CreatingTrisRexMonsteraandtheartofcosplay
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Whenever the subject comes up, I tell people that I have never used social media. Technically, that assertion is not 100-percent true.
After that I got requests to make connections quite often, and treated them all the same way. If it was someone who subscribed to one of our magazines I accepted the request, but if it was someone trying to sell me insurance I did not. Over time I collected a couple hundred connections but I never communicated with any of them, with one exception.
continued on page 6 t
Q3 2022 • ArtMaterialsRetailer.com 3
After doing so I happened to re-read the email a little more carefully, and realized that it was not an invitation. It was a suggestion that I invite the person featured in the email to connect with me. It seemed that by clicking on it, I had inadvertently reached out to another human being, someone I barely knew, on social media for the first time in my life. What if she said no? That would certainly mark the end of my career in social media.
Fortunately, she accepted. I’m sure she wondered what prompted my sudden burst of friendliness, but I’m guessing she has the same policy that I do about not offending people. At any rate, that’s the extent of my experience with internet associations. As a private citizen, it is my prerogative to avoid social media and all its benefits, and in fact around 30 percent of adult Americans claim to do so
Linked Out
Back when LinkedIn was first becoming a thing, almost 20 years ago, a business friend of mine, at a trade show, asked me to connect to him on the platform. Then, as now, I had no real interest in joining an online community, but I didn’t want to offend him, and I couldn’t see any particular downside to it.
My most recent brush with social media came a few months ago, when I received a LinkedIn email which featured the name and image of a woman who has worked in the industry for a long time. We are casually acquainted, so I followed my standing rule and clicked on a button that I assumed would signify my acceptance of her invitation.
I received a short note from an old friend through LinkedIn a number of years ago, and I wrote back to him. At least I think I did. I know I pushed “send,” but I’ve never heard from him since, so I’m not altogether certain.
DepartmentsPerspectiveLinkedOut
Group Hug Consumers are embracing the accessibility and sustainability of resale art and craft supply Retailers Recommend Fabulous Products Artful Behavior The growth and artistry of cosplay, and how stores in our industry can meet the needs emerging market. Business Notes New & IndustryAdvertiserTrueIndexNews28 27 22 18 16 14 10 3
4 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022 Q3 2022 For People Who Sell Art Supplies
About the Cover
Among the materials TrisRex (cosplayer Tristian Johnson) uses in his Chicago studio to create creatures like King Trench, Man-Bat and The Hellbat are EVA foam mats, 3mm craft foam, acrylic paints and even reptile terrarium décor. He sure knows how to create a monster – they’ve been his obsession since he was a kid. “There wasn’t another creature I could point to that had the beauty and mystery of H.R. Giger’s Xenomorph [in the 1986 film “Aliens”],” he recalls on Facebook. Seeing a life-sized replica of it in a comic store sent him running away down Michigan Avenue as fast as he could. “As a monster maker, I want audiences to feel the way I did as a child, because that’s the true feeling of seeing a monster.” TrisRex and Logan Graphic Products makers of a line of Cos-Play Tools are design partners. To see more work from TrisRex Studio, visit Instagram @Trisrex.
10 16 14
by Kevin Fahy
6 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022 “Perspective” from page 3
With those other industry pairings, it was young people who got the boomtimes going. Younger people are more adventurous, more energetic, and less attached to old technologies and ways of doing things. It’s not that they had anything against horses (or live theater), they were just willing to try something new.
The question for merchants such as yourself, though, is what particular social platform are they using, which ones are other people using, and which one is
Around the time I first signed up for LinkedIn, I wrote an editorial for one of our publications about the burgeoning use of cell phones, particularly among younger people. It was one of those old-man rants, about kids communicating with each other on their phones while they were sitting in the same room, or looking down instead of up at sporting events, or lighting up a movie theater with small screens, or whatever. It was a very popular column.
What I didn’t get back then, among other things, was that social networks and cellphones were not two separate phenomena. They each fueled the exponential
growth of the other, and though technically they could stand alone, in practice they are intertwined. You could compare them to the oil business and automobile manufacturing in the early 20th century, or to movies and movie theaters in the 1930s.
(about 7 percent say that they decline to use the internet at all).
continued on page 8 t
Such is also the case with social media, and it’s becoming more so all the time. According to a new survey from the Pew Research Center, the number of teenagers who are online most of their waking hours has nearly doubled since 2015. Almost half of them acknowledge that they are on the Internet “almost constantly,” and 35 percent are on social media.
As a businessperson, however, you no longer have much choice. You can integrate Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tik Tok, et al with your marketing and communication efforts, or you can make it almost impossible for your company to survive. I say “almost” because there are some rare exceptions, but they pretty much just prove the rule.
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For what it’s worth, the only social app that is embraced about equally across the generations is Pinterest. It reaches around 15 percent of all those on social media. As far as my third question is concerned, I have no idea what the most popular apps will be next month, let alone next year. If I did I would be very popular on Wall Street. What I do know is that the coming generations will be multiplatform, and any effort you make to communicate with them will need to be as well.
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8 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022 “Perspective” from page 6t
Most Baby Boomers use the Internet, and 82 percent of those have at least one social-media account. They communicate and do research online but are less likely to make purchases on their phone. Facebook, though originally designed for college kids, is far and away their app of choice.
If you wish to communicate with me, on the other hand, a simple email will suffice.
The answers are based upon when your prospective customers were born, and most of them fall into four groups. Boomers were born from 1946 to 1964, Gen X from 1965 to 1980, Millennials from 1981 to 1996, and Generation Z from 1997 to 2012.
You can e-mail Kevin at kfahy@fwpi.com.
There seems to be a dividing line between Xers and Millennials, not only in terms of which apps they use but in how they use them. Millennials do not divide their lives into separate channels for personal and professional purposes the way Boomers and Xers do, and they rely more on peer referrals than private research for purchases. They still like Facebook, but they also depend on Instagram (21 percent), YouTube (11 percent) and Snapchat (22 percent).
Even though Generation X is relatively small, it now controls the majority of leadership positions in business and government, and almost a third of all U.S. income. Surprisingly, it uses social media more often than Millennials, at nearly seven hours per week on average, but uses it in much the same ways as Boomers. Facebook is dominant with this generation as well.
everybody going to use next month. I guess that’s three questions.
Generation Z appears to be developing like Millennials on steroids. They spend considerably more time online and have many more social apps. They like the same platforms but in greater numbers, with 44 percent using Instagram, 32 percent using YouTube and 21 percent using Snapchat. Tik Tok, which wasn’t launched in the U.S. until 2018, is used by 67 percent of kids between the ages of 13 and 17.
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Emily Tirella, owner of Make & Mend
Seemingly overnight, a profusion industry.resaleexampleHere’sandforgivingstoresmakersshopsreuse-and-createCreativeandRetake/Remake,likesuccess.Theyacrosshaveart-and-craftthatindependentofstoressellsecondhandsuppliescroppedupthenation.reportgrowingWithnamesTheScrapShop,LostFoundCrafts,andResale,thesegivetoday’swhatthrifthavebeenfashionistasyears:accessibilitysustainability.justoneofwhatlookslikeinour
Group Hug
Photo by Carlie Febo
“We’re always sending folks to Gather Here and Artist & Craftsman Supply if we don’t have what they need,” Emily added. “Our philosophy is community over competition.
Donating alleviates their guilt of purchasing creative materials and never using them, or of throwing something in a landfill that’s perfectly good. “Free your burden of creativity past and donate them to us!” says makeandmendshop.com.
Today, in addition to her own castoffs, Emily sells donated supplies from artists around the country who are relieved, she says, to empty their stashes. “I would describe the typical donator as someone who had good intentions but never completed the project they thought they would, or maybe they couldn’t quite get the hang of it,” she told me. “I find that most artists just want their donated supplies to be used by someone.”
The store’s website reveals the wide variety of materials Emily has on hand on any given day; everything from “paints and liquids” to “games and activities.” In addition, there are cleverly packaged starter kits, including ones for knitting, weaving, mending and crochet, assembled by Emily and her team. They’re a creative way to use small items, including pins, needles, buttons, crochet hooks and yarn markers that have been donated. Also available are guides that the Make & Mend team has penned: Mend & Repair Your Clothing by Hand, Needlepoint Basics, and Embroidery and Cross Stitch Basics.
It began as a pop-up, but in 2018, Emily moved it into a 160-square-foot space in Bow Market, a collection of cafés, small boutiques and art shops in a former warehouse. She moved it online during the pandemic, and then into a storefront this spring.
A
rtist Emily S. Tirella got the idea for her store as a student at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she spent “ridiculous amounts of money” on art materials, she said. Instead of pitching her half-used supplies at the end of each semester like other students did, she began stockpiling them. What didn’t get used up during her college career became the original merchandise for her shop called Make & Mend.
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The used goods are sold for about half their original price, making them available to a wide variety of people. Some shoppers may not have been able to afford to buy the materials new, others may want to try a creative technique before investing a lot of money in it. Emily says her customers range from kiddos to seniors. “Most of them are college students and fiber artists.”
I asked her if stores that sold brand-new materials like craft-supply shop Gather Here in nearby Cambridge considered stores like hers a threat. “I can’t speak for other stores like mine,” she wrote, “but I personally have a great relationship with the small business craft supply shops in our area. I think we both serve very different needs and truthfully, all our secondhand supplies have to come from somewhere originally.
So, when “to save money for groceries” is added to the list of reasons behind the growth of resale retail, the results are a market expected to reach $53 billion next year, reports CNBC.
As you’re probably aware, it’s a market that’s been growing for quite some time, particularly for clothing. The shift to live more sustainably (especially among young consumers), declining access to products in a choked supply chain, and the ease with which retailers can sell secondhand products online are among the reasons behind the stores’ expanding popularity.
12 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022 Find more retail resources at SCHIFFERCRAFT.COM
While Make & Mend is an excellent place to start a new craft, Gather Here is an excellent place to explore modern and trendy options for materials.”
“Scarcity and the global supply chain crunch have driven consumers to substitute preowned, refurbished, and pre-loved merchandise for new,” noted Chris Ventry from global management consulting firm SSA & Company. In a recent interview with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, he
also pointed to the market’s newest drivers. “I would have said that sustainability and the environmentally friendly roots of re-commerce were the primary conversion drivers. While sustainability is still a consideration, as the main purchase driver it has been superseded. We’re back to price being the primary motivator.”
Behind the boom of retail resale
One of the most surprising facts about resale shopping is that it attracts consumers from all economic levels, says the National Association of Retail and Thrift Shops (NARTS). “There is no typical resale shopper, just as there is no typical resale shop,” says narts.org. “No one is immune to the excitement of finding a treasure and saving money.”
The association reports that resale has become destination shopping with the recent industry trend of “clustering.” Resale stores are opening in close proximity to each other in many communities to take advantage of existing traffic. “Antique shops have clustered for years, and factory outlet stores are grouped together, proving that consumers will travel farther to reach a group of like-stores,” says NART. “Resale shoppers love to make an event out of shopping in an area where they can visit a variety of stores with different merchandise lines. “The resale market is blossoming thanks to value and sustainableconscious consumers,” it concludes.
“With an increasing awareness of the importance of reducing pointless waste, we are progressing from a disposable society to a recycling society a change that has enormous market potential for the resale industry as a whole.”
Tap into Your Inner Maker
Group Hug
us.canson.com
Retailers Recommend
“Canson’s Dry Mixed Media paper (1) has a sandy grain so when you draw and sketch on it with graphite or charcoal, the effect looks like stone lithography I’m really excited about it, and just put some out for customers to try. It comes in two sizes and in ‘natural’ or ‘gray.’ “For holiday gift giving, I have Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oils in Sets (2). They’re available with six, 10, or 20 tubes. More and more customers have been asking for them for environmental and safety reasons. They’re especially popular with our elderly painters who want to use safer products.”
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14 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022
FabulousProducts
Karen Fisher from Art Mart in Muncie, Indiana “I am late to the game with the Royal Talens Art Creation Sketchbooks (3). I brought them in recently and they’ve been hugely successful I’ve ordered and re-ordered. They come in several size variations make for a very colorful display. The hardbound covers are nice and sturdy, colors like a seafoam green, pastel violet and bright yellow. The paper is weight and creamy. “Bob Ross filmed his TV program here in Muncie, so anything ‘Bob Ross’ well. A favorite is the Bob Ross Joy of Painting Magnetic Play Set from The Unemployed Philosophers Guild. There are all sorts of magnetic miniature paintings and elements you can add to them, plus 1980s clothing for Bob. You can play on your refrigerator or your school locker. “There’s also a set for Frida Kahlo another favorite of ours called rocks and Smocks (5).
Jenny Schaeffer from Phoenix Art Supplies & Framing in Doylestown, Pennsylvania
by Tina Manzer
“I’m sure everyone recommends Posca Paint Markers (7) for their fun colors and opaque coverage. They work on so many surfaces including leather, fabric, and wood. Customers have been buying them recently to paint on the bottoms of skateboards and on their shoes. Posca’s advertising and social media offers fun, innovative ideas.
creativeartmaterials.com8
“We have a little display of open-stock Supracolor Watersoluble Colour Pencils (8) from Caran d’Ache that’s been very successful. Even though the pencils, at $3 each, are a relatively higher price, they’re so fantastic that people will come in often to buy one two at a time.”
Q3 2022 • ArtMaterialsRetailer.com 15
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“We can’t keep the new Fabriano 1264 Drawing Pads (6) in stock. They’re inexpensive and just a fantastic quality paper.”
Zack DelFavero from Manny’s Art Supplies in New Paltz, New York
and Instgram.)FXCreature/Armor(TrisRexfromLanternfull-of-rageleaderLordwheninspirationswerevolcanoesthebiggesthecreatedAtrocitus,oftheevil,RedCorpsDCcomics.Studio:@Trisrexon
O
says
Cosplayers can spend hundreds of dollars on the owner of Studio, his anger
16 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022
Most of the costumes were handmade by their wearers, and that’s where fine-art and craft stores come in: if cosplayers are going to purchase a long list of creative materials for their costumes anyway, they might as well buy them from you.
Moon Knights” just to name a few.
ver Labor Day Weekend, 65,000 pop-culture fans attended Dragon Con in Atlanta, billed as “the largest convention focused on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe.” The event’s parade each year down Peachtree Avenue is one of the highlights. Spectators line the route to see the convention participants’ elaborate cosplay costumes that depict their favorite pop-culture characters. Atlanta Magazine counted 102 characters from “Stranger Things,” 55 folks in Mandalorian armor, 10 stormtroopers, 17 characters from Ted Lasso, and 24 costumes inspired by Marvel’s film “Moon Knight” “including a handful of impressively crafted Khonshu skulls and more than a few Sailor
TrisRex
“I compel retailers in the art materials/craft supplies industry to learn as much about this market as they can,” says Brian Buell, global director of sales and marketing for Logan Graphic Products Inc. “There are so many opportunities. I’ve never seen an industry so impacted by social media. By boosting and tagging your posts properly, you can reach influencers around the world.”
TrisRex,
BehaviorArtful
EVA FlexiPaintFlexBondSiliconeThermoplasticsFoamRubber PaintsAdhesivesContactPlastiNeopreneDipcement Fake fur ClothVelcroCosmeticsWigs Clothing snaps StrapsFeathersand buckles Gems Just a few of the costume materials cosplayers purchase according to an informational brochure from Logan Graphics cosplay studio Dwarven Armory in Italy, @dwarven_armorycompetitive cosplayer Becka the @beckanoelUnicorn, artist, cosplayer and educator Plexi @plexicosplay.comCosplay,
Logan Graphic Products in Illinois, best known as a manufacturer of mat-cutting tools and equipment for nearly 50 years, entered the cosplay market in 2019. Brian became aware of the market when he started fielding calls Logan received from small, independent cosplaymaterials stores. “TNT Cosplay Supplies in Texas and Red Moon Cosplay Solutions in Canada were interested in carrying our Foamwerks line,” he explains.
“They said the handheld cutting tools in the line are perfect for cutting EVA foam, the material cosplayers use to make shields, swords and other parts of their
warriorSalescostumes.”tostores in the market
“We launched during the pandemic, which was unfortunate,” Brian explains. In addition to introducing the new line at traditional art & craft tradeshows in 2020, he also planned to exhibit to consumers at the New York Comic Con at the Javits Center in the fall. With more than 150,000 participants, it’s one of the largest in the country. Thanks to COVID, none of the conventions materialized and no one was making costumes. NAMTA attendees in Orlando saw the Cos-Play tools in person for first time this year.
The sharpest tools in your drawer
quickly grew; enough to warrant cosplay-specific branding. Logan’s 10-tool Cos-Play line was born.
Comic Con and Dragon are just two of the many cosplay conventions large and small held annually in the U.S. The International Comic Con in San Diego hosts 135,000 fans, while the anime show Con+Art+Delete in December is expected to attract 5,000 participants to its Chicago venue. Conventions are even more popular overseas. More than 250,000 fans of cosplay attend the Japan Expo in Paris ever year, and in Japan, where manga and anime are big business, cosplay is a massive cultural phenomenon.
continued on page 30
costumes they make, depending on the detail and how many different materials it takes to create it, reports ATA, a fullservice creative marketing and advertising firm. “While most cosplayers will get multiple wears out of their costumes, the desire (and sometimes pressure) to build bigger and better costumes means a growing investment in tools and materials over the years,” ATA adds. According to data from Portland, Oregon-based firm Allied Market Research, the cosplay market is set to grow from $4.62 billion in 2020 to $23 billion by 2030.
Staffing up will help Michaels meet the surge in demand that’s expected over the holidays, even with higher prices. “Much of our business is driven by our makers’ desire to celebrate seasonal trends and holidays throughout the year with decor and handmade gifting, with demand increasing exponentially around the winter holidays,” Venezia noted.
Michaels deliberately decreased the number of seasonal hires this year to increase the number of hours available for those seasonal employees, said Chief Operating Officer Joe Venezia in an exclusive interview with Fox Business. “It means more earning potential for those hires,” Venezia explained.
positions each year, and many of our seasonal team members go on to be store managers and key leaders,” he added.
18 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022
Are There Extra Retail Workers Out There?
The company also offers a “competitive wage,” which varies per location. While Venezia declined to comment on what that figure is, he said many of its locations exceed state minimum wages. “Fifty percent of our seasonal team members convert to permanent
Business Notes
Due to rising interest rates and inflation, more earning potential may be the key. “Despite inflation, consumers will still spend money on the holidays in some capacity, with many of them working more hours or finding part-time/seasonal work to make it possible,” Kristin Kelley from CareerBuilder told Fox.
Various age groups are in the market for seasonal work, including 23 percent of Generation Z consumers, 24 percent of Millennials and 14 percent of Generation X, according to a CareerBuilder survey conducted by The Harris Poll.
Employees will not only get more hours, but they will also have a 30-percent discount, flexible schedules and advancement opportunities.
Michaels is looking to ramp up its staffing for the holiday season to the tune of 15,000 people for its stores and distribution centers in the U.S. and Canada. Last year, the company tried to recruit more than 20,000 employees for the season, reports Fox Business.
In Brazil, “The Paint” Takes on New Meaning
Changes to your product development? Regulatory compliance updates? New products?
To save the courts, Budweiser, a partner of the NBA and one of the spokespersons for basketball in Brazil, found a loophole in Brazilian law.
Currently, about 16 courts are in the process of being transformed into protected pieces of community property.
Q3 2022 • ArtMaterialsRetailer.com 19
EMI works closely with the manufacturer during the process of creating new products. We assist our clients in real-time.
Research Developmentand
It says, “A place of public interest with artistic value is considered public heritage and cannot be demolished,” so the beer brand began a campaign to make the courts artistically significant.
continued on page 20 t
Being proactive saves money!
envmed.com/services/research-development/ Photos courtesy quadrasindestrutiveis.com
As an extended member of your team, EMI navigates your regulatory process to ensure compliance, required labeling, and consumer safety in accordance with prevailing regulations.
Called Quadras Indestrutiveis or “Unbreakable Courts” the campaign asks neighborhood residents in cities all over the country to explain why their court is valuable to the community. They’re also asked to select an artist whose work is a good fit for the local culture. The artist is hired to paint the court with Budweiser covering all costs.
“To spread the word without raising the hackles of officials who might want to close the legal loophole, Quadras Indestrutiveis worked with rapper Rincon Sapiência, who embedded instructions for nominating street courts into one of his music videos,” said the TrendWatching article.
In today’s overheated real estate market, the number of street basketball courts in Brazil faced decline as developers “looked to nab every 420 m2 rectangle,” reports global consumer trend firm TrendWatching. “Unfortunately, when the court is destroyed, not only is the area lost, but also the entire culture that surrounds it.”
• a listing on its Shop Indie Art Month web page;
Call for Partners: Shop Indie Art Month
• weekly email updates with ideas on how to keep the Shop Indie Art message strong throughout October, and • campaign templates such as press releases, social media posts, and other materials.
Becoming a partner is free, says the alliance. Each partner will receive
20 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 202220
• provide AMIBA with links to events or promotions that support the campaign; • spread the word by sharing social media posts and finding other creative ways to engage their community in this effort
The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) is leading an effort to amplify “Shop Indie Art Month” in October. The goal is to inspire communities to celebrate local artists, artisans, and creativity. To that end, AMIBA is looking for partners independent business alliances, neighborhood associations, and local economyminded business networks – to spread the word and energize their members.
To sign up, visit amiba.net/art/. Shop Indie Art Month is part of AMIBA’s initiative to promote locally owned businesses and increase spending these businesses. “Together, we inspire our communities take positive action and boost the ripple effects our neighborhoods, towns, and cities receive when we spend more of our dollars at locally owned, independent businesses,” says the group’s website.
• show their support for Shop Indie Art Month by sharing their organization’s name with AMIBA;
AMIBA has led holiday shopping campaigns since 2010. In 2021, it increased its financial commitment and expanded its campaign into a year-round project. The grassroots initiative provides a platform to highlight work done in communities across North America and offers open-source tools and resources to communities,
In return, partners will
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Simple Stories of Basic Stuff
Image courtesy of materialintelligencemag.org, the Chipstone Foundation
educators, journalists, poets, designers, and all manner of artists with an affinity for material. “The magazine is beautifully illustrated, is freely available, and can be downloaded,” says the Crafty Librarian.
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organizations, and small businesses to build the movement. Its other celebrations include Bicycling Means Business Month; Move Your Money Bank Local, Invest Local Month; Eat Indie Local, and more.
Q3 2022 • ArtMaterialsRetailer.com 21 21
According to the Crafty Librarian, an enewsletter from The American Craft Council, the Chipstone Foundation in Milwaukee is producing a new digital magazine focused on the study of craft and material culture. Each issue of Material Intelligence (materialintelligencemag.org) examines the nature of a common material linen, for instance, or oak – to make connections between art and science and the ways the material shapes and is shaped by human culture. Contributing authors include
Imports are made of natural cotton canvas fabric. They can be screenprinted or decorated with paints, markers or iron-ons. The canvas cord and wooden rod are already attached. 949-833-7738 harvestimport.com
The MILDLINER DualEnded Highlighter and Brush Pens from Zebra Pen feature a soft, mild-colored ink, while Zensations Brush Pens offer a deep, rich black ink that allows for thick and thin lines. Together, these products make a lasting impression. A full line of creative tools is available in open stock and sets. See your Zebra sales rep or email zporders@zebrapen.com
22 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022
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The Bob Ross Cross Stitch Kit honors TV’s happy painter! It contains 12 patterns featuring Bob’s famous quotes, plus materials to make two designs (cross stitch fabric, needle, embroidery floss and hoop, 48-page illustrated instruction book). From The Quarto Group, the kit is a real crafter’s favorite. sales@quarto.com
The Prism Projector Tabletop Stand by Artograph features a strong, universal clamp to attach it to a table. The height easily adjusts with the arm’s quick release lever and locks into position with the knob. Cradle your projector while you cast your images down onto your sketch pad from a height of up to 33 inches. sales@studiodesigns.com
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Store and organize Tombow markers with the new Marker Desktop Organizer It holds up to 108 markers in nine pull-out trays, each with 12 slots. The sleek, space-saving design (7.81-inches long by 7.7inches deep by 8.75-inches high) accommodates Dual Brush Pens and ABT PRO Alcohol-Based Markers. It comes with pre-printed color labels. 800-835-3232 ext. 511 info@tombowusa.com
Jacquard’s first line of pigment and dye-based ink pads. Artist-grade and archival, Jacquard’s pigment inks are slow-drying, allowing time for blending and embossing. The Waterproof Dye ink is quickdrying perfect for mixed media, embellishing, and fast marking. Stay tuned for additional colors and ink pad products coming soon! jacquardproducts.com
Q3 2022 • ArtMaterialsRetailer.com 23
The Linoleum & Relief Carving Set from Flexcut offers exceptional quality and value. It features 1/8- and 5/16-inch sweeps, a 1/4-inch V-tool, and a 1mm micro V-tool. Razor-sharp blades easily cut surfaces yet really hold their edge. An ergonomically designed handle, manual, sharpening strop, polishing compound and tool roll are included. Proudly made in USA. 800-524-9077 flexcut.com
The set of 36 water-soluble Niji Watercolor Pencils from Yasutomo is perfect for drawing, coloring and blending. Smooth and saturated colors can be used dry or wet to make different textures and effects. The reusable cardboard tube with its clear lid for storage is so convenient for travel! Shrink-wrapped. Conforms to ASTM D-4236. 310-791-1995 sales@yasutomo.com yasutomo.com
Introducing ColorPad:
Environmental Medicine announces the launch of the CUSTOS Chemical Management Program, a powerful database providing realtime feedback to assure regulatory compliance. 201-497-8973
General’s Original Charcoal Drawing Pencils Set features the work of artist Julia Maddalina and now contains no plastic packaging! This updated set includes six General’s handcrafted charcoal pencils and a bonus artist sharpener in a reusable, recyclable box. generalpencil.com
Speedball’s Puff Modifier adds a new level of dimension to prints. It can be added to any Speedball Fabric or Opaque Fabric Screen Printing Ink. In just a few simple steps, depth joins color and design to take your projects to a whole new level. Art by Jennifer Sanderson, pigskinsandpigtails.com speedballart.com
After your customers enjoy the experience of Schiffer Craft’s Paint-Your-Own Holiday Decorations kit, they can enjoy the 30 finished decorations. The kit contains high-quality paint, a wooden brush, 30 watercolorpaper ornaments approx. 4” by 4” with metallic foil touches, plus hanging ribbons. They can be used as ornaments, gift tags, or a garland when joined together. schiffercraft.com
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The Projector from GAGNE is a great all-purpose and cost-effective opaque projector large enough for most mural projects but small enough to be easily transported and stored. Made in USA. Perfect for murals, crafts, fine art, T-shirts, signs, airbrushing, drawings, and posters. gagneinc.com/product/the-projector
Use Cos-Tools from Logan Graphic Products to size and shape various EVA foams and thermoplastics for costumes and accessory and prop building. They’re accurate and easy to use for cutting circles, straight edges, beveled edges, and V grooves. Make freehand cuts, or use the Channel Rail for perfectly straight cuts. cos-tools.com
With the Frida Kahlo Coloring Book by Today is Art Day, adults can channel their inner artist and recreate some of the most famous works by the acclaimed Mexican artist. It’s printed on thick, high-quality paper to accommodate a variety of mediums: pencils, watercolors, paint, ink. There is no limit to your creativity! sales@todayisartday.com
The handcrafted Mini TitaniumFused Carving and Trimming Double-End Tool Series contains a thin layer of titanium nitrite fused to the surface, creating a stronger, more resilient cutting edge than conventional carbon steel blades. The Soft Foam Sleeve delivers excellent comfort and grip. Seven double-end tools in a variety of blade shapes. Length: 6” (152mm) xiemtoolsusa.com
All of Kuretake’s brushtype-marker offers are in the Illustration Basic Set 3, including hard, soft, and bristle brushes. The set features a black brush pen plus gray and glitter brush pens to give artists what they need to produce a variety of different strokes. info@kuretakezig.com
Stonehenge Aqua Hotpress Black is smooth enough to hold the watercolorist’s finest detail and dark enough to hide all their secrets. Whether it’s moonlight on the calm night sea or glistening dew on a black rose, these sheets will indulge, embolden and inspire anyone who wields pen or paint. legionpaper.com/aqua-blackinfo@legionpaper.com
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screen printing limited editions. An aluminum vacuum provides a certified-flat surface for printing on a wide variety of substrates. Combine the Accu-Glide with a Rack-It Heavy-Duty Drying and Storage Rack for an instant upgrade to your studio or classroom. awt-gpi.com
The Pro Pocket Spike Stack contains five rolls of 1/2-inchwide matte cloth tape in a sleeve tower with a UPC label. It’s available in three different color combinations (pictured: “Bright”). The highthread count, high-strength, high-performance tape conforms to irregular surfaces and is weather and abrasion resistant. With a smooth controlled unwind, you can tear it by hand. protapes.com
26 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022
Handmade Nepalese Decorative Items from Aitoh make perfect holiday gifts. From hand-cut paper garlands and adorable wool-ball garlands to handmade felt pouches, the items are all Fair Trade certified, in stock, and very affordable! aitoh.comfold@aitoh.com
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Stock up on Grafix for the holidays! Your creative customers will enjoy making holiday decorations, gifts and memories with Grafix materials. Be sure to add Grafix Shrink Film, Craft Plastic, Monoprint plates, Stencil Films, Dura-Lar and Artist-tac to your next order. Merchandise these innovative products with inks, card blanks, journals, mixed media supplies or any holiday planograms. grafixarts.com
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Also in the release was information from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account in 2020
Under new leadership, the American Alliance of Artists and Audiences (4A Arts) has relaunched with an updated mission: to democratize, catalyze and prioritize arts and culture in the United States.
• launched a robust website connecting artists and audiences with groundbreaking research, entertaining content and thought leadership;
leaders about the importance of the creative economy
• spearheaded a movement to create a U.S. Department of Arts & Culture, with a corresponding Secretary;
In a press release the organization listed a wealth of data supporting their mission. For instance, based on a report by The National Endowment for the Arts, 40 percent of the population 128 million Americans – created art in 2018, in the form of singing, photography, printmaking, creative writing, dancing, playing a musical instrument and more. But in 2019, when a survey by Ipsos expanded the definition of art to include “creative hobbies,” the number skyrocketed to 75 percent.
28 ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • Q3 2022 Industry News
To elevate the social, economic and political perception of arts and culture, 4A Arts has
• championed the education of the American public and elected
showing that the creative economy encompasses 4.6 million workers and 1.65 million small businesses. It adds $877 billion in value to the American economy and 4.2 percent of the American GDP the third largest industry in the U.S., larger than transportation and agriculture combined ($747 billion), and nearly as large as construction ($893 billion). “And yet it has no place in the Presidential Cabinet with other industries that contribute far less to
“We are humbled, honored and energized to carry the torch forward,” say New Wave co-owners Keith and Kyle O’Brien. “The combination of numerous opportunities to intensify cross marketing and expand products, resulting in healthier product lines and greater opportunity for our retailer and distributor partners.” For more information, contact keith@newwaveart.com.
In the Wellness for Makers book, Missy answers the question “How can we continue to make and not be in pain for the rest of our lives?” with more than 40 exercises accompanied by detailed photos.
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Masterson Art Products will continue to function as its own brand, under the management of New Wave Art. Most operating policies with retailer and distributor partnerships for the Masterson product line will remain.
LASTING IMPRESSION ON YOUR STUDENTS
the American economy,” the press release points out.
MAKE A
Author Missy Graff Ballone, a licensed massage therapist, movement educator, and artist, is also host of the popular Wellness for Makers podcast. In it she interviews artists and movement professionals from around the world who provide tips on the best ways to sit, stand, walk, and lift for a range of makers from potters to painters.
To show where we stand compared to other nations, 4A Arts noted that France’s arts and culture budget for 2022 is $4 billion (22 times American spending despite its population being only one-fifth the size); Germany spends $11.4 billion; and Iceland spends 3.5 percent of its annual GDP on arts and culture. The U.S. contributes only 0.000007 percent of its own GDP, or approximately $.55 per person per year.
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Wellness for Makers, a new book from Schiffer Craft, teaches artists and crafters new techniques for relieving pain, reducing the risk of injury, and improving posture as they pursue their creativity. “This guide teaches you that your body is your most valuable tool and empowers you to create more-healthful movement patterns that build strength and longevity,” says Schiffer.
For instance, the “stand up, sit less, move more” rule was invoked in Missy’s interview with weaver Rebecca Mezoff, who is also an occupational therapist. “I get up and move a lot,” Rebecca said. “I try to get up every 25 minutes or so.” She purposely set up her studio so that she’s forced to leave her bench frequently “In tapestry we use little bits of yarn, and I have to change colors fairly often,” Rebecca explained. “I could know what those colors are and prepare them to be within my reach ahead of time, but I don’t. I put those colors far enough away so I have to get up to retrieve them.”
For more information, visit 4aarts.org.
New Wave Art, makers of innovative and ergonomic paint palettes and cutting-edge gear, has acquired Masterson Art Products Begun in 1973, Masterson numerous artist palette products and accessories sold domestically and internationally The acquisition is the result of synergies shared by the two brands and cross marketing. These activities led to an “amazing working relationship” and Bill Monahan, Masterson Art Products’ former owners, as well as greater brand recognition for both companies among artists, according to New Wave.
Screen printing is the most popular applied arts subject because it offers students hands-on instruction and the experience of creating their own AWT’sartwork.Seri-Glide™ One-Man Squeegee Unit is ideal for schools and built to last generations. Combine it with a Rack-It™ Drying and Storage Rack and go to the head of the class.
In London, at the annual MCM Comic Con Event, “dressing up as a favorite character is becoming more than just a hobby to many people,” explains Katryn Furmston, senior lecturer in the product design department of Nottingham Trent University. “It’s the creativity of cosplay that really excites me,” she wrote in an article on The Conversation. “Cosplay is giving (mainly young) people a new-found creative outlet. Many will have researched the properties of cosplay materials to the point
Key Cosplay Stats
On average, 32 percent of cosplayers spend $101 to $200 per costume. 36 percent say they spend $201 to $400 on their most expensive costumes while nearly 22 percent say it’s closer to $401 to $600.
“Creating a lifelike costume for cosplay can be challenging since it requires precision and accuracy,” notes Tom Foxwell, from adventure lifestyle network ADAPT. Cosplayers can easily cut accurate freeform shapes in materials up to up to 3/16” (5 mm) thick with Logan Graphic’s ergonomic, push-style Freeform Cutter.
30 “Artful Behavior” from page 17
Artistic skill development
from ATA advertising agency in Akron, Ohio
64 percent of cosplayers are female. 60 percent of cosplayers are between the ages of 23 and 39. 64 percent of cosplay makers attend three or more fan events/ conventions per year.
About 33 percent of them have been making costumes for three to five years. 25 percent have been making them for more than a 42.9decade.percent create one or two new costumers per year.
Brushes that leave an impression. For more information, please contact your local Royal & Langnickel sales representative, your favorite distributor or contact us at: Email 800.247.2211customerservice@royalbrush.com Zen is a diverse brush collection that will equip your customers with the right brush for the medium of their choice. Whether it be oil, acrylic, watercolor, or mixed media, this collection of durable, easy to clean brushes is sure to impress. inroyalbrush.comNowAvailableanEndcapFootprint
