The Day My Paintings Asked for More

Why I Finally Switched to Artist-Grade Oil Paints

Above: The picture of Shabari's face as it appears today. 

Below: The picture of Shabari's face on the day I completed painting it 5 years ago. 

While lighting may account for some variation, the reduction in depth and richness over time is clearly visible. 

For years, I painted almost exclusively with student-grade oil paints that are commonly available in India. I still have a soft corner for them. They were with me through my learning years. I know how they handle. Even today, there are moments when I miss certain colours because they do exactly what I expect them to do. This isn't a post criticizing student-grade paints. Without them, I wouldn't have painted hundreds of hours or reached where I am today.

But something happened that slowly changed my mind.

A few years ago, I painted Shabari. I remember finishing her face and feeling satisfied with the depth in the skin, the subtle form, the structure of the wrinkles, and the richness of the shadows.

Recently, I looked at the same painting again. It wasn't ruined. But it wasn't the same painting either. Over the years, much of the richness had faded. The subtle depth I had built seemed to have flattened. The forms that once felt sculpted by light had become much gentler, almost like a sketch of what they had originally been.

Could lighting and photography account for some of the difference? Certainly. Fresh oil paint, different lighting conditions, and camera settings all influence how a painting appears. But having lived with the painting for years, I knew there had been a genuine change. That realization made me uncomfortable. Not because I wanted "better" paints. But because I want my collectors to receive paintings that will continue to represent my work years from now.

If someone invests in one of my paintings, I don't want them to unknowingly receive something that gradually loses the very qualities that made them fall in love with it. That was the turning point.

Over the past few months, I have slowly begun moving toward artist-grade oils such as Daniel Smith, M Graham & Co., Sennelier and Gamblin.

The biggest surprise wasn't simply that the paints were more transparent, smoother or contained more pigment.

It was discovering the character of individual pigments.

Transparent earth colours, Quinacridone Sienna, Quinacridone Gold, Nickel Azo Yellow, Transparent Red Iron Oxide... these aren't just colours. They have personalities. They allow me to build light through glazes instead of simply painting opaque colour on the surface. Ironically, I didn't change my painting process at all. My process has always been about patiently developing the painting over time. These transparent pigments simply found their natural home within that process.

Today, I still respect the paints that taught me how to paint. But I also know that my current artistic goals ask something different from my materials.

This journey has also sparked another interest. Understanding pigments themselves. Alongside artist-grade paints, I have begun mulling a few of my own oil colours from dry pigments and linseed oil, such as red, yellow, and green iron oxides. It has been fascinating to see how each pigment has its own personality, transparency, tinting strength, and handling characteristics. The more I paint, the more I find myself appreciating the pigment behind the colour.

This wasn't a decision driven by prestige or brand names. It was a decision driven by permanence, optical beauty, and a desire to create paintings that will continue to speak for themselves many years after they leave my studio.. And for that reason, I have no regrets about making the shift.