Professional Grade Vs. Student Grade: Which Paint is Right for You?

Uncomfortable using your good paints?

Mary Weisenberger from Gamblin (Ep.43) says you’ve got great options.

Let’s head to an art store to better understand.

Start out in your medium of choice. There you’ll find two different types of paints: professional grade and student grade paint. (Please note, we are not talking about craft paint. That is something different.)

There are a few main differences between these two grades.

First, the price.

Professional grade paint will be the most expensive. Student grade paint will be less expensive.

Professional grade paint usually varies in price by the color. Some colors are more expensive than others even though all the tubes are the same size.

In student grade paint, all the tubes of paint are generally on price.

The reason why is because of something called pigment load. And it’s the second difference between professional and student grade paint.

Second, pigment load.

Pigment load refers to how much physical pigment is in a mixture of paint.

Professional grade paints have higher pigment load. Student grade paints have lower.

Pigments are the most expensive ingredient in the paint mixtures.

Let’s take Cadmium Red Light as an example. Manufacturers use the exact same Cadmium Red Light pigment in their professional and student grade paints. But they won’t use as much in their student grade paint. This keeps the cost lower.

Instead of the pigment, paint manufacturers like Gamblin will add marble dust or calcium carbonate into the paint to extend the paint and make it less expensive to buy. Calcium carbonate is a colorless pigment.

If you laid a strip of their student grade next to their professional grade, you wouldn’t notice much of a difference.

However, where you would begin to notice the difference is when you used it to mix the paint.

Price and pigment load are the two main differences between professional grade and student grade.

Now let’s look at where they are similar.

If you’re buying your paints from a reputable manufacturer like Gamblin, the quality of paint will be the same. Meaning both paints will hold together and have longevity in the same way.

Put it to Practice:

Student grade paints aren’t only for students. Many professional artists use student grade paints for their work. Student grades are a great option if you’re painting large or have cost considerations.

The difference between the two isn’t about QUALITY.

Companies like Gamblin (and Golden and M. Graham, etc) make high quality paints no matter the grade. It’s just that the less expensive pigments will handle differently than their more expensive counterparts.

Painting consistently is the most important part of painting. So if you find that you are scared to use your materials because you’re thinking about how much they cost, switch to a lower cost option. If you stick with good manufacturers (like the ones you find in the art section of your art store) you have great and reliable options with student grade paint.