QUICK ANSWER
Paul Rubens wins on softness, blending, and set variety. Mungyo Gallery wins on price and availability. For most artists, Paul Rubens is the better choice — the creamier texture and themed color palettes (Floral, Landscape, Macaron) give you more creative options. But if you want the absolute cheapest artist-grade oil pastels, Mungyo Gallery is still solid.
You're standing in the art supply aisle (or scrolling an endless product page) trying to decide between two brands that both claim "professional quality" at under $60. One is Paul Rubens. The other is Mungyo Gallery.
Both get recommended constantly in YouTube reviews and Reddit threads. Both sit in that sweet spot between student-grade junk and Sennelier-level prices. So which one actually deserves your money?
I've used both extensively — six months of side-by-side testing across landscapes, portraits, and abstract work. This comparison covers every factor that matters: texture, pigment quality, blending, color range, packaging, and real-world value.
Let me save you from buyer's remorse.
Brand Overview: Who Makes What
Paul Rubens
Paul Rubens is a Chinese art supply brand that has rapidly gained a following for offering artist-grade quality at mid-range prices. They're known for extensive product variety — multiple themed oil pastel sets, watercolors, brushes, and paper. Their oil pastels use a high pigment-to-binder ratio with a soft oil formula.
Mungyo Gallery
Mungyo is a South Korean brand that's been in the art supply game for decades. Their Gallery line is their artist-grade tier, sitting above the student-grade Mungyo Soft pastels. Gallery pastels use a balanced binder formula that's medium-soft — not as buttery as Sennelier or Paul Rubens, but significantly better than student brands.
Mungyo's strength is widespread retail availability and competitive pricing. You can find them in most art supply stores worldwide.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Factor | Paul Rubens | Mungyo Gallery | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softness | 8/10 (butter-soft) | 6/10 (medium-soft) | Paul Rubens |
| Pigment Density | High | Medium-High | Paul Rubens |
| Blending Ease | Excellent | Good | Paul Rubens |
| Layering (max layers) | 5-6 layers | 4-5 layers | Paul Rubens |
| Color Range (max set) | 78 colors | 72 colors | Paul Rubens |
| Set Variety | 10+ (Floral, Landscape, Macaron, Classic, Jumbo) | 3-4 (standard sizes only) | Paul Rubens |
| 72-Color Set Price | $42-62 | $35-50 | Mungyo |
| Retail Availability | Online (direct shop + Amazon) | Online + most art stores | Mungyo |
| Stick Durability | Fragile (soft = breakable) | More durable (firmer) | Mungyo |
Score: Paul Rubens 6 — Mungyo 3. Paul Rubens wins in the categories that matter most for the actual drawing experience. Mungyo wins in price, availability, and durability.
Texture and Softness: The Biggest Difference
This is where you'll feel the difference immediately.
Pick up a Paul Rubens stick and draw a line. Then pick up a Mungyo Gallery stick and do the same. The Paul Rubens stick glides like butter across warm bread. The Mungyo feels like cold butter — still works, but you notice the resistance.
Paul Rubens rates about 8/10 on the softness scale (Sennelier being 10/10). Mungyo Gallery sits around 6/10. That 2-point difference sounds small, but it translates to:
- Easier blending — softer pastels require less finger pressure to smooth out
- Better color transfer — more pigment deposits on each stroke
- Smoother layering — layers integrate instead of sitting on top of each other
- More forgiving corrections — scraping and reworking is easier with softer material
Here's the trade-off: softer pastels break more easily. Drop a Paul Rubens stick from table height and it might crack. Mungyo Gallery sticks survive the same drop. If you work outdoors, travel a lot, or have butter fingers, Mungyo's durability is a real advantage.
Pigment Quality: Color Depth and Vibrancy
Both brands use artist-grade pigments, but the concentration differs.
Paul Rubens packs more pigment into each stick. You see this in two ways:
- Opacity — Paul Rubens colors are more opaque out of the stick. A single pass covers more completely.
- Saturation — reds are redder, blues are deeper, earth tones are richer. Mungyo colors are slightly more muted by comparison.
But here's what nobody tells you: Mungyo Gallery's slightly lower pigment load is actually an advantage for certain techniques. The slight transparency makes it easier to build gradual color layers, which is useful for photorealistic work where you need very subtle value shifts.
For bold, vibrant work — Paul Rubens wins clearly. For subtle, photorealistic work — it's closer to a tie.
Blending: Where Paul Rubens Pulls Ahead
Blending is the critical skill in oil pastel work, and this is Paul Rubens' biggest advantage.
The softer formula means:
- Finger blending requires less pressure and produces smoother results
- Solvent blending (baby oil, mineral spirits) dissolves Paul Rubens pastels more easily
- Color transitions are more seamless — no hard edges between blended areas
- You can rework blended areas even after they've been sitting for days
Mungyo Gallery blends well — it's definitely artist-grade blending quality. But you'll work harder for the same result. You need more pressure, more passes, and more patience. For beginners especially, the easier blending of Paul Rubens means less frustration and better results from day one.
Color Range and Set Options
This is where Paul Rubens has a massive advantage that Mungyo simply can't match.
Mungyo Gallery offers standard sets: 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 colors. That's it. One generic palette per size.
Paul Rubens offers:
- 72 Floral Colors ($61.99) — warm palette with pinks, corals, magentas for portraits
- 78 Landscape Colors ($53.99) — earth tones, greens, atmospheric blues for nature
- 48 Macaron Colors ($19.99) — soft pastel tones for illustration
- 50 Classic Colors ($37.99) — traditional balanced palette
- Jumbo 12 Colors ($49.99) — 60g extra-large sticks for big work
- Standard sets in 24, 48, 60, and 72 colors
- Sets bundled with paper and palette knives
Want to know the best part? The themed sets aren't just marketing gimmicks. The Floral set genuinely has better pinks and skin tones than any generic 72-color set. The Landscape set has atmospheric blues and complex earth tones that a standard set simply doesn't include. When your palette is curated for your subject, you mix less and paint more.
Price Comparison
| Set Size | Paul Rubens Price | Mungyo Gallery Price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 colors | $27.99 | $15-20 | ~$10 more |
| 48 colors | $35.99 (+ 6 white) | $28-35 | ~$5 more |
| 72 colors | $42.99 - $61.99 | $35-50 | $0-12 more |
The price gap is smaller than most people think. At the 48-color level, you're paying roughly $5 more for Paul Rubens — and you get 6 bonus white sticks plus a noticeably creamier texture. That's an easy trade-off.
At the 72-color level, the gap varies depending on which Paul Rubens set you choose. The standard 72 Vibrant ($42.99) is essentially the same price as Mungyo Gallery 72. The specialized Floral ($61.99) costs more, but you're getting a curated palette that Mungyo doesn't offer at any price.
Who Should Buy Paul Rubens
Paul Rubens is better if you...
- Prioritize blending and smooth color transitions
- Paint portraits, florals, or subjects that need a curated palette
- Want the softest possible texture without paying Sennelier prices
- Like having specialized sets for different subject matter
- Are a beginner who wants an easier-to-use pastel
- Value bonus items (extra whites, jumbo sticks, paper bundles)
Who Should Buy Mungyo Gallery
Mungyo Gallery is better if you...
- Want the absolute lowest price for artist-grade quality
- Need to buy in-store (wider retail distribution)
- Travel a lot and need more durable sticks that survive being knocked around
- Prefer slightly firmer pastels for more controlled, detailed work
- Are already familiar with the brand and happy with the results
- Want individual stick replacements (more widely available for Mungyo)
Our Recommended Paul Rubens Sets (Sorted by Use Case)
Paul Rubens 48 Vibrant Colors + 6 White
The best entry point that clearly demonstrates the quality difference over Mungyo Gallery. 48 vibrant colors + 6 bonus whites at a price that's only $5 more than Mungyo's equivalent. Once you feel the texture difference, you'll understand why Paul Rubens has gained such a loyal following.
Shop Now — $35.99Paul Rubens 72 Floral Colors + Jumbo Black
The set that makes Mungyo Gallery feel like student-grade. 72 warm-toned colors with pinks and magentas you won't find in any generic set, plus a jumbo 60g black stick. Nothing in Mungyo's lineup offers a curated palette with this kind of color intelligence.
Shop Now — $61.99Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paul Rubens better than Mungyo for beginners?
Yes. Paul Rubens' softer texture makes blending significantly easier for first-time users. Beginners struggle most with blending — harder pastels require more pressure and technique to blend smoothly. Paul Rubens' butter-soft formula produces smooth blends even with basic finger blending. The 48-color set ($35.99) is only about $5 more than Mungyo Gallery 48 and includes 6 bonus whites.
Can you mix Paul Rubens and Mungyo oil pastels together?
Yes, you can layer and blend them together. Oil pastels from different brands are compatible. However, the texture difference means blended areas may feel uneven — the softer Paul Rubens will spread more easily while Mungyo areas stay firmer. Many artists own both brands and use them for different purposes within the same piece.
How does Paul Rubens compare to Sennelier?
Paul Rubens delivers about 85% of Sennelier's quality at 30% of the price. Sennelier is softer (10/10 vs Paul Rubens' 8/10), has slightly higher pigment density, and is the established gold standard. But Sennelier costs $180+ for a 72-color set versus Paul Rubens' $42-62. For most artists who aren't selling gallery work, Paul Rubens is the smarter buy. Mungyo Gallery sits further below both at about 75% of Sennelier quality.
Which brand has better color accuracy?
Paul Rubens has more vibrant, saturated colors straight from the stick. Their higher pigment concentration means reds are redder, blues are deeper, and earth tones are richer. Mungyo Gallery colors are slightly more muted — not bad, but noticeably less intense when placed side by side. For artists who want bold, confident color, Paul Rubens is the clear choice.
Are Paul Rubens oil pastels available in art stores?
Paul Rubens is primarily available online — through their official shop and Amazon. Mungyo Gallery has wider retail distribution in physical art supply stores. If buying in-store matters to you, Mungyo is easier to find. If you're comfortable ordering online (with free shipping and returns from the official Paul Rubens shop), the ordering process is straightforward.
TL;DR — Paul Rubens vs Mungyo Oil Pastels
- Paul Rubens wins 6 of 8 comparison categories — softness, pigment, blending, layering, color range, and set variety.
- Mungyo Gallery wins on price (slightly cheaper) and durability (firmer sticks survive drops better).
- Paul Rubens rates 8/10 softness vs Mungyo's 6/10 — a noticeable difference in blending ease and color transfer.
- Paul Rubens offers 10+ themed sets (Floral, Landscape, Macaron) while Mungyo only offers standard rainbow palettes.
- The price difference is smaller than most people think — about $5 at the 48-color level, sometimes $0 at the 72-color level.
- For beginners: Paul Rubens' easier blending and included bonus whites make the learning curve gentler.
- For budget-conscious: Mungyo Gallery 48 at $28-30 is still a good artist-grade pastel if every dollar counts.
- Both brands are dramatically better than student-grade pastels (Crayola, Pentel, etc.) — either is a solid upgrade.
You Jingkun
Art supply specialist and founder of Paul Rubens Shop. Over a decade of experience testing and developing professional-grade art materials. Personally compared both brands across six months of studio work for this review.