Art Spectrum Australia: Professional Art Materials Made in Australia Since 1968

Art Spectrum is one of Australia's most respected manufacturers of professional art materials, producing pastels, oil paints, acrylics, and specialised art surfaces from its facility in Victoria since 1968. The company has built its reputation on a commitment to professional quality and to the specific needs of Australian artists, producing materials that are formulated and tested in Australian conditions and that reflect a genuine understanding of the Australian art market and the Australian landscape that inspires so much of the country's art.

The company's most celebrated product is the Art Spectrum Colourfix pastel paper, which has become one of the most widely used pastel surfaces in the world and is the product that has most clearly established Art Spectrum's international reputation. The Colourfix paper is used by professional pastel artists in Australia, the UK, the United States, and many other countries, and its distinctive texture and tooth have made it the preferred surface for many of the world's leading pastel artists.

The Colourfix Pastel Paper

The Art Spectrum Colourfix pastel paper is the company's most important and distinctive product, a specialised pastel surface that is coated with a fine, granular texture that provides exceptional tooth for pastel application. The Colourfix surface accepts multiple layers of pastel without filling up, allowing artists to build up rich, complex colour through repeated application in ways that are not possible on conventional pastel papers.

The Colourfix surface is available in a range of colours, from neutral greys and warm tones through more saturated colours that can be used as mid-tones in the finished painting. The coloured grounds are particularly popular with pastel artists who want to use the ground colour as part of the composition, allowing it to show through in areas of the painting where the pastel is applied lightly.

The paper is available in sheets, pads, and rolls, providing the full range of format options that professional pastel artists require. The sheet format is particularly popular for large-scale work, while the pad format is convenient for studio and plein air work where a portable surface is needed.

The Colourfix Primer is a related product that allows artists to apply the Colourfix surface to any substrate, including canvas, board, and other surfaces that do not normally accept pastel. The primer opens up the possibility of working in pastel on unusual surfaces, and it is particularly popular with artists who want to work on large-scale pastel paintings on canvas or board.

The Professional Pastel Range

The Art Spectrum professional pastels are formulated with high pigment loads and a binder that produces a soft, creamy consistency that is well-suited to the layering and blending techniques used in professional pastel painting. The range covers more than 200 colours, including a comprehensive selection of the pigments that professional pastel artists rely on most heavily.

The pastels are produced in a range of hardnesses, from very soft pastels that are ideal for large areas of colour through harder pastels that are better suited to fine detail and line work. This range of hardnesses allows artists to use different pastels for different purposes within a single painting, building up colour with soft pastels and adding detail with harder ones.

The earth tones in the Art Spectrum pastel range are particularly well-regarded, reflecting the company's deep familiarity with the specific colours of the Australian landscape. The ochres, siennas, umbers, and other earth tones in the range are formulated to capture the specific quality of Australian light and landscape, and they are popular with Australian landscape painters who want colours that accurately represent the colours of their environment.

The Oil Paint Range

The Art Spectrum oil paints are formulated with professional-grade pigments and linseed oil, producing paints with good handling characteristics and strong colour. The range covers the standard professional palette with a focus on the colours that are most useful for Australian landscape and figurative painting.

The oil paint range is particularly popular with Australian painters who want to support domestic manufacturing and who value the quality assurance that comes from a company that understands the specific needs of Australian artists. The paints are available through art supply retailers across Australia and through the company's online shop.

The Australian Manufacturing Commitment

Art Spectrum's commitment to Australian manufacturing is one of its most important characteristics and a point of genuine pride for the company and its customers. All of the company's products are manufactured in Australia, using Australian-sourced ingredients wherever possible. This commitment to domestic manufacturing reflects both the company's values and its understanding that controlling the production process is essential to maintaining the quality standards that its reputation depends on.

For Australian artists who want to support domestic manufacturing and who value the quality assurance that comes from a company that controls its entire production process, Art Spectrum's commitment to Australian manufacturing is a meaningful distinction. The company's products are made in Australia for Australian conditions, and this specificity is reflected in the quality and character of the materials.

International Distribution

Art Spectrum products are distributed internationally through specialist art supply retailers. In the UK, the Colourfix pastel paper is available through Jackson's Art Supplies and other specialist retailers. In the United States, it is available through Blick Art Materials and other professional art supply stores. The company also sells directly through its website for Australian customers.

The international distribution of the Colourfix pastel paper in particular reflects the global reputation that Art Spectrum has built among professional pastel artists. The paper is used by leading pastel artists in dozens of countries, and its reputation has spread primarily through word of mouth among working artists who have discovered its exceptional qualities.

The Bottom Line

Art Spectrum is one of Australia's most respected and distinctive art materials manufacturers, producing professional pastels, oil paints, and the celebrated Colourfix pastel paper with a commitment to Australian manufacturing and professional quality that has earned the company a global reputation among serious pastel artists. For Australian artists who want access to professional-grade materials made in Australia, and for pastel artists worldwide who want access to the Colourfix surface that has become a standard in professional pastel painting, Art Spectrum is an essential resource.