There are thousands of different pigments known to the scientific world. However, only approximately 200 of these are considered to be the purest, most concentrated grades suitable for use in the manufacturing of artists' paints-and many of these were new and relatively unknown to the art community before we began using them. Additionally, we make six different colors of gesso as well as numerous printing and painting mediums. Everything is made by hand here in Seattle. The love of materials and color is the driving force in our manufacturing efforts and it's our rigid commitment to research, development and quality control that enables us to produce the finest products.
Nothing goes untested before it reaches our consumers' hands.
In addition to our own paints and inks, we test and compare the color selections of all the major brands. We determine and classify the pigments they use and examine the ratio of the raw materials, developing an invaluable measure of the make-up and performance of their colors. We also physically test and compare viscosity, grind, color strength, storage stability, weight per gallon, lightfastness, brushability, and pH. Knowing what other manufacturers are doing helps to keep us on our toes. It doesn't make any sense that artists' colors have to be made in Europe.