I often get asked about which brands of paint and specific colours I use so thought I'd start a series discussing and comparing them. I've very visual and rarely work according to the names of things, much more with how they interact with the rest of the composition and having a pale, emerald/sea green on hand is essential as it's colour I use often; it’s one of my favourites in studio because it’s so useful for mixing greens for landscapes or making nice depth in abstract paintings. Looking through my studio, I realised that I have three almost identical colours with three different brands and names! My favourite is Vallejo's Phthalocyanine Emerald - it has a bit of a luminous look, which I love, but sometimes it’s hard to find, so I've got others that serve as very good substitues: Liquitex Bright Aqua Green and Art Creation-Talens Light Phthalo Green.
All three are good in their own ways, but they are also slightly different. For example, Liquitex dries a little darker than the others, and Vallejo is a bit more transparent. If you’re curious which one might be good for you, I will share my experience to help you decide.
1. Vallejo Studio Acrylic Phthalocyanine Emerald
This is my favorite when I can find it. Vallejo is a little more transparent, so it creates a more luminous effect on a white background which I love and makes it great if you like to do washes or transparent layers.
2. Liquitex Basics Acrylic Bright Aqua Green
If you need a Phthalo green that is strong and covers fast, Liquitex may be the best choice. It’s very pigmented, so you don’t need many layers. This one dries very slightly darker than the others.
3. Art Creation-Talens Light Phthalo Green
This one feels like a balance between the other two. It’s not as transparent as Vallejo but also not as strong as Liquitex. It’s creamy and smooth and easy to control, so it’s a nice all-around option if you’re not sure what you need.
Which One to Choose?
It depends what you need:
Vallejo is great for soft, transparent layers and a luminous look (if you can find it!).
Liquitex is the best for bold, bright strokes and strong coverage.
Art Creation-Talens is a good middle choice for everyday painting and easy handling and is by far the cheapest.
All of them are similar but work well in slightly different ways, so maybe it’s good to try a few and see what feels best for you. Have you used these brands before? Let me know—I’d love to hear your opinion!
Where to buy?
Here are a few links I've found to online stores in Spain, UK and US that sell these paints. Some links are affiliate links (meaning the company will pay me a small percentage if you go ahead any buy the paint from them) and some aren't:
Vallejo Studio Acrylic Phthalocyanine Emerald:
Spain:
Amazon Spain (200ml)
Totenart (200ml)
UK:
Amazon UKÂ (200ml)
US: I can't find any US suppliers for this one at the moment. Please do let me know if you find it anywhere!
Liquitex Basics Acrylic Bright Aqua Green
Spain:
Amazon Spain (118ml)
Totenart (118ml)
UK:
Amazon UK (118ml)
US:
Amazon US (118ml)
Art Creation-Talens Light Phthalo Green
Spain:
UK, US:I can't find this brand outside of the EU at the moment. Amsterdam (also owned by Talens) has a similar colour but I don't have it in the studio to test at the moment.
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