You might not realize that ultramarine blue’s deep, complex tone comes from lapis lazuli origins, making quality variations significant among brands. If you’re selecting an oil paint for serious work, you’ll want to understand which formulations actually deliver the pigment intensity and longevity professionals demand. The seven options here aren’t random—they’re what experienced artists consistently choose.
Quick Overview
- Professional artists prioritize single-pigment formulations with AA or A lightfastness ratings ensuring artwork permanence for decades.
- Higher pigment loads in quality ultramarine blues deliver superior tinting strength and vibrant color mixing capabilities.
- Walnut and linseed oil bases affect drying times and working properties, with walnut offering solvent-free options.
- Smooth, buttery consistency enables superior blending and wet-on-wet techniques for extended working sessions and creative control.
- Tube sizes from 37ml to 100ml offer flexibility; larger tubes provide better value for frequent professional painters.
| Winsor & Newton Artists’ Oil Color 37ml (1.25 oz) Tube French Ultramarine |
| Best Overall | Lightfastness Rating: AA or A rating | Tube Size: 37ml (1.25 oz) | Paint Grade: Artists’ Oil Color | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| MEEDEN Artist Grade Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 60ml |
| Best Value | Lightfastness Rating: High lightfastness | Tube Size: 60ml (2 oz) | Paint Grade: Artist Grade | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| M. Graham Artist Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 1.25oz/37ml Tube |
| Most Vibrant Colors | Lightfastness Rating: Lightfast rating I (excellent) | Tube Size: 37ml (1.25 oz) | Paint Grade: Artist quality | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Mont Marte Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 100ml Tube |
| Best For Blending | Lightfastness Rating: Lightfast rating 6+ (ASTM2 equivalent) | Tube Size: 100ml (3.4 oz) | Paint Grade: Artist quality | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| MEEDEN Artist Grade Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 170ml |
| Professional Favorite | Lightfastness Rating: High lightfastness | Tube Size: 170ml (5.7 oz) | Paint Grade: Artist Grade | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Grumbacher Pre-Tested Oil Paint French Ultramarine Blue |
| Best Pre-Tested | Lightfastness Rating: Lightfast rating 1 (excellent) | Tube Size: 37ml (1.25 oz) | Paint Grade: Professional | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Tusc & Pine Artist Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 40ml |
| Best Small Batch | Lightfastness Rating: Not specified | Tube Size: 40ml | Paint Grade: Artist Oil Paint | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
More Details on Our Top Picks
Winsor & Newton Artists’ Oil Color 37ml (1.25 oz) Tube French Ultramarine
If you’re after professional-grade ultramarine that delivers clean, vibrant mixes without compromise, Winsor & Newton’s French Ultramarine stands out through its single pigment formulation. You’ll appreciate how this approach safeguards accurate color mixing without unwanted muddiness. The 37ml tube contains oil paint formulated with an optimal pigment-to-oil ratio, giving you excellent tinting strength and coverage. Winsor & Newton’s decades of research guarantee a precise, scientific production process. You can trust that this paint boasts AA or A lightfastness ratings, meaning your artwork retains its brilliance for years. The fine art pigment formula enhances the color’s natural characteristics, delivering the professional results serious artists demand.
- Lightfastness Rating:AA or A rating
- Tube Size:37ml (1.25 oz)
- Paint Grade:Artists’ Oil Color
- Pigment Quality:Single pigment, fine art pigments
- Consistency/Texture:Optimal pigment-to-oil balance
- Drying Time:Not specified
- Additional Feature:74 single pigment colours available
- Additional Feature:Decades of research expertise
- Additional Feature:Retains brilliance over time
MEEDEN Artist Grade Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 60ml
Are you searching for professional-quality ultramarine blue that won’t compromise your artistic vision? MEEDEN’s Artist Grade Oil Paint delivers exactly that in a generous 60ml tube. You’ll appreciate the rich, vivid pigments formulated for professional canvas work. The paint offers exceptional lightfastness, ensuring your colors won’t fade over time. Its smooth consistency makes blending effortless, while the abundant formula provides excellent coverage. With 37 available colors, you can create endless combinations tailored to your needs. MEEDEN’s flawlessly mixable paint performs beautifully alongside other hues. Their dedicated customer support backs your artistic endeavors, prioritizing your satisfaction. This ultramarine blue gives you professional-grade quality at an accessible price point.
- Lightfastness Rating:High lightfastness
- Tube Size:60ml (2 oz)
- Paint Grade:Artist Grade
- Pigment Quality:Top-notch pigments
- Consistency/Texture:Smooth, abundant, unique touch
- Drying Time:Not specified
- Additional Feature:37 colour options available
- Additional Feature:Dedicated customer support team
- Additional Feature:Endless colour combinations possible
M. Graham Artist Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 1.25oz/37ml Tube
M. Graham’s Ultramarine Blue offers you artist-quality pigmentation in a compact 1.25oz tube. You’ll appreciate the walnut oil base, which keeps your paint solvent-free while maintaining a moderate drying time that gives you workable flexibility. The increased pigment load means you’re getting stronger, more vibrant colors that retain their clarity without discoloration concerns. With a lightfast rating of I, your finished pieces won’t fade over time. Made in the USA, this paint delivers excellent quality at a professional level, making it a reliable choice whether you’re layering glazes or building rich color mixtures.
- Lightfastness Rating:Lightfast rating I (excellent)
- Tube Size:37ml (1.25 oz)
- Paint Grade:Artist quality
- Pigment Quality:Increased pigment loads
- Consistency/Texture:Not specified
- Drying Time:Moderate drying time
- Additional Feature:Made with walnut oil
- Additional Feature:Solvent free formulation
- Additional Feature:Made in USA
Mont Marte Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 100ml Tube
For artists seeking professional-grade ultramarine blue with exceptional pigmentation and longevity, Mont Marte’s 100ml tube delivers excellent value. You’ll appreciate the heavy body consistency that allows smooth blending and layering on canvas. The paint’s superior tinting strength means you’re getting more pigment per application, maximizing your investment. With a lightfast rating of 6 or above, your work remains vibrant for 50-100 years under museum conditions. The slower drying time—touch dry in 3-4 days—gives you ample time to experiment with techniques without rushing. This artist-quality paint’s non-toxic formula and generous 100ml volume make it ideal for serious painters who demand professional results without compromise.
- Lightfastness Rating:Lightfast rating 6+ (ASTM2 equivalent)
- Tube Size:100ml (3.4 oz)
- Paint Grade:Artist quality
- Pigment Quality:High pigmentation level
- Consistency/Texture:Premium, smooth, buttery
- Drying Time:Slower (touch dry 3-4 days, fully cures 6-12 months)
- Additional Feature:50-100 years permanence guaranteed
- Additional Feature:Heavy body formulation
- Additional Feature:Touch dry after 3-4 days
MEEDEN Artist Grade Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 170ml
Professional artists who demand vibrant, long-lasting color will find MEEDEN’s Artist Grade Oil Paint an excellent choice. This 170ml tube delivers rich ultramarine blue with exceptional lightfastness, ensuring your work won’t fade over time. You’ll appreciate the professional formula combining premium pigments with quality linseed oil, creating smooth, abundant texture that responds beautifully to your brushwork. The paint’s superior mixability allows you endless color combinations without compromising vibrancy. Since MEEDEN strictly adheres to color standards, you’ll achieve consistent results across multiple tubes. With generous sizing and artist-grade quality, this ultramarine blue represents outstanding value for serious painters seeking professional-caliber materials.
- Lightfastness Rating:High lightfastness
- Tube Size:170ml (5.7 oz)
- Paint Grade:Artist Grade
- Pigment Quality:Top-notch pigments
- Consistency/Texture:Smooth, abundant, unique texture
- Drying Time:Not specified
- Additional Feature:Largest tube size available
- Additional Feature:Linseed oil combination formula
- Additional Feature:Strictly conforms to colour scale
Grumbacher Pre-Tested Oil Paint French Ultramarine Blue
Grumbacher Pre-Tested Oil Paint’s French Ultramarine Blue stands out as an excellent choice for artists who prioritize quality control and versatility. You’ll appreciate that this professional-grade paint undergoes rigorous testing for masstone, mixability, lightfastness, and pigment dispersion before reaching your studio. With its Lightfast rating of 1-excellent, you can trust your work will endure. The semi-opaque formula retains brightness in tints while maintaining moderate tinting strength. You’ll easily create violets by mixing it with cool reds like Alizarin Crimson, or vibrant greens with cool yellows. Made in the USA and offered in a 37ml tube, this single-pigment paint delivers consistent, reliable performance for professional applications.
- Lightfastness Rating:Lightfast rating 1 (excellent)
- Tube Size:37ml (1.25 oz)
- Paint Grade:Professional
- Pigment Quality:Single pigment, majority
- Consistency/Texture:Pre-tested viscosity
- Drying Time:Pre-tested drying properties
- Additional Feature:Pre-tested for masstone properties
- Additional Feature:Semi-opaque nature characteristic
- Additional Feature:Made in USA
Tusc & Pine Artist Oil Paint Ultramarine Blue 40ml
Why settle for mass-produced paints when you can work with small-batch oils milled right here in the USA? Tusc & Pine’s Ultramarine Blue delivers exactly what professionals demand: maximum pigment load paired with a rich, creamy consistency that handles beautifully on canvas. You’ll appreciate the non-yellowing formula, which preserves your color’s integrity throughout the years. At 40ml, this concentrated paint stretches far, offering excellent value without compromising quality. Whether you’re layering glazes or working alla prima, this American-made oil performs with the precision serious artists require. It’s the kind of paint that respects your vision.
- Lightfastness Rating:Not specified
- Tube Size:40ml
- Paint Grade:Artist Oil Paint
- Pigment Quality:Maximum pigment load
- Consistency/Texture:Rich & creamy consistency
- Drying Time:Not specified
- Additional Feature:Small batch milled process
- Additional Feature:Non-yellowing formulation
- Additional Feature:Maximum pigment load formula
Factors to Consider When Choosing Ultramarine Blue Oil Paint
When you’re selecting an ultramarine blue oil paint, you’ll want to evaluate the pigment quality and purity first, as these directly affect the color’s vibrancy and consistency. You should also consider lightfastness and permanence ratings, oil base composition, and drying time to guarantee your finished work remains stable and matches your working style. Finally, you’ll need to assess the paint’s tinting strength and coverage capacity, which determine how far your tube goes and how effectively you can achieve the hues you’re seeking.
Pigment Quality and Purity
How you’ll distinguish a superior ultramarine blue oil paint from mediocre alternatives often comes down to one fundamental factor: pigment purity. When you’re selecting ultramarine blue, you want a formulation using a single, pure pigment with minimal fillers or extenders. The purity directly impacts what you’ll see on your canvas—intensity, opacity, and tinting strength all depend on it.
Impurities or additional pigments muddy the color, making it appear dull and less vibrant than you’d expect. You’ll also notice that high-quality ultramarine undergoes fine milling to optimize pigment loading and dispersion, resulting in a smooth consistency that performs better in your work.
Finally, prioritize pigments with excellent lightfastness ratings. You’ll appreciate knowing your paintings retain their brilliant ultramarine hue for decades without fading.
Lightfastness and Permanence
Permanence matters profoundly when you’re investing time and materials into your artwork. Lightfastness—how well a pigment resists fading under light exposure—directly determines whether your ultramarine blue will maintain its vibrancy for decades or fade into a dull shadow.
You’ll want pigments rated AA or A, which retain their brilliance far better than lower-rated substitutes. Research the specific lightfastness ratings of ultramarine blues you’re considering, as quality varies greatly between manufacturers.
Don’t overlook storage and handling conditions either. Even pigments with excellent lightfastness ratings require proper care to guarantee long-term permanence. Keep your finished works away from direct sunlight and excessive humidity.
Document the exact materials and pigments you’ve used. This record proves invaluable for future conservation efforts and helps verify your artwork endures.
Oil Base Composition
The oil that carries your ultramarine pigment profoundly shapes how the paint behaves on your canvas. You’ll want to ponder whether the manufacturer uses linseed, poppy, or walnut oil, as each affects drying time, viscosity, and finish differently. The ratio of oil to pigment directly influences opacity and coverage—more oil creates transparency, while less yields richness and intensity.
You should also examine the oil’s quality and refinement level. Cold-pressed oils impart different characteristics than refined varieties, affecting sheen and color saturation. Higher-purity oils enhance lightfastness and long-term stability, ensuring your ultramarine blue resists fading over decades.
Some formulations include driers or stabilizers that modify working properties. Comprehending these compositional elements helps you select an ultramarine blue that matches your specific technique and longevity expectations.
Drying Time Considerations
Beyond the oil composition itself, you’ll find that drying time stands as a practical concern shaping how you actually work with ultramarine blue. Most quality ultramarine oils dry to the touch in 3-4 days, allowing you adequate time for blending, layering, and refinement before the paint sets. This moderate window suits various techniques without rushing your process.
However, drying speed varies based on pigment concentration, medium choice, and your studio’s temperature and humidity levels. Faster-drying formulations may limit your blending opportunities, while slower versions grant extended working time. Understanding your preferred ultramarine’s specific drying characteristics enables you to plan your painting sessions strategically and select techniques that align with your workflow. Choose accordingly to match your artistic approach.
Tinting Strength and Coverage
When you’re selecting an ultramarine blue oil paint, tinting strength and coverage deserve careful attention because they directly impact how efficiently you’ll use the paint and what results you’ll achieve. High tinting strength means you’ll create vibrant colors when mixing ultramarine blue with other paints, stretching your supply further. The dense pigment load provides excellent coverage, allowing you to apply opaque layers efficiently. You’ll appreciate how the rich, saturated pigment maintains clarity even when mixed, producing consistent hues without muddiness. This pigment concentration also preserves brightness and vibrancy in tints and mixtures. By choosing an ultramarine blue with strong tinting capabilities, you’ll access a wider variety of hue possibilities while maximizing your paint’s effectiveness.
Consistency and Texture
Consistency and texture profoundly influence how you’ll work with ultramarine blue oil paint and what you’ll ultimately achieve on canvas. A buttery, smooth consistency gives you superior control and blending capabilities, essential for detailed work. Heavy body paints with higher pigment loads deliver exceptional coverage and opacity, meaning you’ll need less paint to achieve rich color saturation. Moderately slow drying times allow you ample opportunity for wet-on-wet techniques, letting you blend colors seamlessly while they’re still workable. Consider your preferred application method—thin glazes require fluid paint, while impasto techniques demand thicker viscosity. Your choice directly impacts the visual effects you’ll create, from subtle washes to bold textured strokes.
Price and Tube Size
Once you’ve settled on the consistency that suits your style, you’ll want to ponder how much you’re willing to spend and what quantity makes sense for your practice. Ultramarine blue oil paint comes in tubes ranging from 37ml to 170ml, with prices scaling accordingly.
Smaller tubes suit hobbyists and artists tackling compact projects, though they cost more per milliliter. Larger tubes deliver better value if you paint frequently or work on bigger canvases. Brand matters too—professional-grade paints command higher prices than student-quality alternatives, yet often justify the investment through superior pigmentation and longevity.
Guarantee your typical consumption and project scope honestly. Budgeting appropriately for quality ultramarine blue confirms you’ll have this essential palette staple whenever you need it, without overspending or running short mid-project.
Manufacturing Standards
The quality of your ultramarine blue oil paint depends fundamentally on how it’s manufactured. You’ll want paints that meet ASTM I or AA lightfastness ratings, which safeguard your artwork maintains its brilliance for decades. Proper milling and pigment dispersion directly affect the paint’s texture and performance, so seek manufacturers who employ rigorous processes.
Strict quality control measures guarantee batch-to-batch consistency, meaning you’ll get reliable color every time you purchase. While large-scale production offers affordability, small-batch manufacturers often provide superior attention to detail. They prioritize premium pigment and oil compositions over volume, delivering exceptional vibrancy and longevity. Consider your priorities—whether you value cost-effectiveness or maximum quality—when evaluating manufacturing practices. Either way, verify that your chosen paint adheres to industry standards before committing to a brand.
