Artist paints and student paints are formulated differently to meet the needs of different users. Here are some specific qualities that differentiate the two:

Artist Paints:

1. High pigment concentration: Artist paints have a higher concentration of pigment than student paints, which makes them more vibrant and allows for greater colour intensity and mixing options.
2. Better lightfastness: Artist paints are formulated with higher quality pigments that have better lightfastness (resistance to fading) than those used in student paints. This means that artworks made with artist paints will retain their colour for longer periods of time.
3. Greater viscosity: Artist paints tend to be thicker and more buttery in consistency, which makes them ideal for impasto techniques and building up texture on a canvas.
4. More expensive: Artist paints are generally more expensive than student paints due to the higher quality ingredients and manufacturing processes involved in their production.
5. Greater range of colours: Artist paints typically come in a wider range of colors than student paints, which allows for greater colour mixing options.

Student Paints:

1. Lower pigment concentration: Student paints have a lower pigment concentration than artist paints, which makes them less intense in colour and more affordable.
2. Lower lightfastness: Student paints are formulated with lower quality pigments that may fade over time with exposure to light, so they are not recommended for professional artwork that needs to be preserved for a long time.
3. More fluid consistency: Student paints tend to be more fluid and easier to work with than artist paints, which makes them ideal for beginners who may need more control and less texture.
4. More affordable: Student paints are generally less expensive than artist paints due to the lower quality ingredients and manufacturing processes involved in their production.
5. Smaller range of colours: Student paints typically come in a more limited range of colors than artist paints, which may limit the colour mixing options available to the user.