Michael Harding Oil Paints: Handcrafted Professional Oils with Unmatched Pigment Load

Michael Harding is a London-based maker of professional oil paints who has been producing handcrafted colours in small batches since 1982, and whose paints have earned a devoted following among professional painters worldwide for their exceptionally high pigment loads, traditional formulations, and the quality that comes from a genuinely artisanal approach to paint making. In a market dominated by large manufacturers who balance pigment load against production cost, Michael Harding's paints represent a different philosophy: use the best available pigments, load them as heavily as the formulation will bear, and produce a paint that performs at the absolute highest level regardless of the cost implications.

The result is a range of oil paints that professional painters consistently describe as transformative. Artists who switch to Michael Harding paints from other professional-grade brands regularly report that the difference in pigment intensity, handling quality, and colour depth is immediately apparent. The paints are not cheap, but for professional painters who depend on their materials performing at the highest possible level, the investment is consistently described as worthwhile.

The Philosophy of Paint Making

Michael Harding's approach to paint making is grounded in a conviction that professional artists deserve materials made with the same care and quality that the finest historical painters had access to. The great oil paintings of the European tradition were made with paints that were ground by hand, using the finest available pigments, by craftspeople who understood that the quality of the paint directly affected the quality of the work. The industrialisation of paint production in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought consistency and affordability but at the cost of the pigment loads and material quality that characterised the finest historical paints.

Harding's response to this situation was to return to small-batch, handcrafted production using traditional methods and the finest available pigments. Each colour in the range is formulated to maximise pigment load while maintaining the handling characteristics that professional painters require. The result is a paint that is noticeably more intense, more transparent where transparency is appropriate, and more responsive to the painter's touch than most commercially produced alternatives.

Single Pigment Formulations

One of the most important characteristics of Michael Harding paints is the commitment to single pigment formulations wherever possible. Many commercially produced oil paints use multiple pigments to achieve specific colours, which can result in muddy mixing and unpredictable colour behaviour. Single pigment paints mix more cleanly and predictably, because the mixing behaviour of a single pigment is consistent and well-understood.

Harding publishes detailed pigment information for every colour in the range, including the specific pigment codes, the oil used as the binder, and the lightfastness rating. This transparency allows painters to make informed decisions about their palette and to understand exactly what they are working with. The commitment to transparency about formulation is one of the markers of a paint maker who respects the intelligence and professional needs of their customers.

The single pigment approach also means that Michael Harding paints are particularly well-suited to painters who want to understand colour mixing at a fundamental level. When you mix two single pigment paints, you know exactly what pigments are interacting, and the results are predictable in ways that mixing multi-pigment paints is not.

The Pigment Range

The Michael Harding range covers more than 120 colours, including a comprehensive selection of the pigments that professional painters rely on most heavily. The range includes genuine cadmiums in a full range of hues, genuine cobalts, genuine ultramarines, and a comprehensive selection of earth pigments sourced from specific deposits known for their quality.

The cadmium colours deserve special mention because they are formulated with genuine cadmium pigments rather than the cadmium-free alternatives that many manufacturers have introduced in response to environmental concerns. Genuine cadmium pigments have a warmth, intensity, and opacity that cadmium-free alternatives do not fully replicate, and for painters who work with cadmiums as a central part of their palette, the difference is significant.

The earth pigments in the range are sourced from specific geological deposits that produce pigments with distinctive colour characteristics. The French ochres, Italian siennas, and Cypriot umbers in the range have subtly different colours and handling properties from generic earth pigments, and painters who work extensively with earth colours find that these differences are meaningful in practice.

Handling Characteristics

The handling characteristics of Michael Harding paints reflect the high pigment loads and traditional formulations. The paints are generally stiffer and more buttery than many commercially produced alternatives, with a body that holds brushstrokes and palette knife marks without slumping. This body is a direct result of the high pigment load: more pigment means less oil, and less oil means a stiffer, more responsive paint.

The high pigment load also means that a little paint goes a long way. Painters who switch to Michael Harding paints often find that they use significantly less paint to achieve the same coverage and colour intensity as with other brands, which partially offsets the higher cost per tube.

The paints are formulated with cold-pressed linseed oil as the primary binder, which gives them a slightly slower drying time than paints formulated with refined or alkali-refined linseed oil. This slower drying time is generally considered an advantage by painters who want more time to blend and work the paint on the canvas.

International Distribution

Michael Harding paints are distributed internationally through specialist art supply retailers. In the UK, they are available through Jackson's Art Supplies, Cass Art, and other professional retailers. In the United States, they are available through Blick Art Materials, Jerry's Artarama, and other specialist retailers. The company also sells directly through its website for customers who prefer to order from the source.

The international distribution reflects the global reputation that Michael Harding has built among professional painters. The paints are used by exhibiting painters, art school faculty, and serious amateur painters in dozens of countries, and the company's reputation for quality has spread primarily through word of mouth among working artists.

The Bottom Line

Michael Harding Oil Paints represent the highest standard in handcrafted professional oil paint production, combining exceptionally high pigment loads, traditional formulations, single pigment transparency, and the quality that comes from small-batch artisanal production. For professional painters who want oil paints that perform at the absolute highest level, Michael Harding is one of the most important and consistently recommended options available anywhere in the world.