PIGMENT TOKYO has started to carry Mino Artists' Oil Colours by KUSAKABE CORPORATION. These oil paints are made in Japan using a single pigment as much as possible. The high pigment concentration, high gloss, and good spreading make these oil paints for professionals with beautiful colors even when applied in thin coats.

 PIGMENT TOKYO "Mino Artists’ Oil Colours"

KUSAKABE CORPORATION began manufacturing oil paints in Japan under its predecessor, KUSAKABE Oil Paint Manufacturing Corporation in 1928.

Once discontinued through consolidation, the Mino Brand professional oil paints were renewed in 2021 based on the experience and knowledge of the former KUSAKABE oil paint specialists

The lineup also includes natural lapis lazuli, famously known as Vermeer blue, and is recommended for those who are interested in traditional painting techniques.

I personally would like to recommend earth colors. 

AUREOLIN, TERRE VERTE (GENUINE), RAW UMBER and BURNT UMBER are very beautiful with their moist and bitter colors.

Incidentally, this TERRE VERTE is made of Japanese green earth pigment.

Let's take a look at the actual color of the paint.

The colors I used are PHTHALO BLUE, QUINACRIDONE MAGENTA, and QUINOPHTHALONE YELLOW.

When I put it on a palette, I felt the paste was slightly soft. Since it has a glossier sheen and viscosity than the tube paint in the same brand's Oil Colors Stripe Clear Box, it is ideal for situations that require a delicate touch.

This is what happened when I lightly mixed PHTHALO BLUE, QUINACRIDONE MAGENTA, and QUINOPHTHALONE YELLOW with a palette knife. Since the medium and pigments are well dispersed, the texture is very smooth and color mixing is easy.

These paints are smooth and easy to mix because the medium and pigments are well-dispersed.

This is when those same colors are spread thinly. Oil paint dries slowly, so it is possible to create beautiful gradations even with thin layers of paint like this.

Mino Artists’ Oil Colours is the crystallization of technology passed down in the Japanese manufacturer.

When you touch them, you will be impressed by their smoothness. 

I highly recommend that you try it out.

Art Materials Expert at PIGMENT TOKYO

Akira Oya

Born in 1989 in Tokyo. Master of Fine Art and Design at Nihon University College of Art.

He also continues his career as a visual artist.

Born in 1989 in Tokyo. Master of Fine Art and Design at Nihon University College of Art.

He also continues his career as a visual artist.