oil paint set (9 colors) | Tube Size: 37ml tubes with 150ml Radiant White | Color Count: 9 radiant colors | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Gamblin Artist Oil Color – Ultramarine Blue – 150 ml Tube |
| Professional Large Format | Product Type: Single oil paint tube | Tube Size: 150ml | Color Count: 1 color (Ultramarine Blue) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Gamblin Artist Oil Paint Set For Professionals – SEASCAPE SET – 37ml Tubes |
| Best Seascape Palette | Product Type: Professional oil paint set (11 colors) | Tube Size: 37ml tubes | Color Count: 11 colors | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Gamblin Reclaimed Earth Limited Edition Paint Set |
| Most Sustainable Choice | Product Type: Limited edition paint set (3 colors) | Tube Size: Not specified | Color Count: 3 colors | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Gamblin 1980 Oil Color Exclusive Set |
| Best Student Grade | Product Type: Student grade oil paint set (8 colors) | Tube Size: 37ml tubes | Color Count: 8 colors | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
More Details on Our Top Picks
Gamblin Oil Painting Mediums and Varnish Set
If you’re looking to establish a complete oil painting workflow without committing to full-size bottles, the Gamblin Oil Painting Mediums and Varnish Set is your ideal starter solution. You’ll get six trial-sized products that cover every painting stage: Refined Linseed Oil and Cold Wax Medium for traditional techniques, Galkyd Lite for faster drying, and Solvent-Free Gel for texture work. Gamsol solvent cleans your brushes effectively, while Gamvar Gloss Varnish protects your finished pieces. This curated collection lets you experiment with different mediums and find your preferred painting style before investing in larger quantities.
- Product Type:Mediums, solvent, and varnish set
- Tube Size:2 fl oz and 37ml (trial-sized)
- Color Count:Multiple mediums/varnish (not paint colors)
- Intended User Level:All skill levels
- Key Characteristics:Supports every step of oil painting
- Customer Rating:Not specified
- Additional Feature:Complete painting workflow coverage
- Additional Feature:Includes protective gloss varnish
- Additional Feature:Trial-sized introductory set
Gamblin Artist Oils Payne’s Grey 37ml
You’ll find Gamblin Artist Oils Payne’s Grey 37ml ideal for artists seeking a semi-transparent grey that won’t fade over time. This 37ml tube delivers pigment-rich color with exceptional longevity, maintaining its intensity across decades. The satin finish complements various surfaces—canvas, paper, wood, and primed fabric—making it versatile for indoor and outdoor projects. With water-resistant properties and a 4.8-star rating from 57 reviews, this paint proves reliable for professional and amateur artists alike. Its historic working properties guarantee authentic results, while the generous coverage means your tube lasts through multiple pieces.
- Product Type:Single oil paint tube
- Tube Size:37ml (1.3 fl oz)
- Color Count:1 color (Payne’s Grey)
- Intended User Level:Professional/artist
- Key Characteristics:Semi-transparent, waterproof, satin finish
- Customer Rating:4.8 out of 5 stars (57 reviews)
- Additional Feature:Semi-transparent satin finish
- Additional Feature:Water-resistant formulation
- Additional Feature:Versatile indoor/outdoor use
Gamblin Professional Oil Paint Set 9 Radiant Colors
Professional oil painters who’ve embraced the alla prima technique or plein air painting will find this nine-color set indispensable because it combines the luminosity that impressionists prized with modern formulation advantages. You’ll appreciate the high pigment load delivering vibrant, opaque coverage that won’t sacrifice flexibility or longevity. The refined linseed oil formulation resists yellowing while maintaining that coveted buttery consistency. Each 37ml tube pairs with a generous 150ml Radiant White for creating highlights and shifts. The palette greys down beautifully, allowing you to achieve nuanced tones effortlessly. Whether you’re working realistically or abstractly, these colors’ exceptional lightfastness ensures your finished pieces persist professionally.
- Product Type:Professional oil paint set (9 colors)
- Tube Size:37ml tubes with 150ml Radiant White
- Color Count:9 radiant colors
- Intended User Level:Professional
- Key Characteristics:Opaque, low absorption, impressionist-inspired
- Customer Rating:Not specified
- Additional Feature:Impressionist-inspired color palette
- Additional Feature:Includes 150ml radiant white
- Additional Feature:Low absorption opaque colors
Gamblin Artist Oil Color – Ultramarine Blue – 150 ml Tube
Gamblin’s Ultramarine Blue is ideal for artists who prioritize quick-drying formulations without sacrificing pigment intensity. You’ll appreciate this 150 ml tube’s rich, historic pigment that resists aging, staying vibrant for years. The fast-drying formula cures in just 18 hours, letting you layer and work efficiently. It’s versatile across surfaces—canvas, paper, wood, and plaster—whether you’re painting indoors or outdoors. With a 4.5-star rating and strong coverage, you’re investing in a professional-grade color trusted by serious artists. While it’s not water-resistant, the exceptional pigment quality and reliable performance make it a staple worth adding to your palette.
- Product Type:Single oil paint tube
- Tube Size:150ml
- Color Count:1 color (Ultramarine Blue)
- Intended User Level:Professional/artist
- Key Characteristics:Fast-drying, not water resistant
- Customer Rating:4.5 out of 5 stars
- Additional Feature:Fast-drying formula
- Additional Feature:18-hour full cure time
- Additional Feature:Larger 150ml tube size
Gamblin Artist Oil Paint Set For Professionals – SEASCAPE SET – 37ml Tubes
For artists seeking to capture the vibrant depths and luminous qualities of water and sky, this seascape set delivers 11 expertly selected colors that won’t compromise your vision. You’ll get essential blues like Phthalo, Cobalt Teal, and Ultramarine alongside Radiant Turquoise and Radiant Green for dynamic water effects. Earthy tones—Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, and Yellow Ochre—ground your compositions, while Titanium White and Mars Black provide indispensable contrast and depth. Robert Gamblin formulates each 37ml tube using pure pigments and refined linseed oil, ensuring luscious working properties and permanent results. This curated bundle gives you everything you need for compelling seascapes without unnecessary colors cluttering your palette.
- Product Type:Professional oil paint set (11 colors)
- Tube Size:37ml tubes
- Color Count:11 colors
- Intended User Level:Professional
- Key Characteristics:Permanent, radiant, pure pigments
- Customer Rating:Not specified
- Additional Feature:Seascape-specific color selection
- Additional Feature:11 professional colors included
- Additional Feature:Pure pigments/refined linseed oils
Gamblin Reclaimed Earth Limited Edition Paint Set
If you’re an educator or student who values environmental impact alongside artistic quality, this limited edition set stands out. Gamblin collaborated with engineer Guy Riefler and artist John Sabraw to create paints from pigments reclaimed from iron-polluted waters. You’ll receive Brown Ochre, Rust Red, and Iron Violet tubes alongside a 6.5 primed cradled panel. The set supports multiple causes: it funds teachers and students while contributing to river ecosystem restoration. Gamblin donates over 20% of proceeds, making your purchase directly beneficial to environmental health and education.
- Product Type:Limited edition paint set (3 colors)
- Tube Size:Not specified
- Color Count:3 colors
- Intended User Level:All skill levels (supports students and teachers)
- Key Characteristics:Made from reclaimed iron mine pigments, limited edition
- Customer Rating:Not specified
- Additional Feature:Environmentally sustainable pigment sourcing
- Additional Feature:Includes primed cradled panel
- Additional Feature:Supports river ecosystem restoration
Gamblin 1980 Oil Color Exclusive Set
The 1980 Oil Color Exclusive Set stands out as an excellent entry point for students who want professional-quality results without the premium price tag. You’ll receive eight vibrant colors in 37ml tubes, all solvent-free and made right here in America. What really sweetens the deal is the complimentary cradled wood panel included with your purchase. Since you won’t find this set everywhere, you’re getting genuine value that’s hard to match. The high-end student-grade quality means you’re working with real pigments and reliable formulations, giving your artwork the richness and depth serious painters demand.
- Product Type:Student grade oil paint set (8 colors)
- Tube Size:37ml tubes
- Color Count:8 colors
- Intended User Level:Student/high-end student grade
- Key Characteristics:Real value, American-made, solvent-free gel included
- Customer Rating:Not specified
- Additional Feature:High-value student-grade quality
- Additional Feature:Complimentary cradled wood panel
- Additional Feature:Solvent-free gel included
Factors to Consider When Choosing Gamblin Oil Paint
When you’re selecting Gamblin oil paints, you’ll want to evaluate pigment quality and intensity to safeguard your colors remain vibrant and true. Consider the drying time and consistency that best suits your painting technique, alongside the lightfastness and permanence ratings that guarantee your work won’t fade over time. Balance these technical factors with your budget by examining the price and value proposition of different sets, and choose a color palette selection that matches your artistic vision.
Pigment Quality and Intensity
Choosing Gamblin oil paints means gaining access to formulations built on exceptional pigment quality that sets them apart in the market. You’ll notice immediately how their high-quality pigments deliver exceptional color intensity and vibrancy that rivals competitors. The carefully balanced pigment load guarantees you achieve optimal opacity, transparency, and tinting strength for your specific artistic needs.
Gamblin sources pigments from reputable suppliers and subjects them to rigorous testing, ensuring strict quality standards. This commitment to pure, well-dispersed pigments gives you exceptional covering power and remarkable color depth. You’ll also benefit from prioritized lightfastness, meaning your finished works remain stable and vibrant for decades. When you invest in Gamblin, you’re investing in pigment quality that truly translates to superior artistic results.
Drying Time and Consistency
Since you’re juggling multiple layers and techniques in your work, Gamblin’s fast drying times—typically 18-24 hours—give you a significant advantage over traditional oil paints. This accelerated drying allows you to build layers more efficiently without lengthy waiting periods between applications.
The paint’s smooth, buttery consistency delivers exceptional control and workability on your canvas. You’ll appreciate how Gamblin formulates their oils to be less absorbent than conventional options, granting you extended working times before the paint skins over. This balance means you’re not rushed while applying or blending strokes.
Combined with refined linseed oil in the formula, you get flexible paint that resists yellowing over time. These properties make Gamblin an ideal choice for artists seeking both practical handling and lasting color integrity.
Lightfastness and Permanence
Beyond immediate handling qualities, you’ll want your paintings to abide. Gamblin oil paints deliver exceptional longevity through carefully selected pigments formulated for permanence and stability. You’re investing in colors that won’t fade over generations.
Independent lightfastness testing confirms Gamblin’s formulations achieve the highest ratings, meaning your vibrant hues remain true for decades. The company’s manufacturing process guarantees that binders and additives don’t compromise the inherent permanence of individual pigments—a critical distinction separating quality paints from inferior alternatives.
When you choose Gamblin, you’re prioritizing durability alongside immediate visual impact. Your paintings won’t yellow, fade, or lose their richness with time and light exposure. This commitment to permanence means your work remains as striking fifty years from now as it appears today, provided you store and display pieces properly.
Price and Value Proposition
When you’re ready to invest in Gamblin oil paints, you’ll discover options across multiple price points—from accessible student-grade lines to premium professional formulations. Higher-priced selections justify their cost through refined oil mediums, superior pigment loads, and enhanced lightfastness that guarantees your artwork endures. You’ll find exceptional value in Gamblin’s limited edition and specialized paint sets designed for specific techniques or artistic needs. Rather than purchasing supplies individually, you’ll save considerably by choosing bundled mediums and varnish sets that provide essential oil painting supplies at cost-effective prices. This approach lets you build a complete painting system without compromising quality. Gamblin’s commitment to environmental responsibility and supporting artists further solidifies its value proposition, making your investment meaningful beyond mere pigment.
Color Palette Selection
Once you’ve selected your preferred price point and assembled your foundational supplies, you’ll want to focus on building a color palette that matches your artistic vision. Gamblin’s carefully curated selection provides you with opaque and semi-transparent options suited to various techniques and styles.
You’ll find versatile neutrals, primaries, and secondaries alongside specialty earth tones and metallic paints. This range enables you to achieve vibrant, nuanced results regardless of your subject matter. When selecting colors, consider whether you prefer traditional hues or modern, radiant shades inspired by Impressionist art.
Prioritize pigment load, lightfastness, and working properties—Gamblin excels in all three. By strategically choosing colors that complement your artistic goals, you’ll create a foundation for stunning, visually striking paintings that reflect your unique vision.
Surface Compatibility Options
Because you’ll want your paintings to withstand various environments and applications, understanding Gamblin’s surface compatibility becomes essential to your artistic success. You can apply these oil paints to canvas, paper, wood, and primed fabric, giving you considerable creative flexibility. Whether you’re working indoors or outdoors, Gamblin formulations accommodate both settings effectively.
However, you’ll need to ponder water resistance levels, as some products offer protection while others don’t. This distinction matters when selecting paints for specific projects. Additionally, surface preparation varies by product type and intended surface, so you shouldn’t overlook priming recommendations provided for each paint.
Professional vs. Student Grade
The choice between professional and student-grade Gamblin oils fundamentally shapes your investment and results. Professional-grade paints contain higher pigment concentrations, delivering richer colors and superior transparency. You’ll notice immediate differences in vibrancy and longevity when comparing them side-by-side on your canvas.
Student-grade options offer excellent value for beginners and practice work. They’re formulated with less expensive pigments and fillers, making them budget-friendly without completely sacrificing quality. You can explore techniques and color mixing without significant financial commitment.
Consider your skill level and goals. If you’re serious about creating gallery-worthy work, professional-grade justifies the investment. However, you shouldn’t dismiss student-grade options entirely—many experienced artists use them for underpainting and experimentation. Your choice depends on balancing cost against the professional results you’re pursuing.
Environmental and Ethical Sourcing
Beyond balancing cost and quality, you’ll want to ponder how your paint choice affects the environment and supports ethical practices. Gamblin stands out by sourcing pigments reclaimed from iron-tainted waters, transforming environmental remediation into art materials. Their manufacturing process prioritizes pure pigments and refined linseed oils without adulterants, ensuring responsible sourcing throughout production.
The Reclaimed Earth paint set, developed collaboratively with engineer Guy Riefler and artist John Sabraw, exemplifies this commitment. When you purchase this limited edition line, over 20% of proceeds support teachers, students, and river ecosystem restoration. By choosing Gamblin, you’re investing in products that reflect genuine environmental stewardship while maintaining the quality professional artists demand. Your paint selection becomes an active contribution to sustainability.
