Urban artist using the new Liquitex non-solvent-based spray paint.
Lindéngruppen-owned ColArt has scored a hit in the international spray paint market after launching the first water-based aerosol that meets the needs of traditional fine artists and urban artists in one can.
The low-odour Liquitex Professional Spray Paint aerosol is less hazardous to the skin and eyes than standard solvent-based alternatives.
"It allows artists to do commissions that they wouldn't normally be able to, for instance painting installations indoors in a shopping centre," said Liquitex product manager Anita Langley.
"Normally, you'd need to close the shopping centre or do the work after hours, but the lower odour of our paint allows the artists to do public displays."
Langley said the development of the new spray paint followed detailed study of artists' needs.
The company then set out to develop an aerosol that could deliver the permanence and performance that artists demand.
"We found that fine artists wanted the same quality of paint in a spray can as they were used to in traditional colour," Langley said.
"For urban artists, the low odour meant that the Liquitex spray paint could be used in much broader applications."
Unlike traditional spray paints, Liquitex Professional can be used indoors as well as outdoors – opening up a range of new uses and offering enhanced flexibility to artists.
"It does take a little longer to dry, but that can be an advantage for some artists as it enables them to work more into the colour," Langley said.
Though water-based, Liquitex Professional still contains a propellant and requires appropriate ventilation during use, she added.
Faunagraphic, a UK-based professional artist and mural painter said the aerosol marked a step forward for the art community.
"It's good that you can clean it up with water. It's invaluable for workshops and education," she said.
Versatile enough for use on almost any surface, including canvas, wood, masonry and even glass, Liquitex Professional combines artist-grade pigments and is available in 100 colours.
Founded in 1955, Liquitex is the world leader in artists' acrylics. Liquitex products are designed to support all types of art – from traditional to experimental to cutting-edge contemporary.
With ColArt's acquisition in 2012 of UK-based marker firm Letraset,the company is aiming to capitalise on new opportunities for developments in fine art products.
Liquitex recently launched a range of professional paint markers, underlining its drive to develop paint applications for fine artists and beyond.
ColArt executive Jane Beeston said: "The acquisition of Letraset has created scope for synergies that will allow us to invest more into Letraset and also more into our pre-existing brands like Liquitex."
Click here for a video of Liquitex Professional Spray paint in action!
