Cheap vs. Expensive - can you see the difference?

Have you ever wondered what the difference between cheaper paints and more expensive ones looks like? I certainly did! So I made a test to compare them directly. 

But first: Why do we invest in more expensive paints? There are some reasons, of course. One is that high-quality paints contain more pigment and fewer fillers. The result is a whole different painting experience. 

My go to watercolor paints are the professional watercolors from Winsor & Newton

Mixing colors can be quite frustrating with cheaper paints, and they are used up faster. Another point is lightfastness - will your painting fade when it hangs on your wall, exposed to sunlight?

These differences especially come into play when comparing student paints vs. professional paints. I always recommend a few professional paints instead of a whole bunch of student paints. But what about the distinction between different price categories in the professional sector?

The Ultimate Test

For the ultimate test, I compared my favorite paints, "Winsor & Newton professional Watercolors" with the more affordable "Royal Talens van Gogh Watercolors". Prices differ between countries, but for the Winsor & Newton, I paid three times the price of the Royal Talens on average.

Painted with Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor

Painted with Royal Talens van Gogh Professional Watercolor 

I painted the same picture two times: First, you see it with Winsor & Newton, then with van Gogh. And to be honest, I was surprised how good the cheaper paints performed. I see a clear difference, though. 

To me, the van Gogh colors look less natural, but it was completely fine to work with them. So I stay with my favorite paints, but I can't say cheaper options are always a bad idea. At the same time, I can say that the higher price is totally justified in my eyes. 

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