Art Supplies Blog

Here is another fantastic offering from Rex Art and Jack Richeson! To continue our celebration of the re-introduction of Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series if you purchase 6 tubes of Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series your will receive a FREE Grey Matters 9″ x 12″ Paper Palette.

The Grey Matters Paper Palette is a very useful item, but most people do not now how great these are until they use it. This unique, disposable solution helps artists working on a toned surface be able to see how the colors will appear on neutral surfaces before applying them to the painting. The paper is suitable for oils, casein, acrylics and alkyds, and each pad includes a color mixing reference guide inside the front cover.

If you have not given Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series a try yet this might be a great time to give them a test run! As always at Rex, we offer great value on these paints, and we discount them every day at 41% off! Plus, with the FREE Grey Matters Pad that is another savings of $5.17 from your order! Also, check out our blog post all about the Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series.

There is no limit to the number of times you can participate in this promotion. However, there is a limit of one Grey Matters 9″ x 12″ Paper Palette per order, and while supplies last.

Coupon Code: 1251489279 – Good while supplies last. Limit 1 pad per order.
FREE GREY MATTERS PALETTE PAD with the purchase of 6 Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series

Rex Art would like to introduce you to Caravaggio, our newest line of fine Italian Canvases from Jack Richeson. The Caravaggio line features a fantastic array off high quality cotton, poly, and linen available in a number of different sized rolls and textures to suit any artist’s needs. The Caravaggio canvas has been made in Italy for the last 30 years, and is the number one selling acrylic primed brand in Europe. Now our US customers can easily enjoy the same great Caravaggio canvas that European artists are using every day.

Another unique feature of the Caravaggio line are that they offer a single clear coated primed linen canvases, which has been gaining popularity since the advent of clear gessos.

Caravaggio swatch books are available if you would like to see more detail than shown on our site. You know that Rex always offers our customers great value and we are offering these fabulous new canvases at a savings of up to 39% off! Also, from now until August 31st if you purchase any Caravaggio canvas you can save an extra 10% off with the coupon below.

Coupon Code: 1248808371

Save an EXTRA 10% OFF Caravaggio Artist Canvas Rolls from Rex Art – Now through August 31st

Please let us know what you think of Caravaggio by posting your comments here.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH

Here at Rex, Shiva paints have always been one of our most popular product lines.  We have carried their fabulous Casiens and Oils for over 40 years. Unfortunately, in the eighties and nineties the line began to stagnate with production and quality control issues. Many of our customers started to notice that, Shiva, their favorite American made brand was not the same quality they were accustomed to.  Shortly thereafter, the company manufacturing Shiva decided to sell the rights to manufacturer the Shiva brand. Along came Jack Richeson, a man, that stakes his reputation and that of his family’s company every day on the quality products they manufacture.

Colleen Richeson, Jack Richeson’s daughter, and national sales manager for the Richeson company, was kind enough to share some inside information about the rebirth of Shiva.  According to Colleen, when her Dad was a young man he delivered artist materials in Chicago to Ramon Shiva, the creator of Shiva Oils & Caseins.   It was then that a dream evolved in Jack’s thoughts to one day produce the finest line of oil paint imaginable.  When Shiva was available for sale Jack felt that he could finally realize his dream so many years later, to produce the highest quality oil imaginable at a price that would allow even a beginning artist to afford to paint with the best.  And so the Richeson family, bought the Shiva line to manufacture right here in Kimberly, Wisconsin!

As you can see below, making the professional quality, American made Richeson Oil – The Shiva Series is a time consuming, pain-staking process. It requires serious skill, dedication, and a willingness to never compromise on quality.

Measuring pigment for Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series Richeson Oil – The Shiva Series is manufactured using only the highest quality pigments and binders.

Mixing the pigment for Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series Pigments are carefully measured and added to insure consistency from batch to batch.

Additional Mixing for Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series Mixing of pigments into the vehicle. Depending upon the colors the blending or mixing process can take up to 8 hours.

Adding more pigment - Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series Several different types of mixers are used to blend pigment into the base. Some colors may require extended mixing times and a heavy mixer like the one above is required.

Final Mixing Stages - Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series The mixing process in its final stages before going to the mill. Following the milling process, Richeson allows the paint to “rest” to give time for maximum oil absorption by the pigments. Most modern companies tube immediately eliminating this important step. It’s only after resting for between 60-120 days(depend on pigment) can further tests be done to determine if further milling is necessary to achieve the much desired consistency. days(depend on pigment) can further tests be done to determine if further milling is necessary to achieve the much desired consistency.

Hand Filling - Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series – All tubes are still hand filled using a gravity feed system.

Crimping the tubes of Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series After hand filling the Richeson Oils the bottom of each tube is mechanically crimped for a tight seal.

Rex Art has always featured products from The Jack Richeson company because they bring the “Best of the Best” to artists. Some other brands that are offered by Richeson are the Unison Pastels, Best Easels, Best Stretcher Bars, Quiller Watercolors and Acrylics, Richeson Watercolor papers along with many other well respected products. I am sure that the Richeson Oils will add to the legacy of the best of the best products presented to our customers from Richeson.

From the Richeson and Rex Art families, we are proud and excited to be able to offer the first taste of the rebirth of the Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series to our customers. From now until August 1, 2009 we are taking advance orders for delivery in early August. All customers that pre-order from now before August 1 will also receive an additional 10% savings coupon, which is a great way to save even more off our already excellent prices! Get your order in now to reserve your favorite colors. I am sure you will not be disappointed. We would also love to hear from you regarding your feedback on the Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series. Please post your comments here or a review on the page.

Coupon Code:1245716924 – Good till August 1, 2009
Extra 10% Pre – Order Special for Richeson Oils – The Shiva Series

This is an unbelievable opportunity to get the  St. Petersburg tube professional watercolors at amazing 64% off!  Rex Art has partnered with the manufacturer, Jack Richeson, to offer this amazing special exclusively to our customers.  Keep in mind this is an artist quality watercolor, but at the prices we are selling them at they are less than most student level brands!  Also, consider the fact that these are 18ml tubes, which are quite a bit larger than the normal 5 or 8ml tubes, and even bigger than the larger 15ml tubes.  When you consider the size and discount that we are offering them at they are really worth stocking up on.  If you have never tried them put in an order for them, and give them a try!  I am pretty sure you will be back for more once you do!

This is a closeout promotion, and supplies will only be available while stock remains.  We cannot offer backorders, and once colors are gone we will not be able to offer them again at the same price.  In addition, to celebrate our 14 years of on-line business if you order $100 or more of the St. Petersburg tube professional watercolors you will receive free standard shipping, and an extra 10% off! That is a savings of up to 64%! Deals like this do no happen often so please take advantage of this promotion while you can. Colors will be removed from our site as stock is depleted. To take advantage of the additional 10% off coupon please add this coupon to your cart or enter the number below and you must order $100 or more of the St. Petersburg professional watercolors.
Coupon Number: 1244662159
14th Anniversary Special – Additional 10% Off St. Petersburg Watercolors

We’ve added some great new items this week!

Rheotec Acrylics

Rheotech Acrylics offer a fantastic balance of value and quality for beginners and art students. The full palette of 33 vibrant colors provides teachers and students with the necessary tools for color theory and mixing.

Rheotech Acrylics have a creamy, workable consistency while maintaining the ability to hold texture. They are formulated to provide a variety of diverse effects ranging from thin washes to heavy impasto. Rheotech acrylic colors maintain a consistent viscosity and finish throughout the line. The creamy, smooth flow of the paint will sustain knife and brush marks, while continuing to maintain a uniform paint film and rich color in a thinned state.

Rheotech Acrylics dry to a flexible, water-resistant film, which makes them suitable for application on a variety of surfaces, such as paper, wood, clay, plaster, and more. However, application on oily or greasy surfaces is not recommended.

Rheotech Acrylics are non-toxic and virtually scent free making them the ideal choice for both the studio and classroom.

Jack Richeson Pastels

We’ve added three lines of Jack Richeson pastels that we KNOW you love! The handmade round pastels are so velvety, you won’t want to put them down. A great complement to the handmade pastels, are Richeson’s round pastels. And the semi-hard square pastels round out the selection. They are great for laydown and can be sharpened to a point. All of the lines come in sets up to 120 colors. The handmade and round pastel sets all come in beautiful wooden boxes, making them ideal gifts. The 72 & 120 sets of the square pastels also come in wooden boxes and the smaller sets come in convenient paper boxes, making them easy and quick to grab for drawing on the go.

Katrina and I just returned back from this year’s National Art Materials Trade Show, which was held in Louisville, KY. The NAMTA show is the biggest show in the industry and all the major companies are there to show off their wares exclusively to businesses in the art materials trade. This show is always a great to attend because we get to meet with all our favorite suppliers face to face, and get to see all the new and not so new fabulous products that they produce up close and personal.

We had never been to Louisville before, and we really enjoyed the city. We stayed at a very cool hotel downtown called the 21c Museum Hotel. The hotel is surrounded by art everywhere you go. When we heard about it we had to stay there! There was art in each room, in the hallways, by the elevators, and they also had a full museum downstairs which featured several artists. It was really a fabulous place to stay, and I highly recommend it if you ever are in Louisville. A hotel like the 21c would be much more expensive if it were located in a city like New York, San Francisco, or Miami. Here are a couple of shots of the hotel, and also their cool interactive feature by the elevator.

Of course, the main reason we attend NAMTA each year are the art supplies. At Rex Art we always like to make sure we are offering some of the latest and greatest materials in our industry to you, our customers. This year’s show offered some great exciting new products that you will be seeing shortly on our digital shelves, but in the meantime here is a little preview of some things to come…
Daler Rowney Simply Products	Langton Watercolor Spiral Book

F&W is Back in Big Bottles!

A Holiday Preview - Georgian Wood Box Sets!

Caran d'Ache Limited Edition Set

Caran d'Ache Hat Set

New Cretacolor Set!

New Sennelier Professional Acrylic Paints!

New Faber Castell Watercolor Set

Holiday Preview - Grumbacher Paint Sets

Shiva Professional Oils from Richeson get a facelift!

Cool Bookmaking Kits!