Liquitex
FormerlyPermanent Pigments Company
TypePrivate
IndustryArt materials
Founded1955 (1955)
FounderHenry Levison
Headquarters
Cincinnati, Ohio
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsAcrylic paints
ParentColart[1]
Websiteliquitex.com

Liquitex is a US company that supplies art materials, focusing exclusively on the development, manufacture and distribution of acrylic paints. Founded by Henry Levison as "Permanent Pigments" in 1955, the company created the first water-based acrylic gesso. That same year, Levison decided to reorganize the company under the name "Liquitex". In 1956, the company starting selling water-based "Soft Body" acrylic paints. In 1963, "Heavy Body" paints were available with a thicker consistency. The company offers the largest number of acrylic paint products in the world.[2][3][4]

History

Liquitex was developed by the Permanent Pigments Company, established in 1933 by Henry Levison. Permanent Pigments was a small, family-owned business located in Cincinnati that focused on developing oil paint.

In 1950, Henry Levison, along with other professionals in the art materials industry, established the National Art Materials Trade Association, now known as the International Art Materials Trade Association. It was the first trade organization in the world that focused on promoting and sustaining the manufacture, distribution, sales, and training in the use of art materials.[2]

In 1955, Levison developed a quick-drying, water-emulsified acrylic polymer resin. In selecting a name for the new product, Levison chose "Liquitex" as a portmanteau of "liquid" and "texture". The name was based on the character of the medium, which was a liquid base, quick drying and easily used to create texture in artwork.[2]

In 1964, Binney & Smith acquired the Liquitex brand, eventually selling it in 2000 to its present owner, Colart.[1][5]

Products

Product Options
Paints Liquitex Professional Paint Markers
Liquitex Professional Spray Paint
Liquitex Professional Soft Body Acrylic Paint
Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic Paint
Liquitex Professional Acrylic Ink!
Liquitex Basics
Liquitex Basics Matt
Mediums Gesso
Fluid mediums
Gel mediums
Effects mediums
Additive mediums
Removable and non-removable varnishes
Brushes Professional brushes
Professional knives
Basics brushes

Notable adopters of acrylics

Helen Frankenthaler and Andy Warhol were early adopters of Liquitex acrylic paints. David Hockney switched from oils to acrylics after Liquitex made a less liquid medium in 1963 (High Viscosity Artist Color).[6]

Liquitex is used by mural artists like Thomas Hart Benton. Abstract expressionist artist Robert Motherwell switched to acrylic paints due to his use of large amounts of black, a color that (as oil paint) takes an especially long time to dry. He continued to use oil paint for some work, but mostly used acrylics after the mid-1960s.

References

  1. 1 2 "Brands". ColArt. Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  2. 1 2 3 "About Us". Liquitex. Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  3. ↑ "How Good are Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paints?". Acrylicpaintreview.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  4. ↑ Anna Brunt. "Product launch | Digital agency london | Drupal development London". Catchdigital.com. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  5. ↑ "Company History: Since 1903 the Binney & Smith Crayola brand continues to grow, with new products based on value, technical innovation, high quality, consumer satisfaction, and of course, colour and fun!". Crayola.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2013-01-03. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
  6. ↑ Ball, Philip. Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color, Issue 7432, University Of Chicago Press; first edition, April 15, 2003. ISBN 978-0226036281
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