If you have ever felt inspired enough by artistic experimentation to take a trip to your local art shop will already know the brand Daler-Rowney. It’s almost become a standard in the world of art supplies – it’s the brand artists turn to when they want a guarantee of quality in their materials.

The company as we know it today is relatively new, perhaps surprisingly so, as it is the result the Daler Board Company buying the George Rowney Company in 1983. But such was the reputation of the Rowney brand that Daler was never in any danger of abandoning its name.

As well as being the time it was bought, 1983 was also Rowney’s 200th birthday, since it had been founded in 1783 by Richard and Thomas Rowney. The company itself actually started out selling perfumes and wig powder – wigs were immensely popular among the upper classes of society. But when George IV stopped wearing a wig, the fashion ceased almost overnight, never to return. Like all good businessmen would do, the brothers diversified into something else, and artists’ colour was an area they had built up expertise in. It was not uncommon for artists to mix their own colours from all manner of animal, vegetable and mineral produce, so being able to buy a consistent range of colours gave more predictable results, and gave them more time to get on with what they were good at – painting.

Over the years the Rowney Company grew and improved its manufacturing methods, particularly in the production of oil and watercolour paints. In 1963 they introduced the new acrylic paints to Europe, and using the name Cryla it was a huge success, thanks to its quick drying and water solubility, which set it apart from oils.

Anyone who has studied artists’ work will probably have seen world famous pieces that use Rowney paints, from the classic works of Constable and Turner to the pop art of Peter Blake and Bridget Riley, and more others than there is space for here.

Daler’s Past in Making Boards

Although Daler’s history is much shorter than Rowney’s, it is no less interesting. Terry Daler came back to Britain from a German prison camp and set up a sign-painting business with his brother Ken and his brother-in-law Arthur. Business was good – Britain’s shops needed signs, because along the south coast they had all been covered up or removed so invading Germans would not so easily find out where they were.

Arthur Daler also liked painting in the artistic sense and was frustrated by the lack of good quality canvas, still in short supply after the war. So he invented a new type of cardboard with convincing canvas appearance and properties, and formed the Daler Board Company to manufacture it. It was so successful that the company grew steadily, expanding into synthetic paint brushes to replace the expensive sable ones, as well as the famous artists’ pads.

The Ideal Combination

With so much in common and with their names already well known among the artistic community, the buying of Rowney by Daler was always going to be a success; and so it has proved, as the company continues to thrive into the 21st century.

Author Bio: Peter Lee Greenspan is an art and craft editor working with Pullingers, an art supplies specialist and provider of art materials and Daler Rowney products for artists.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: