The Paul Rubens Oil Paint set offers 20 colors in 50ml tubes, positioning itself as a budget-friendly option for oil painting enthusiasts. This review examines how these paints perform in real-world studio and classroom settings, focusing on their actual strengths and limitations rather than marketing claims.
In practice, the paints have a creamy, buttery consistency straight from the tube, which makes them easy to manipulate on the palette. The high saturation is noticeable, especially in primary colors like cadmium red and ultramarine blue, which hold their intensity even when thinned with linseed oil or turpentine. For students learning color mixing or artists working on studies, this set provides a solid range without requiring frequent tube changes. The 50ml size is generous for the price, reducing the need to repurchase common colors like titanium white or burnt umber frequently.
Key functional features include a smooth, uniform texture that blends well on canvas, allowing for both thick impasto applications and thin glazes. The paints have a moderate drying time typical of student-grade oils—usually tacky within 24 hours and dry to the touch in 3–5 days, depending on layer thickness and ventilation. The pigment load is decent for the price point, though not on par with professional lines. The set includes a useful selection: warm and cool primaries, earth tones, and several greens and blues, which cover most basic palettes for landscapes, portraits, or abstracts.
However, there are limitations and trade-offs to consider. The paint feels slightly leaner than higher-end brands like Winsor & Newton or Gamblin, meaning it has less oil content and can feel a bit stiff when working with large brushes. Some colors, particularly the lighter hues like lemon yellow and titanium white, require more layers to achieve full opacity compared to professional grades. Additionally, the tubes are made of soft aluminum that can split at the seams if squeezed too hard, especially when the paint is cold and thick. This is a durability concern for artists who travel with their supplies or store them in fluctuating temperatures.
Compared to generic student-grade oil paint sets from brands like Artina or Castle Art Supplies, the Paul Rubens set offers noticeably better saturation and a creamier feel. It outperforms those budget options in blending and color strength, but it still falls short of the buttery richness and lightfastness of artist-grade paints from companies like Old Holland or Rembrandt. For an intermediate artist working on practice pieces or studies, this set is a practical middle ground—better than craft paints but not a replacement for professional gear.
Who it is suitable for: This set works well for art students, beginners who want to explore oil painting without a large investment, and hobbyists who paint regularly but don’t need archival quality for every piece. It is also a good choice for teaching environments where multiple sets are needed and budget is a concern. The large tube size reduces waste and is ideal for heavy users of white or earth tones.
Who it is not suitable for: Professional artists working on commission or gallery pieces may find the opacity and pigment strength insufficient for precise color matching or long-term durability. Those who prefer buttery, high-oil-content paints for impasto techniques might find this set too stiff. Also, if you require a set with exceptional lightfastness ratings for works intended to last decades, you should look at professional-grade alternatives.
Overall, the Paul Rubens 20-color oil paint set delivers good value for its price, with solid performance for learning and practice. It has clear limitations in opacity and tube durability, but for its intended audience, it is a reliable tool that won’t break the bank.