ZincBlue is designed to work with you. It's built to help you learn from your own paintings, so every plan comes with plenty of credits for real painting, every month. They're not infinite, so here's how far they go.
Your monthly allowance
Every ZincBlue membership includes a monthly allowance. Think of it as your studio time with Blue.
You don't need to count anything or plan ahead. Use it however suits your painting: lots of conversations, lots of Sketcher studies, or a bit of everything. Your allowance renews every month, on annual plans too.
If you get close to the end of it, we'll let you know in good time.
Built for learning, not image-making
ZincBlue is a teacher, not an image generator. It's designed to help you learn from your paintings, so the things that teach you the most cost the least. Labs, adjusting your pictures and talking with Blue are all kept as inexpensive as possible.
In our own audit, about 96% of ZincBlue's code turned out to work without AI at all: it measures and calculates from your painting instead. That's why it costs so little to run compared with other AI apps, and why your allowance goes so far. Read how we measured it.
You can still make new pictures with the Sketcher, and we'd never discourage it. Making images is the one thing that uses your allowance faster, so it's worth saving for when it really helps the painting.
What each plan covers
A full project is one painting worked through properly. The Sketcher makes a study of your painting and you ask for a looser version. Blue builds you a plan, you talk it through, try a few Labs, and finish with a Compare.
These are rough guides, not limits on any one thing. Spend your allowance however you like. "Projects kept at once" is how many paintings you can keep in your studio at the same time.
See prices on our pricing page.
What uses your allowance, and what's free
In a typical project, about half your allowance goes on conversations with Blue. Sketcher pictures take about a quarter, and the Compare the last quarter.
Plenty of ZincBlue costs nothing at all:
Labs are always free, so experiment as much as you like.
Colour adjustments in the Sketcher (warmer, cooler, more vivid, more drama) are free and instant.
Looking back through your projects, plans and notes is free.
Only the Tighter and Looser repaints make a new picture, and you can do up to three for each study.
Busy month? Top up
If you're painting a lot, you can add a top-up at any time from your account. Top-ups come in three sizes, and the longer your plan, the less they cost.
Your monthly allowance is used first. A top-up only starts once it runs out.
It's ready straight away, so you can carry on painting.
Once you've started using a top-up, it can't be refunded, because it's already been spent on your work.
Leaving and coming back? We keep any unused top-up for 6 months and restore it when you rejoin with the same email.
If you find yourself topping up most months, moving up a plan is usually better value. We'll suggest it if so.
Quick answers
Do I need to keep track of anything? No. Your account shows roughly how much of this month's allowance you have left, and we'll tell you when you've used most of it.
What counts as a message? Each time you ask Blue something and get a reply. Long or short, it's one message.
Does unused allowance carry over? Your monthly allowance renews fresh each month, so anything left at the end of the month doesn't carry over. Top-ups are different: anything you haven't used stays in your account until you need it.
Can I change plan? Yes. You can move up or down a plan at any time from your account. Your new plan's full allowance starts straight away, and any top-ups you have come with you.
I'm an Advanced Oils member. How does it work for me? Your membership includes the Annual plan at no extra cost, so you don't need to choose or change a plan. If you have a busy month, you can buy top-ups at the Monthly price.
Which plan is right for me? If you paint a few times a month, Monthly is plenty. If ZincBlue is part of your weekly practice, Annual gives you more for less. Pro is for painters who work with Blue most days and want everything, including all 12 Labs and spoken replies.
In short
Your allowance renews every month, Labs and colour tweaks are always free, and a top-up is there for the busy months, so you can think about the painting, not the numbers.