Art Materials Retailer September 2021

For People Who Sell Art Supplies

September 2021

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Block print by Kristina Hoover

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e r s p e c t i v e

by Kevin Fahy

Long Time Gone

In 1968, a book was published that would have a profound effect on the course of world events. It was called, The Population Bomb, written by a Stanford University professor named Paul Ehrlich.

The author pointed out that the population of Earth had doubled in the space of a single generation, from 2 billion to 4 billion, and was growing at a rate that would cause it to double again over the coming 30 years.

The world, he argued, would not be able to sustain that growth.

He expected that the biggest problem would be agriculture, which would not be able to produce enough food, especially as more land and water would be diverted directly to people. Famine would surely follow, most likely accompanied by disease, pestilence, and war.

You could make a case that some of those predictions have actually come to pass, but many of Ehrlich’s specific calls missed the mark. Moreover, famine has more often resulted from political strife than agricultural failure.

At any rate, the book became part of a movement that raised awareness about the prospect of overpopulation. Since that time, fertility rates have declined worldwide along with mortality rates, the population has doubled over a 50-year span, and the human race consumes 24 percent more calories per person.

As social scientists have become less concerned with the growth of the population, economists have become more concerned with the lack of it. For centuries, economic prosperity has been tied to the constantly increasing supply of potential customers, and the corresponding increase in the labor supply.

That being the case, I was struck by a recent headline in The Wall Street Journal, “U.S. Population Growth, an Economic Driver, Grinds to a Halt.” The subhead was, “COVID-19 pandemic compounds years of birth-rate decline, puts America’s demographic health at risk.”

I know we’ve had a lot going on in the news for the past couple years, and stories that normally would have been big have gone largely unreported, but I still find it hard to believe that this development is getting so little

attention. Population growth in America has always been a given, and all our businesses rest on the assumption that it will continue indefinitely.

In the year ending on July 1, 2020, estimates indicate that the total U.S. population grew by approximately one-third of 1 percent, which is the lowest rate in our history. Some experts think that the following year could show an actual decline.

In 25 states last year, there were more deaths than births, which is up from only five states two years ago.

Overall, the birth over death rate has dropped from a peak of 2.75 to 1 during the early 1950s, to about even right now.

Historically, fertility rates have dropped during times of economic uncertainty, and we have certainly experienced a lot of that in the past year-and-a-half. The pandemic has the additional effect of reducing human interaction in general, and procreation in particular.

COVID also put a crimp on immigration, which had accounted for a third to a half of population growth in recent years. It is something of a wild card going forward, as the improving U.S. economy may lure workers with more jobs, and the Biden administration loosens restrictions that were imposed by the previous president.

If that upsurge in immigration doesn’t happen, then the population decline that some demographers have predicted seems increasingly likely. Nor is it only an American trend. The whole industrialized world, including Russia, China, and the European Union, have seen fertility rates drop below replacement level.

The basic reason for the long-term decline is that Millennials everywhere are choosing to have fewer children, but the thinking behind their choice is hard to pin down. As in most things, at least a part of the explanation comes down to money.

Over the past two decades there has been a series of financial shocks that has undermined confidence in the economy, starting with 9/11 and running through the financial crisis of 2008, the Great Recession, and the COVID recession of 2020. In addition, there is an ongoing shift in employment from the old brick-andmortar economy to the new digital world, which creates continued on page 6

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James Thrasher - Kernersville, NC

Block print by Kristina Hoover

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September 2021 For People Who Sell Art Supplies

3 Perspective by Kevin Fahy Long Time Gone

14 Retailers Recommend Fabulous Products

8 Art and Crafts and Change

16 How to Spot a Natural-born Salesperson

12 Clearing the (fresh) Air

Plein air versus urban sketching versus travel sketching

18 An Interview with Marcel Kohns Schmincke’s international sales manager discusses the company’s new direct connection to U.S. retailers.

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Artful Behavior What are artists creating with the products you sell?

Departments 22 Business Notes 24 Industry News 26 New & True 29 Index of Advertisers

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“Perspective” from page 3

a pervasive sense of job insecurity among a large share of people in their childbearing years.

A third economic factor is the increasing educational attainment of women in the United States. As more women are obtaining advanced degrees across all disciplines, including law, medicine and engineering, they are less willing to interrupt their career tracks, especially at a young age. They tend to have fewer children, later in life.

There is also a geographical angle to this. According to the 2020 census, 55 percent of U.S. counties had more deaths than births last year, versus 37 percent of counties in 2010. Counties fall into six categories: large city, large suburb, medium city, small city, small town, and rural.

The change happened across all categories, but the ratio is very different depending on population density. In big cities, there were nearly two births for every death in 2010. By 2020 that ratio had dropped to about 1.7 to 1. In rural counties, the number of births per death is about half of that, in both 2010 and 2020.

Over time, the population decline in rural areas feeds upon itself. Companies move to places that have a more abundant labor force, and working-age individuals and couples move to places that have more jobs. The population of rural America is not just getting smaller, it’s

demographic categories your location falls into, and it’s not only about having fewer prospective customers. You may do well with an older clientele, or a younger one, or among people who don’t live in your immediate area.

The bigger problem could be staffing. Between COVID-19, diminished immigration, enhanced unemployment benefits, urbanization and declining fertility rates, you may have a very difficult time finding quality employees at an affordable price. Our own company is in a small city, and we have several long-term vacancies.

Things could change in the next year, and the U.S. population trend could turn around. The pandemic could end (please, God), which might encourage young people to have more children and also take a leading cause of death off the table. Immigration could pick up, and a rising economy could revitalize rural America.

In any event, good employees are hard to find, and it doesn’t appear as if that situation is likely to change any time soon. The Labor Department recently announced that there are more than 10 million job openings in the United States for the first time on record.

If you have good people, keep them close.

getting older.

What does all this have to do with selling art supplies?

Plenty.

The extent to which population decline affects your store may well depend upon which of those six

You can e-mail Kevin at kfahy@fwpi.com.

For People Who Sell Art Supplies Publisher J. Kevin Fahy kfahy@fwpi.com

Advertising Director Tim Braden tbraden@fwpi.com

Production Manager Mark Stash mstash@fwpi.com

Editorial Director Tina Manzer tmanzer@fwpi.com

Ad Sales Representative Amy Colburn amy@fwpi.com

Subscriptions accounts@fwpi.com

Graphic Artist Christopher Cornett Christopher@fwpi.com

Enewsletter & Online Advertising Manager Rick Kauder rkauder@fwpi.com

About Art Materials Retailer AMR has been meeting the unique needs of a creative industry since 1998. It combines the latest information on supplies with profiles of manufacturers and stores, artist interviews, and business advice from experts, to keep storeowners on top of trends and emerging markets.

Its targeted readership and high-quality presentation make it an effective marketing tool for manufacturers of materials and tools for artists, crafters, and makers.

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Around the Table a publication of the Game Manufacturers Association

Copyright © 2021

About Fahy-Williams Founded in 1984, Fahy-Williams Publishing specializes in magazines, directories, e-newsletters and other promotional material for a wide variety of niche markets.

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Toy Times a publication of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association edplay dedicated to the specialty toy industry Educational Dealer for retailers who sell to teachers, parents and schools Life in the Finger Lakes Magazine a local lifestyle brand

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Join us in Orlando as an exhibitor and benefit from a larger

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This new conference and trade show will attract a larger and wider audience than ever before! You don’t want to miss out on exhibiting on the show floor with products covering both the fine arts and creative materials industries. In addition to the demos and many exhibitors on the trade show floor, you will also have the opportunity to participate in engaging networking sessions and robust education programing.

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Due to the uncertainties of the pandemic and in an effort to keep our members healthy and safe, International Art Materials Association made the difficult decision to cancel ART MATERIALS WORLD 2021 in Chicago, but it’s going VIRTUAL!

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Art and Crafts and Change

by Tina Manzer

It’s going to happen. As this issue of Art Materials Retailer was being printed, the boards of AFCI and NAMTA were approving the final documents of their merger agreement. They hoped to open the voting process on September 8, and “once out, the vote needs to be open for a minimum of 20 days,” reported Leah Siffringer, NAMTA’s executive director. “Both associations must meet their quorums with two-thirds voting to approve.

“Right now we are anticipating a positive vote by September 28, followed by the filing of all the paperwork

by October 15,” she added. “While none of these dates are set in stone, things are moving along smoothly.”

When the Association For Creative Industries and the International Art Materials Association announced their plans in June, art-industry guru and longtime NAMTA member David Pyle wrote, “Sign me up,” and presented three reasons why the merger made sense. He noted its practicality, the lessons that members of both groups could teach each other, and how an integrative approach to creative products meets the needs of today’s art-making and crafting community.

David also wrote, “Wow. This has been percolating since the early 2000s. It seems like the stars have finally aligned.”

A divided history

Twenty years ago, when merger rumors first began circulating among the members of the Hobby Industry Association (HIA), the Association of Crafts & Creative Industries (ACCI), and NAMTA, the reaction among art-

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materials retailers was less than enthusiastic. At issue was their perception of an up-start industry called crafts.

“We think of art supplies as fine artists’ materials of superior quality,” explained one art supply storeowner in 2001. “The tools of Rembrandt and Picasso are steeped in the tradition of thousands of years of making great art with ground pigments, brushes made by hand, etc. We consider art materials to be sensual and inspirational.

“Craft supplies, on the other hand, mean Styrofoam balls, feathers, birdhouses and wreaths. We think of crafts as a ‘new’ 20th-century, project-oriented hobby.

Admittedly, we are biased against this category.”

That opinion wasn’t unusual at the time. The Art Materials Retailer article in which it appeared included similar comments from other art-store owners. They argued that art and crafts each had completely different audiences, and one group would never need the products used by the other. They figured that traditional art materials stores could and should concentrate on “artists” while other stores, including the new kid, Michaels, duked it out for “crafters.”

Two strong craft groups

Meanwhile, HIA and ACCI were celebrating their successful crafty identities in 2001. During ACCI’s annual midyear show, its 25th, “members acknowledged the show’s rich past while introducing 21st century ideas presented with special displays,” reported AMR. The “Designs for Living, Turning House into Home”

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display, for instance, showcased the latest trends in home décor. Another display showcased cake decorating products.

“Twenty-five cakes will be created by some of the top pastry chefs in Illinois using Eat-able Art, a new line from Color Workshop.”

HIA’s convention & trade show in 2001 was the association’s 60th. It featured 1,100 exhibitors and encompassed 300,000 net square feet at the Anaheim Convention Center. Fifty product categories were represented; they ranged from balloons and party supplies to wedding accessories and wood crafts; and from computer software to ribbons and rubber stamps.

Nearly 10,000 people attended the event that January.

A popular session called The Generic Product Workshop highlighted “Adventures in Paper Crafting” with hands-on instruction.

Three years later, ACCI and HIA did merge to become the Craft & Hobby Association. In 2017, CHA rebranded as AFCI Its trade show was renamed Creativation to best reflect its renewed focus on creativity.

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Well, there was one voice of reason among the art store retailers I interviewed in 2001. It belonged to Claudia Myers from Spokane Art Supply. A master at handling change (“disruption” today), she started running her family’s business in the early 1980s, 30 years after her parents founded it. Computers were upending the art supplies business, but Claudia managed to steer her ship toward growth and innovation. She was ahead of her time, and became NAMTA’s first woman president in 1999. Her comments 20 years ago about the art/craft divide are worth repeating today.

“Craft has come a long way, and is maturing with categories requiring the same degree of discipline, technical knowledge and skills as traditional fine art applications,” she wrote then. “The difference between craft and art cannot be defined through materials but by the process. In short, a traditional artist creates from a self-directed vision. Craft creations are looked upon as ‘copy projects’ accomplished not by imagination but by step-by-step instruction.

“It is the attitude about process that has given fine art an

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our relationship with colleges and our wonderfully loyal customers kept us going.”

A way to rebuild I imagine that the various retail subgroups of our one new trade group are wondering where they’ll fit in; if they’ll lose their identity as a specialist in yarn, or fine art materials, or papers and pens, or fabric. After a year and a half of disruption, though, we are all due for a reinvention; a chance to be better. To me, the merger facilitates that. “Despite the many recent challenges, we are all encouraged with the overall growth of creativity and with the ongoing increased demand for creative materials we are witnessing,” said Namta Board President, Steve Chamberlain, in June. “I feel confident that our future together remains bright.”

Added AFCI Chairman Jim Scatena, “The new association will blend the best of AFCI and Namta into an efficient and exciting new association. This merger is good for the long-term future of the creative industry.”

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elitist image. By association, art materials stores can suffer from an image of being elitist, too, and not appeal to a more diverse base of creative consumers.

“We sell more units of two-ounce craft acrylic than all our tubes added together. Not everyone using paint wants a lesson about fat over lean, or mixing inorganic versus mineral colors. They want blue paint ‘this shade.’

“Most of my ‘craft’ customers take exception to the term. They are artists and designers, they are artisans and craftspeople, they are decorative painters.

“I’m in business to sell to creative consumers. It is not my right to judge whether materials they use are for art or craft. It is my job as a successful retailer to provide the consumer with what they demand.”

Today, Claudia is retired from active art store duties, and Spokane Art is being managed by her husband Victor Davis and her son Craig Marshall. “We have been able to ebb and flow with ALL the changes in 20 years,” she told me recently. “When the state mandated complete closure of non-essential business for more than a month last year,

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Clearing The (FRESH) Air

by Tina Manzer Artists who record what they see outside often post on Instagram using #pleinair, #urbansketch and #urbansketching. But are those categories interchangeable?

Is the phrase “urban sketching” accurate when the art is really “plein air”? A debate among artists has ensued.

A few years ago, the team at Pentalic – makers of the sketchpads and journals used by plein air artists and urban sketchers alike – rendered its verdict in the matter. Its case was presented on pentalic.com/blog/, complete with supporting arguments and information on the history, nuances and “rules” of each creating-art-outside practice.

Since then, the popularity of documenting outside scenes with art has grown. New categories, including travel sketching, have joined the lexicon. Today, the points made

by Pentalic may be more important than ever to stores that sell supplies to outdoor artists. Here is the case they presented.

Plein air painting is the oldest form of outdoor art.

The French en plein air means “in the open air.”

Historically, plein air artists would paint an outdoor subject while sitting in front of said subject, observing a natural scene and painting it in real time.

The French Impressionists, who focused on depicting the natural light in their paintings, brought plein air painting to the fore in the 19th century.

Landscape painting had been around for centuries by the time plein air, as a term, arrived on the scene in the mid-1800s. Thanks to the invention then of paint tubes and box easels, artists had the freedom to take up their materials and leave their studios behind.

Plein air is a method of painting, while “urban sketching” describes a movement.

In 2007, more than 150 years after portraitist John Goffe Rand patented his paint tubes, Seattle journalist and illustrator Gabriel Campanario launched the urban sketching movement. The online storytelling forum he created encouraged sketch artists to draw the places they visited on location, rather than drawing the scenes from photographs.

Following the examples Campanario set, the nonprofit organization Urban Sketchers was founded. Its mission is to foster an online community that spreads the “artistic,

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storytelling and educational value of on-location drawing” on an international level.

Urban sketchers have representation in many cities around the world. They connect with each other through a network of blogs hosted by urbansketchers.org, and social media pages hosted by local urban sketching groups.

According to urbansketchers.org, they have a unilateral manifesto for conducting their art that includes these eight rules.

1. We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation.

2. Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel.

3. Our drawings are a record of time and place.

4. We are truthful to the scenes we witness.

5. We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles.

6. We support each other and draw together.

7. We share our drawings online.

8. We show the world, one drawing at a time.

Urban sketchers are like plein air painters in these ways Both take their materials with them to create outdoors, on location, in real time. Since their canvases have to be portable, both produce relatively small-scale art.

While both types of artists are interested in capturing the truth of how a place appears – they don’t add anything to the painting that would compromise the truth of the depiction – plein air painters will sometimes omit certain features of a scene (power lines, trash) for aesthetic purposes.

Where they differ According to the manifesto, an urban sketcher’s work tells a story of the place they painted. That’s where the movement’s journalistic roots come into play.

An urban sketch will often include written text about the atmosphere of the location and pertinent details.

Also among the differences is the amount of time it takes to complete a plein air piece with all its details, versus the time needed to create an urban sketch in its

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typical casual, loose style.

In terms of materials, most plein air painters use paints and pastels. Urban sketchers use any and all materials to capture their outdoor subjects.

Not all urban sketching involves outdoor scenes.

A city park may be the subject of an urban sketch, but the interiors of cafes, museums, malls, restaurants and concert venues are also acceptable.

Travel sketching “Travel sketching, an ancestor of sorts to Instagram, has changed the way I observe the world,” wrote Ivan Chow, author of Travel Sketching: Drawing Insights from Istanbul. The 2020 book includes his personal experiences on a stay in and around Istanbul and the sketches it inspired.

“What I have learned and enjoyed from the practice of travel sketching has enriched my travel experiences, as well as deepened my appreciation of different cultures and peoples,” he said in OutdoorPainter, where he offered tips and advice for travel sketching.

Travel sketchers, like urban sketchers, often include text in their work to report on their experience with the location.

Unique to travel sketching is the artist’s freedom to use photos as reference. In other words, they don’t have to be at a location to paint it. The Urban Sketcher’s Manifesto clearly states that urban sketchers draw on location from observation. Drawing from photographs is not permitted.

So, if a travel sketch is painted using a photograph the artist took on location, it is neither a plein air painting nor urban sketch. But if a travel sketch was created on location, without referencing a photograph, it is also considered a plein air painting.

Ultimately, the goal of all three styles of artists is the same: to go outside their studios and document their unique world as truthfully as they see it.

To see the work of Pentalic artists, follow pentalicart and pentalic365 on Instagram and Facebook.

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Retailers Recommend

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by Tina Manzer

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Dinah Coakley from Herweck’s Art Supply in San Antonio “First-year architectural and engineering students need scale rulers (1) to learn to draw to scale, as well as triangles (2) and templates (3). We sell Pacific Arc, Art Alternatives and Chartpak’s Rapidesign brands. As a category, architectural supplies may be boring but we carry some that are fun and unique, like the 8-inch Adjustable Triangle Ruler (4) from Pacific Arc. It divides from 0 to 90 degrees and includes rise and slope divisions.

“The Helix Angle and Circle Maker (5) is so fun; it’s like Spirograph for adults. You put your pencil tip in the slot and rotate the middle part. It’s mind-boggling the number of circles you can draw with it. There are two different kinds; we display them near the templates. They’re great as add-on sales – they’re so inexpensive and cool looking that customers throw them in with the rest of their stuff.

“It’s crazy how much Glitter Guy glitter and ArtResin from ResinVentures (6) we are selling right now! Check out Instagram and TikTok to see the new trend – people are mixing the glitter and resin together to decorate insulated stainless steel cups. The ladies who do it want the best supplies – they don’t mind when they drop $100 each time they come in.

Glitter Guy glitter is polyester, and comes in many colors, including glowin-the dark (7). Sometimes people add different colors of alcohol ink to the mixture.

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jacquardproducts.com

We sell the Marabu brand (8), and Jacquard has a white in its line (9) that customers just love it because it’s really opaque.

“Speaking of ink, Inktober participants have been stopping in for their supplies. The month-long challenge is really popular among tattoo artists.

They use it to create a logbook of designs to promote their work.

“We added a third rack of Sakura Micron pens because of Inktober. There are two new nib sizes – 10 and 12 (10) – to create really bold lines. The durable plastic nibs on Micron PN pens (11) are perfect for artists who draw heavy handed.

“The Inktober limited edition set (12) from Kuretake Zig includes three different inks. The Sumi Ink and Black Ink are smudge-proof with alcohol-based markers. ZIG White ink shows up great on dark surfaces.”

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How to Spot a Naturalborn Salesperson And five additional skills they’ll need to master

Are great salespeople born, or are they made?

According to clinical psychologist Chris Croner, the answer is “both.” The principal at SalesDrive, a contentrich resource center that helps companies maximize their sales team’s performance, Croner is a sales retention and recruitment expert. He recently co-authored the new book Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again: Selecting Candidates Who Are Absolutely Driven to Succeed.

In this fiercely competitive post-pandemic economy, the ability to recognize the “selling gene” in potential hires can give your store an invaluable edge. “The stakes are just too high not to hire the right candidates – those with those elusive ‘it’ factors inherent in natural salespeople,” says Croner.

THE BIGGEST “IT” FACTOR IS DRIVE It’s the grit and dogged determination that make the best salespeople relentless in their quest for success. It cannot be taught. A person either has drive or they don’t. In fact, Croner believes that only 20 percent of today’s salespeople are driven to sell.

Drive is comprised of three non-teachable traits.

1. Need for achievement It’s an inner desire to reach even the most challenging goals. As a person’s need for it grows, their motivation grows, too. To spot need for achievement, look for a robust record of accomplishments. If you interview someone who has such a list, especially if they have any of the other non-teachable traits, be sure to hire them immediately.

2. Competitiveness Some people are born with an inner fire that makes them want to win each customer over. Job candidates with innate

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competitiveness can keep themselves going – they persevere long after others have given up. Every business needs a salesperson who goes to great lengths to close every sale.

3. Optimism Optimism is an undeniable certainty that if someone puts in the work and pursues a goal, a positive outcome is simply a matter of time. In the hierarchy of sales skills, optimism is essential because, in many ways, sales is a numbers game. While there are certainly lucky breaks that include a series of wins in a short amount of time, salespeople will often hear “no” many times before they finally hear “yes.”

“Salespeople who lack natural optimism will soon begin to lose their fire,” notes Croner. “Every negative interaction chips away at their hopes of success and leads them to lose their vigor.”

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RESILIENCY CANNOT BE TAUGHT …

Life can be a little messy and the world of sales often is, too. Unexpected things happen – there are plenty of times when a salesperson is sure he’s going to make a sale, only to have the customer change his or her mind. Salespeople who are naturally resilient can bounce back quickly, learn everything they can from their mistakes and, in the end, grow from each challenge.

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SKILLS GREAT SALESPEOPLE NEED TO LEARN Confidence This is simply the ability to freely express opinions or concerns while remaining on an even keel – despite an inevitable rejection. A salesperson with true confidence can become a trusted advisor who offers real value to clients.

Persuasiveness Salespeople need to love the selling process, including

negotiating and changing opinions. They must be likable and able to find common ground to help foster emotional bonds and shared objectives. Truly persuasive salespeople make it clear they are on the customer’s side and know how to wait for the perfect time to ease into the sale.

Relationship skills When assessing a candidate’s sales skills, study their history of establishing and maintaining business relationships. The best salespeople are highly skilled at reading interactions in a room and know when to take center stage and when to let other people have the floor.

Well-developed relationship skills involve not only talking but active listening, with a strict focus on asking intelligent follow-up questions.

Organization When salespeople have an orderly system for keeping track of their tasks, they can avoid mistakes and have more time to spend on the act of selling. Every moment spent retracing their steps because they’re disorganized means lost opportunities and lost revenue. continued on page 29

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… NOR CAN NATURAL CURIOSITY This is the most important natural trait for a sales associate in an art materials store because you sell to such a huge variety of customers’. And then there are the trends – they change quickly with an endless parade of products to meet your customers changing needs. When you hire someone who is naturally curious, who wants to sample your products and learn more about them, and who wants to learn more about people and what inspires them creatively, then you will have a valuable teammate who has a strong ability to adapt to many artistic situations. ________________________________________________________

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An Interview

by Tina Manzer

with Marcel Kohns Schmincke’s international sales manager discusses the company’s new direct connection to U.S. retailers, its historically tried-and-true paints and pastels, and its innovative new launches and special editions.

AMR: In the U.S., instead of operating through a distributor, Schmincke is now delivering its products directly to American retailers from its headquarters in Germany. When did that happen and how is it working?

MK: In February this year, we re-launched in the U.S. The time was right with accelerated international trade and easy and transparent global price comparisons. We needed to create a very high fulfillment rate for U.S. orders, quick and smooth importing operations, and more competitive retail pricing to make U.S. retailers and our products more competitive – nationally and internationally.

Now, after six months, we can say we are very satisfied with the new setup and pleased about the overall improvement in service that has occurred.

We made this switch because we felt we had lost the direct connection with U.S. retailers and the artists who use our products. The American market is very important to us; we think of our service to it as a package. It includes the highest-quality products, exceptional product availability, competitive pricing and in-depth product knowledge. We want to give our sellers there the opportunity to work with us directly, and benefit from the insight and the passion that comes from the work in our lab.

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Tell us about your products. What are your bestsellers?

Our handmade soft pastels, our resin-oil color line Mussini, and our Horadam Watercolors are all valued for their fine pigments and consistent high quality and are currently available in more than 70 countries around the world.

Mussini – named after Cesare Mussini, an artist and professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence – originated in 1881 as the company’s first product.

Hermann Schmincke and Josef Horadam were colormen; chemists who set out to find the resin-oil-color recipes of the old masters before they were lost forever. Professor Mussini was the guardian of the formulas, and he sold them to our founders.

The formula for our watercolor line, Horadam, was launched 11 years later, after much research. Over the years, our watercolors have become highly prized among artists around the world. We were recently contacted by a store in Guatemala, for instance, after a group of painters there requested Horadam.

This year we launched the special edition Horadam Super-Granulation watercolors – 25 heavily granulated colors in five themes: Deep Sea, Glacier, Galaxy, Tundra and Forest.

Our soft pastels were originally launched at the turn of the 20th century. Today they are known for their dense application – because they are so soft – and their color intensity.

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How often do you launch new products?

We launch new products every year, usually timed for Creativeworld in January. This year we introduced our all-natural and vegan Liquid Charcoal.

It combines gum Arabic with natural, hand-charcoaled fruit stones – cherry pit for a warm brownish black; grape seed for a more bluish, cooler black; and peach stone, a natural black.

We run two other promotional periods during the year that offer new specialties, limited editions and unique colors, like the new Mussini, YinMn Blue. Our biggest promotion of the year is going on now. Among the gift items we’re offering is a box of all 140 Horadam watercolors and a signed certificate. We have made only 140 of them, so first come first served.

What else would you like U.S. retailers to know about Schmincke?

The most important thing is that our products are readily available. Say an artist has an idea and he wants and needs Quinacridone Purple. Our promise is to provide it. Sometimes it’s a hard promise to keep, but we aspire to fulfill it every time.

Logistics are in place to directly connect us to U.S. retailers. I am responsible for the U.S. market, and I am easily reachable. Not only me, but the whole team behind me.

We only focus on color. We don’t also make paper and brushes. Color is our love and our passion. It’s what we do best.

Schminke has always been a family-owned business and that’s very important to all 80 of us who work here.

Our values, including our passion to strive for the best, came down from our founders. Yes we have a history – we’ve been in the market for 140 years and it’s a responsibility. But we are still innovating.

We’re not standing still.

For more information, visit schmincke.de.

To contact Marcel directly, email kohns@ schmincke.de.

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“Artful Behaviour” from page 30

Film Festival

In the hands of imaginative people, vinyl and film created for the traffic and sign industries can turn into unique works of art. At least that’s the method behind the creative madness at American Traffic Safety Materials (ATSM), a Florida-based company that has had great success with those industrial applications. Recently, it expanded with a new subsidiary called ATSM Craft and found that innovative crafters are delighted to put its vinyl and film products to artistic uses.

Since 1980, the company has manufactured, coated and converted high quality cast vinyl films, cost effective calendered vinyl films, and metalized and other specialty films that have everyday uses.

ATSM Craft’s brightly-hued products come in opalescent and ultra-metallic versions. Some provide a chalkboard or chrome finish, or even etched glass and “glittery” looks. Transparent colored film can be applied to almost any glass or clear plastic surface, and transparent glitter film applied to a window creates a unique environment of light, space and visual effects. As the company states on atsmcraft.com, “We have more glitter, shimmer, shine, and gloss than any other vendor in the Southeast, probably maybe even the country.”

All of the films work well with craft cutting machines to produce decals and art in many shapes and sizes. Most can also be printed using solvent digital printers, screen printing inks, and thermal transfer printers.

For artistic and craft purposes, the company offers 102 films and four different pre-mask products. Its slogan, “Happiness is Handmade” drives ATSM Craft’s product choices, including its color palette, color appeal, sparkle, shine, and overall usefulness in creative projects.

For more information, visit atsmcraft.com

What They Saw in the Inkblots In our last issue we discussed The100-day Challenge, and next up is the very popular Inktober, a month-long opportunity to create one artwork in ink each day and share it on social media.

To demonstrate the significance of social media analytics to brand marketing insight, global listening company Synthesio collected key data at the close of Inktober and issued a report with commentary on how

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the information could best be used. “Like art itself, Inktober is a global movement that transcends language and cultural barriers,” it begins. “Our Twitter heat map found that Inktober is most talked-about in the United States and Europe, yet is also present in South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.”

Based on an analysis of the languages used in Inktober’s online content, the company discovered that English was used most often by challenge participants, but social media posts also appeared in Spanish, Somali, Portuguese, and French. “This seemingly simple information gives crucial insight into the location and language preferences of those interested in ink, paper, paint, and even digital art software and tools,” says the report.

Two-thirds (67 percent) of social media users who talked about Inktober were female, and Synthesio discovered that the challenge is most popular among 18-to-24-year-olds followed by 25-to-34-year-olds. In other words, if you want to reach younger adults, Inktober is a useful vehicle, but not so much if you want to reach retirees.

More than three-quarters of online conversations about Inktober happen on Instagram. Twitter is the next most popular platform, followed by a small percentage on forums and Reddit.

Next, Synthesio crunched data to discover the top Inktober influencers on Instagram and on Twitter. Actor Joseph GordonLevitt participated in Inktober while simultaneously promoting his creative platform, Hit Record. “Companies can similarly adopt this strategy and take advantage of community-wide movements that are relevant to their industry,” notes the report.

Did participants keep up with the challenge? Signals, the company’s trend-detection software, found a 70-percent decrease in Inktober mentions between early and mid-October.

“If a company wants to develop an Inktober marketing campaign, we advise that it begin during the first week of the challenge, when participation and volume are highest.”

One analysis considered Inktober together with Moleskine, the Italian manufacturer of high-quality sketchbooks and notebooks. “After an artist shared an ink drawing in his Moleskine notebook, other Reddit users quickly inquired about the quality of the paper. The artist responded with knowledgeable information, including his observation that there was no bleeding through, but there was ghosting.”

He also recommended Moleskine’s Art Plus and mentioned that Jake Parker, Inktober’s creator, uses a Moleskine Cahier.

“This not only provides valuable insight for the development of future products, it indicates that Moleskine products are already well-loved by the art community.

This kind of back-and-forth about the paper, pens or art materials always occurs during the sharing of Inktober drawings. “Companies shouldn’t underestimate the trust developed within online communities and how it affects consumer behavior. Recommendations, warnings, and tips are taken seriously.”

Assorted films for creative uses

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Vaccines Encouraged through Art

The CDC has launched a new resource page, “How to Engage the Arts to Build COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence.” It offers an evidence-based guide to help public health professionals partner with local artists and culture-bearers “to create culturally responsive and sustainable vaccine education materials and programs that can help increase vaccine confidence and uptake.”

The toolkit includes two field guides on developing sustainable and equitable programming and a “Vaccine Confidence Arts Response Repository,” reports Hyperallergic. The growing database of projects from across the country use arts- and culture-based approaches to boost COVID-19 immunization.

The repository was developed by the University of Florida (UF) Center for Arts in Medicine, and highlights existing initiatives that can serve as models – from the nonprofit Amplifier’s “#Vaccinated” campaign, which is awarding artists a total of $100,000 to create free, downloadable artworks and prints encouraging immunization – to vaccine clinics in Alaska doubling as live music venues.

“The arts attract attention, they’re interesting, they facilitate experiences that are memorable and can convey information in ways that are not just more understandable, but more personally relevant — through narrative, characters, images, music, and cultural practices and traditions,” says Jill Sonke, director of the UF Center for Arts in Medicine and senior adviser to the CDC’s Vaccine Confidence and Demand Team. In an interview with Hyperallergic, she notes that artistic approaches can be particularly helpful in communities where racism and marginalization have led to distrust in the healthcare system. Sonke pointed to the “Sleeves Up, NOLA” campaign in New Orleans, which embraced Mardi Gras and Carnival dance culture to encourage residents to get the shot.

A Career Alternative

DIYS.com, a creative DIY community hub, recently set out to discover which industries are the most lucrative for YouTube influencers. Here’s their ranked list, including the estimated average annual earnings of the top influencer in that industry.

1. Gaming – $8,890,000 2. Food – $903,280 3. Beauty – $829,740 4. Arts & Crafts – $373,120 5. Health & Fitness – $228,870 6. Travel – $221,350 7. Fashion – $154,010 8. Interior Design – $96,860 9. Automotive – $76,850

Research began with a list of nine industries in which influencers would be most likely to succeed. Then, the top YouTuber in each industry was chosen based on their number of subscribers.

DIYS.com then submitted each individual’s YouTube username to scrape the number of subscribers and their respective yearly estimated earnings.

To establish the average earnings of the top influencers, maximum estimated yearly earnings were fed into DIYS.com’s database. All data was amalgamated and ranked. For comparative job

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salaries, DIYS.com collated data on the online career platform Indeed.com and assessed job specifications linked to those of the industry-specific YouTubers.

“Despite the automotive industry placing last, the estimated annual earnings of $76,850 are nearly 2.5 times more than the national average U.S. salary!” notes DIYS.com. “To compare that to other careers in the automotive industry, a car sales executive earns an average annual salary of $67,580 and an auto mechanic earns $43,618.”

For the arts & crafts industry, DIYs.com compared the influencer salary ($373,120) to the estimated annual salary of a designer ($67,850) and an art teacher ($39,333).

The up-and-coming website specializes in high-quality and ontrend DIY projects and tutorials in home design, fashion, and crafts.

Topics range from “How to Grow & Care for the Cardon Cactus” to “The Best Sewing Machines for Kids,” and “Creating Leaf Wall Décor out of Yarn.” Each tutorial features useful photos and accompanying explanations, hints, and tips.

A Guide to Great Global Street Art

Thanks to selfies and social media, interest in street art has skyrocketed around the world. In the past year, online searches for “street art family tours” have increased 350 percent.

To find out which cities have the most popular street art, money. co.uk recently analyzed more than 3 million Instagram posts and their hashtags. Based on its research, the winner is London, with 515,883 posts under #londonstreetart.

Two others in the UK also made the top 20 – Bristol, and Brighton & Hove at #11 and #17, respectively.

This summer, 10 new Banksy artworks popped up in various towns along England’s east coast. The anonymous artist calls the series, “Great British Spraycation,” and posted a video of his campervan travels to each mural location.

Second in the street art study is Paris, despite its strict vandalism laws. With 468,327 posts, the city has the Galerie Itinerrance in its favor. The open-air museum located in the 13th arrondissement has been a dedicated street-art venue since 2004.

Melbourne, with 325,039 posts, is third. Murals by Hosier Lane and Keith Haring set the city apart from others in Australia, like Sydney, #8 on the list

Cities in the U.S. occupy six spots.

• Los Angeles (#5) • Chicago (#6) • New York City (#10) • Denver (#12) • Miami (#15) • San Francisco (#20)

Berlin, Montreal, Toronto, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Madrid, Bogotá and Athens round out the list.

Money.co.uk is a credit broker and free, online comparison service based in London. It also ranked U.S. state capitals in terms of street art.

The top 10, in rank order, are Topeka, Denver, Austin, Atlanta, Boston, Nashville, Phoenix, Sacramento, Richmond and Lincoln, Nebraska.

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2022 editions of Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld are scheduled as in-person events in Germany, January 28 through February 1.

According to event organizing company Messe Frankfurt Exhibition

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GmbH, additional digital formats will provide international reach, new contacts and networking opportunities throughout the year.

The three tradeshows present products from the seasonal/festive decorations industry, paper/office supplies and stationery, and hobby/ handicrafts and artist supplies.

“Trade fairs have always been instruments for reviving the economy after a crisis,” says Julia Uherek, Messe Frankfurt’s vice president of consumer goods fairs. “Everyone involved is looking forward to personal exchanges and ordering at the exhibition center.”

“We are already looking forward to the most important event for the creative sector at national and international level – Creativeworld 2022,” says Kirsten Rohde from exhibiting company Marabu in Germany. “While we have been able to maintain excellent contact with our business partners using digital media and virtual meetings, nothing is better than personal contact.”

Nicola Hoffmann from Räder GmbH, a Christmasworld exhibitor, adds, “It is important that trade fair visitors see on-site how effective staging works and how collections can be optimally put together and ordered.

The emotionality of our products requires personal interaction between customer and supplier. We continue to believe deeply that retail has a long-term justification. A new way of

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selling via all senses and all channels is becoming increasingly important in retail and makes the shopping experience even more exciting for the customer.”

To facilitate digital offerings, Messe Frankfurt has set up Nextrade and Conzoom Solutions – online platforms that can provide industryrelevant content and digital order and data management 365 days of the year. “Manufacturers and retailers can benefit from the networking functions by continuing to expand their international reach after the event,” notes Uherek.

As the first important venue of the business year focused on decorative crafts, artist supplies, textile design, graffiti, street art and creative hobbies, Creativeworld is an important source for new ideas, inspiration and expert knowledge. At its 2020 event, 369 exhibitors from 44 countries made presentations to 9,201 trade visitors.

For the first time, Chattanoogabased Townsend Atelier, a combination art materials store/art studio, is offering fine art classes for homeschooled students for the 202122 academic year. Classes are available for elementary to high-school-age children.

The 4,000-square-foot Townsend Atelier space is located in the city’s burgeoning art district. Throughout the year, it hosts art classes and workshops for artists of all ages and skill levels. Professional artists and art educators provide a wide variety of art

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Look for the EMI Shield

instruction in painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, and figure drawing.

The new homeschoolstudent classes will meet there once each week for an hour-and-a-half starting in September through May of 2022 with a focus on developing drawing and painting skills. “Students will learn and use the elements of art, color theory, and composition techniques to create their own works of art,” says instructor Shannon Swan, a former graphic designer and art director who has taught homeschooled children, including her own, for nearly 20 years. “There will be homework some weeks, which will consist of viewing images, light reading, and sketching ideas.”

In addition, students will participate in the local Audubon Acres Owl Art Contest for prizes and the chance to have their art featured on the organization’s festival poster.

The cost per student is $30 per month.

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WAX SNAPS ® SETS

Great Holiday Sets for Encaustic and Mixed Media Customers

“Broken,” watercolor on panel by Lynn D. Pratt, 18 by 24 inches, 2021

Golden Artist Colors is sponsoring “Breaking Glass,” a group exhibition at The Painting Center in New York City. The show, which runs through October 2, showcases watercolor artists who use modern techniques instead of traditional glazing to present their watercolor artwork in a permanent fashion.

The exhibit features 10 artists who belong to national watercolor societies, have received numerous awards for the work, and are represented in significant public and private collections.

“The show is about removing glass as a barrier to the viewer, as well as breaking the glass ceiling of arbitrary values placed on a medium and not on the work itself,” explains GOLDEN CEO Mark Golden. “The work of many incredibly talented artists is continually undervalued because they have chosen the medium of watercolor. The value is not based on aesthetics or merit, but on the fact that the work is created on paper and exhibited behind glass.”

The Painting Center is located at 547 West 27th Street, Suite 500, in Chelsea.

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new true An official sponsor of Inktober 2021, Kuretake Zig Corporation will release

Limited Edition ZIG x Inktober specialty items!

Bob Ross rocks! The

Bob Ross Rock Painting Kit includes

paint, brushes, gel pens, and river rocks plus a permanent marker, dotting tool, and 12 projects and stencils. Hey, take it outside! Enjoy Bob Ross and his sweet wisdom using nature as your canvas. Order in bulk! 1-866-506-1949; for rush orders call 1-877-989-0009

Included in sets are fine liners and white and black brush pens to help consumers gear up to participate in the challenge this October. Let’s enjoy drawing with the set! info@kuretakezig.com

Yasutomo’s PURE Color Origami is a vibrant, premium-

weight, color-core paper boasting 100 colors per pack! Sturdy with a delicately textured surface and fine tooth, this paper is incredibly versatile: perfect for origami, coloring, collage, scrapbooking, and mixed-media art. Available in a 5-7/8-inches size and a 3-inch mini size. yasutomo.com

New SoFlat Matte Acrylics from GOLDEN allow artists to easily create glare-free and even surfaces. The Zing set is an excellent way to try SoFlat, with six 2 oz. jars of bright, intense colors including Bismuth Vanadate Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Naphthol Pink, Red Violet, Cobalt Teal and Yellow Green. (Item #0000975-0.) goldensoflat.com

The Tim Holtz Air Blower The LightTracer 2 by Artograph provides an 80-percent larger work surface and greater illumination than the standard LightTracer.

The large, slanted 18-by-12-inch illuminated work surface is ideal for fabric decorating, transferring patterns, tracing, illustrating, animating and so much more. The built-in tray keeps tools close. (Item #25375) sales@studiodesigns.com

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from Ranger is a convenient handheld tool for manipulating Alcohol Ink movement with air. Use it to disperse Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks, Alcohol Pearls, Metallic Mixatives, and Blending Solution. The rubber squeeze bulb allows you to control the air flow by adjusting the amount of pressure you use. rangerink.com

Jacquard’s Indigo Tie Dye Kit brings the ancient art of shibori dyeing to the backyard. It’s the easiest-to-use authentic formulation available ever and makes a great group activity. The vat will keep up to several weeks and dye more than 15 yards of fabric or 15 shirts. jacquardproducts.com

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Flexcut Micro Tools and Palm Tools – Chisels, Skews, Sweeps,

Just in time for Inktober – meet

the new Tom Norton Walnut Ink packaging!

It’s now more artist-friendly with a larger opening to accommodate dip pens and brushes. Made with less plastic, it’s also more eco-friendly. It’s still filled with our lightfast, acidfree, water soluble ink. info@ tomnortonwalnutink.com, tomnortonwalnutink.com

Shallow and Deep U-Gouges, and Parting Tools – are ideal for

printmakers and wood carvers. Profile sizes range from 1mm to 4mm, whether it’s linoleum or wood. Flexcut offers more tools than anyone in the industry, including 32 high-performance micro tools and 52 palm tools. flexcut.com

The NEW disc-bound Mixed Media Journal from Grafix features the

company’s most popular materials, which can be used with a wide range of mediums and tools. Journals are available in 6 by 6 inches and 6 by 9 inches with removable sheets. The creative possibilities are limitless! grafixarts.com

The NEW Schmincke Liquid Charcoal enables a clean, dust-free way of painting, charcoal drawing, and underpainting. The three natural pigments are created by charring fruit seeds and result in a cool, bluish grape seed black; a warm, brownish cherry pit black; and a neutral peach stone black. They’re all-vegan and natural, and available NOW! schmincke.de info@schmincke.de

Boneware, a self-hardening clay

from Sculpture House, is made for direct modeling/sculpting and does not require an armature. When not in use, it remains soft and pliable if moistened lightly with water and covered with a damp cloth. It’s made in the USA and packed moist so it’s ready to use. (Item No. 578D – Case/12 4-lb. Boxes) 772-210-6124, sculpturehouse.com

The Lumen Frameless LED Light Box by Gagne Porta-Trace can be used

ATSMCraft offers the most comprehensive line of vinyl

in the craft and hobby market.

We’ve recently added to our range of metalized films and have a great new color chart. Email us today for your free copy and product samples. crafty@atsminc.com

as an art tool or as customized LED signage for branding and visual display.

It is the only light box with laser etched light guide technology, embedded LEDs and a UV printed face to provide clarity, brightness and a thin profile for the user. sales@gagneinc.com

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Julie Collins’s Colour Demystified from Search Press

North America is a complete guide to mixing and using watercolours. It presents how color works in a highly visual way by using color charts accompanied by numerous examples, practical exercises and studies of watercolor paintings – her own works and those of contemporary artists. (ISBN: 9781782217978) Contact Anne Woodcock at 215-715-3972, annew@searchpress.com

Tan-colored Clayette from Chavant, the finest name in modeling clay, is available in soft, medium and hard firmnesses. It’s smooth and non-sticky.

Dark gray Monu-melt is meltable, smooth and nonsticky. It comes in soft, medium and hard firmnesses.

Spray Touché: Meltable Le Beau Touché is gray-green.

It has a medium firmness and is smooth and tacky. chavant.com

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Specialty Racks from Saturn Rack/

AWT World Trade fulfill drying and storage needs, especially where space is limited. Uses range from storing artwork in a classroom to drying prints in a studio.

Versatile and affordable, they have an all-steel construction, a rust-resistant, powder-coated finish. Many models and shelving options are available. sales@dryingandstorageracks.com dryingandstorageracks.com

This set from E. C. Lyons is the basic building block for engraving. It includes two Flat Gravers sizes #41 and #46, two Round Gravers #54 and #60, a Special Lozenge #5, and a Point/Onglette Graver #3.

They can be used on wood, copper, zinc and metal. sales@eclyons.com eclyons.com

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EVO Synthetic from ETC Papers represents the evolution of paper. A great addition to any creative toolkit, this high-grade synthetic paper is perfect for abstract art, card making, and mixedmedia creations. EVO is available in sheets and pads. It’s bright white, water and tear resistant, flexible, forgiving and tree-free. etcpapers.com

Pro Gaff is a matte cloth tape with a rubber-based adhesive system. It is excellent for both indoor and outdoor installations. You can tear it by hand! It applies easily to many surfaces and removes cleanly. The pH neutral tape is made in the USA and is available in 20 colors.

Contact Steve Espinal. sespinal@protapes.com protapes.com/pro-gaff-tape

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“How to Spot a Natural-born Salesperson” from page 17

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“The most successful salespeople have mastered and incorporated organizational structures into their daily routines,” notes Croner.

Shadebuddy® #309SB60B

Problem solving There will never be enough training time to cover the potential obstacles to making a sale. Therefore, your focus should not be on finding a candidate who memorizes the responses to different scenarios. Instead, look for people who become jazzed – not frustrated – about solving a problem or meeting a need on-the-fly.

“Knowing which traits to look for when you hire, and which ones you can cover in training is more than half the battle when you’re looking for help in this difficult hiring environment,” says Croner. “Gaining that perspective should be top priority as your store keeps moving forward in the recovering economy.”

Dr. Christopher Croner is the coauthor (along with Richard Abraham) of the book Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again. It details his research and practice in identifying the non-teachable personality traits common to top sales producers. He developed the proprietary DriveTest online sales test and The Drive Interview, which are both used for hiring the best salespeople.

To learn more, visit salesdrive.info.

Tell our advertisers you saw their products in Art Materials Retailer magazine!

Company ATSM Craft AWT World Trade Inc. Bob Ross, Inc. Chavant, Inc. Crescent Brands Edward C. Lyons Co. Enkaustikos Wax Art Supplies Environmental Medicine ETC Papers Flexcut Tool Gagne General Pencil Co. Golden Artist Colors Grafix Guerrilla Painter H.Schmincke & Co. GmbH Jacquard Products Kuretake ZIG NAMTA Pro Tapes & Specialties Ranger Industries Royal Brush Mfg Sculpture House Search Press North America Studio Designs Tombow Xiem Tools USA Yasutomo

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Our most popular umbrella 130 Products Designed for Plein Air

ATSMcraft.com awt-gpi.com bobross.com chavant.com crescentcardboard.com eclyons.com encausticpaints.com envmed.com etcpapers.com flexcut.com gagneinc.com generalpencil.com goldenpaints.com grafixarts.com guerrillapainter.com schmincke.de jacquardproducts.com kuretakezig.com namta.org protapes.com rangerink.com royalbrush.com sculpturehouse.com searchpressusa.com studiodesigns.com tombowusa.com xiemtoolsusa.com yasutomo.com September 2021 • ArtMaterialsRetailer.com

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Artful Behavior

Rice-paper luminaries are easy to make using Nori Paste as a decoupage medium.

by Tina Manzer

What are artists creating with the products you sell?

Yasutomo product expert Karen Elaine Parsons created a collage using torn bits of paper and Nori Paste.

Birds of a Feather

and fabric pieces for appliqué before they start stitching.

They like it because it easily washes out of fabrics and leaves no residue. For embroidery, especially for gold work and “Bunka” from Japan, Nori Paste is applied to the back of the work to keep threads in place. (Bunka embroidery, a punch needle technique, uses rayon threads to create very detailed pictures that some say resemble oil paintings. Kits were very popular right after World War II and are still available today.)

“A great way to demo Nori Paste is to create an instore collage station with a variety of small bits of cut

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or torn paper and fabrics, and a hard substrate such as masonite or cardboard,” recommends Karen Elaine. “For a make-and take, use small Ampersand panels. No other tools are needed – the paste can be applied straight out of the jar with fingers or a stiff brush, and it washes off very easily even after it dries.”

Yasutomo has been an innovator in the art supply industry for more than 65 years. It brings high-quality Asian art supplies to market, include origami and writing instruments.

See their ad on page 17. continued on page 20

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Both fine artists and crafters appreciate a store’s deep selection of glues & adhesives. Products that stick things together comprise a quintessential crossover category and a bread-and-butter aisle at that.

There’s a paste/spray/dot/squirt option for every conceivable use today. Creative consumers could easily fill up their toolboxes with adhesives alone. Then again there are some that are so versatile, so very basic, that they are must-haves in every bag of tricks. Japanese starch paste or “nori paste” is one of them. A slowdrying, acid-free and archival adhesive, nori paste is also natural, safe and vegan.

“This remarkable paste has been used for centuries for a wide variety of paper crafts, and as glue for joints in woodworking. For woodblock printing, it became a proven dispersing agent – nori paste helps spread the ink evenly by giving it body,” explains artist, author and instructor Karen Elaine Parsons, the veteran in-house

product expert at Yasutomo. “Today, our customers use the Yasutomo brand of Nori Paste in a wide range of applications – as a medium to bind powdered pigments, for instance, and to wet-mount their works on paper to hard substrates. It’s a good adhesive to always have on hand. Our brand includes a small amount of preservative so it can be stored without refrigeration.”

The paste works best on fabric and paper, she says, and is often used in bookbinding. It’s especially effective with rice paper, thin and absorbent tissue papers, and for bonding together thin, heavily fibered papers. In the end, the work is reversible with water.

“Nori Paste is excellent for collage and for mounting prints,” she adds. “It boasts an extended open time – one of its really popular characteristics – which allows users to reposition delicate papers without the risk of tearing them.

Mixing Nori Past with a little water and PVC glue creates an even longer working time and a stronger bond.”

Quilters use Nori Paste to baste together quilt blocks

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ArtMaterialsRetailer.com • September 2021

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SETS TO MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY SALES RING!

Signature Colors Set

GOLDEN is offering an additional discount on select oil and watercolor sets for gift-buying season. Demand for color sets has exploded, and we encourage retailers to take advantage of this opportunity to welcome new painters and upgrade customers to premium quality paints.

Williamsburg sets include one 37 ml Titanium White and a curated palette of eight 11 ml colors. The QoR Introductory 12 Color and 24 Color sets are made up of 5 ml tubes of our most popular colors.

Order through December 3rd for an extra 10% discount.

ITEM ID

DESCRIPTION

US LIST PRICE

6008005-0

WILLIAMSBURG SIGNATURE COLORS 11ML SET

$52.49

6008010-0

WILLIAMSBURG LANDSCAPE 11ML SET

$52.49

6008015-0

WILLIAMSBURG TRADITIONAL 11ML SET

$64.79

6008020-0

WILLIAMSBURG MODERN 11ML SET

$64.79

7000010-0

QOR INTRODUCTORY 12 COLOR SET

$71.39

7000020-0

QOR 24 COLOR SET

$128.59

Traditional Colors Set

Modern Colors Set

Introductory 12 Color Set

Landscape Colors Set

goldenpaints.com 24 Color Set

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©2021 Golden Artist Colors, Inc. US

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Brushes that leave an impression.

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.

For more information, please contact your local Royal & Langnickel sales representative, your favorite distributor or contact us at: Email customerservice@royalbrush.com 800.247.2211

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Now Available in an Endcap Footprint

royalbrush.com

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