Hue Paints: What They Are and Why They're Worth A Try

Do you choose true, or do you pick hue for your watercolor paints? Which should you buy when it comes to selecting a color? Why do some artists say that hue paints are unsuitable while others do, and which is it? How do you pick before ordering?

If these questions above mirror the mounting questions and frustrations within you right now, we're here to help!

Say you're shopping for your first haul of paints, and you need Vermillion. What's the difference between Vermillion and Vermillion hue?

What is a Hue in Paint Colors?
You undoubtedly recognize "hue" as pure color without tint or shade. While this is true, it's not exactly this meaning we refer to when it comes to paints—for example; there is a difference between Cadmium Yellow Hue versus the actual color of Cadmium Yellow.

In terms of paint colors, a hue simply indicates a color that is created by using different pigments instead of the original. Even though hue paint colors are made through mixing pigments, hue paints are still exceptionally close to the actual, pure color. So why do paint companies bother to make hue paints instead of pure, true colors? There are two main reasons:
• Some watercolor paints, such as Cadmium Red, could contain toxic elements such as cadmium, cobalt, magnesium, and cerulean. Creating the same color through hues eliminates these potentially harmful ingredients, making them safer.
• The original color is no longer available. You may not realize specific colors have been discontinued if you're new to painting. The reason for this is due to the availability of the pigments. When original paints become discontinued, they are replaced with a hue as close as possible to the original. Discontinued pigments are why we see colors like Manganese Blue Hue, Manganese Blue Nova, or even Manganese Blue. These are hue colors as the original Manganese Blue is no longer produced. 
• Hue watercolor paints offer an excellent economically friendly alternative for artists on a budget or for beginner artists who wish to experiment and learn how to work with paints without worrying about wasting more expensive genuine pigmented paint.
Hues may also refer to paints that use a lesser concentration of pigments, which may be referred to or classified as "student grade" or "economy grade" paints. Student or economy-grade paints may also come with fillers such as dextrin that assist in building the paint without diluting or affecting the color in any way.

Which Paints Have Hues?
You can find hues in almost any paint, including acrylics, watercolors, and oils.

Are Hues as Bad As they Say? Are they Lower Quality?
You'll notice that many fine artist-grade paints are available in hues. A hue paint doesn't necessarily mean poor quality anymore. These days, many paints marked as a hue, or even student grade or economy-grade, can have the same vibrant color and pay off as many professional-grade paints, thanks to technological advancements.

In some cases, as artists, there's no possible way to purchase a paint color in its true pigment any longer due to the ingredients that create that color is discontinued, meaning that the only way to paint with that color is by using a hue. Additionally, many hues have replaced paints that were once created by toxic ingredients, safeguarding artists of all ages from inadvertently coming into contact with harmful components or chemicals.

Additionally, the advantage of using a hue paint is that we're choosing a paint that will be much less harmful to the environment as artists. For instance, using hue colors for Cadmiums and Cobalt pigments means removing heavy metal Cads and Cobalts from wastewater streams.

The truth is, in some cases, we as artists have little choice in the matter when it comes to hue paints, and in other cases, thanks to today's innovative techniques in pigment replacement and formulation, many hue paints are on par or equal to any artist-grade paints.

So, to hue or not to hue? When it comes down to hue paints, we think it all comes down to artist choice and color availability. Feel free to paint your next creation with hue paints and enjoy the world of color!