Armadillo Art & Craft is a wholesale importer and distributor of premium artists' materials.
CRANFIELD ARTISTS OIL PAINTS
Cranfield's start
Cranfield's started in the late 1920s, when George Craine Snr. (the present MD’s grandfather) started at Johnson & Cumbers. Working in London’s Sugarhouse Lane, a hub for the ink making industry. George Snr. learnt his craft in an age when the artist’s needs always came first.
As the needs of conventional printers changed and the traditional colour making skills, machinery and methods began to die out, George Craine (Junior), preferring the ‘old ways’ and knowing them to be more suited to artists’ products, set up the Cranfield Group in 1976, using traditional processes to create top quality dry pigment inks.
Artists found that there were fewer and fewer artisan colour-makers around. When they realised Cranfield had
the knowledge and the machinery to create dry-colour inks they flocked to them. George responded by making sure he understood exactly what these artists needed.
Cranfield has never forgotten its artisan background. The machines and principles they use are the same as Michael’s grandfather used generations ago – not through simple nostalgia, but because they are the best tools
for the job.
Today they combine their extensive know-how of both the artistic and commercial worlds, allowing artists to trust their materials and enjoy exceptional, long-lasting colours.
Adding paint to the mix
In 2009 Cranfield finally found a paint maker whose values matched their own – and Spectrum Paints joined the Cranfield family. The Spectrum brand had enjoyed an enviable position in the British art scene of the 1960s
and 70s.
With its love of hand-made products from traditional raw materials, and a commanding reputation with artists, Spectrum was the perfect addition. Cranfield acquired not just rare expertise, but traditional paint-making machinery.
These massive mills had to be craned out of a residential area in Wimbledon, London, clearing Victorian chimney pots with inches to spare. It was an enormous undertaking, but a decision that ensured the continued presence
of a beloved brand in the UK.
Cranfield artists’ oils in both 40 ml and 225 ml.
sizes are available.
Cranfield artists’ oil 40 ml set is also available.
Click here to view larger colour chart.
Please note: Due to inherent differences in computer monitors, colours displayed on the attached colour chart may not accurately
represent the actual colour.
Cranfield's website
Cranfield's website is full of great videos, articles, tips, and many other informative information that you may find handy. Click here to visit their website, peruse its pages and gain further insights on either their products or friendly advice.
