Plenty of people would love to paint in oils but are put off by the solvents. Turpentine and white spirit smell strong, need good ventilation and aren’t much fun in a spare bedroom, a kitchen or a classroom. Water mixable oils solve that problem, and Cobra is one of the best known.
Cobra is made by Royal Talens, the Dutch company behind Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Amsterdam. Marten Talens founded the business in Apeldoorn in 1899, and it was given its “Royal” title in 1949 in recognition of its quality. Royal Talens introduced Cobra in 2010 as a true oil paint you can thin with water instead of solvents, and in 2013 it added Cobra Study, a more affordable range with less pigment, aimed at students and beginners. The name will ring a bell with art history fans, because it’s shared with the CoBrA movement, the group of expressive, colourful painters from Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam who came together in 1948.
So how does a water mixable oil actually work? Cobra is still a real oil paint, but it contains an emulsifier that lets the oil mix evenly with water, a little like the way egg tempera works. You can thin it with water as you paint, use the same techniques you’d use with traditional oils, and clean your hands, brushes and palette with soap and water afterwards. You don’t need any solvents at all, so you can paint almost anywhere without unpleasant fumes. Royal Talens also says the colour, brushstrokes and texture stay as you painted them while the paint dries.
Cobra Artist is the professional range. It has high pigmentation and finely ground pigments, and the paint feels very much like a traditional oil, buttery and rich. It comes in around a hundred colours, in tubes and in larger tubes of the most popular colours, alongside sets that are a great way to get started. Cobra Study is the student range: less pigment and a lower price, but the same water mixable convenience, which makes it ideal for practice, classrooms and anyone trying oils for the first time. To get the most out of either range, Royal Talens makes a full set of Cobra mediums and varnishes designed for water mixable oils, which change how the paint flows, dries and finishes. There’s also a dedicated Cobra brush soap for keeping brushes in good condition.
In sixteen years in the art supplies industry, including nearly a decade running digital marketing at ARTdiscount, I’ve watched water mixable oils go from a niche curiosity to a genuinely popular choice, and Cobra has been a big part of that sucess. In our community of 36,000 UK artists at Discount Art Supplies, it comes up again and again when people ask how to paint in oils at home, especially from painters with young children or pets, people with sensitivities to solvents, and those working in a small space.
Getting the best deal on Cobra comes down to a few things. First, compare prices before you buy. Cobra is stocked by most UK art shops and online retailers, and prices on the same tube or set can vary, so check our comparison above, which is updated in real time. Second, choose the right range. Cobra Artist is the one for finished paintings and stronger colour, while Cobra Study is great value for learning and practice. Third, buy larger tubes of the colours you use most, especially white, which usually works out much cheaper per millilitre. Fourth, a starter set is often the cheapest way to build a palette. And finally, watch for sales. Royal Talens brands, including Cobra, are often discounted in seasonal sales and around Black Friday.
A few questions come up regularly. Is Cobra real oil paint? Yes. It’s a genuine oil paint, made to be thinned with water instead of solvents. Can you clean Cobra brushes with water? Yes. Brushes, hands and palettes clean up with soap and water. What is the difference between Cobra Artist and Cobra Study? Artist is the professional range, with more pigment, while Study is the more affordable range with less pigment, launched in 2013 for students and beginners. Do I need special mediums? Not necessarily, as you can thin Cobra with water, but Royal Talens makes a full range of Cobra mediums and varnishes if you want to change the flow, drying or finish. Who makes Cobra? Royal Talens, the Dutch company that also makes Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Amsterdam.
Cobra makes oil painting possible for a lot of people who thought it wasn’t for them, and that can only be a good thing. Looking for a Cobra sale, discount or discount code? Check the price comparisons above, updated in real time, and you’ll always know you’re getting the best current UK price.