Langridge Artist Colours

Langridge Artist Colours is considered one of the leading brands for oil paints in the world. They are making waves with their traditional paint making techniques and with the use of traditional pigments that can be found in the great master’s works and contemporary colours that appease to the modern artist.

The Melbourne-based independent oil paint manufacturer was founded by Master paint maker, David Coles. In 1990, David came to Australia on a holiday as a “would-be” artist and never left. He saw our bright, blue skies and decided he wanted to bottle it up for artists everywhere. Two years later he founded Langridge Artist Colours. Since its beginning, the company has dedicated itself to making the highest performing oil colours and mediums freed from the conventions and limitations of historical paint making. Originally trained as an apprentice to Cornelissen, one of the world’s oldest and most reputable artist’s paints suppliers in the UK, David has brought his expertise to a new generation of Australian Paint makers.

Langridge believes the oils are the most physical of all the painting media and aim to fully exhibit its tactile nature. You will feel the paint being pushed, pulled, dragged and smeared by the brush in an immediate, physical way. Each colour is developed in consultation with artists to satisfy demands for oil colours unadulterated by fillers or modifies. Each of their paints has been created with the lowest possible percentage of stabiliser to ensure a high quality balance between dispersion and pigment level. The high pigment concentration is essential to achieve the optimum handling performance. Because the colours have not been adulterated, the true individual nature of each pigment has not been masked. Some colours will be soft whilst others will be ropey, buttery or stiff.

David in an interview talked about what attracted him to stay and build his company in Australia. He said "Australian artists have a higher key colour awareness than northerners." He continued to say, "When Europeans want to paint trees, they choose an olive or a sap green. In Australia, especially among younger artists, they want something more brilliant, almost with a hint of fluoro.”

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We are a young, innovative colour-house born in one of the worlds’ youngest modern nations. This freedom from history allows us to create a colour range forged out of the most recent innovations in pigment technology. Constructed with the highest pigment loading they are the world’s first oil paint specifically based on contemporary high-saturation colours. Langridge’s reputation is also built on the manufacture of highest specification oil mediums for the manipulation of paints to the artists’ needs. - Langridge

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Artist Sharon Roberts experience with Langridge Artist Oil Paints

In 2010, we at Murray's received three sample tubes of a new oil paint from David Coles at Langridge. The tubes were Titanium-Zinc White, Cobalt Turquoise and Cadmium Orange as I remember. Being the oil lover on staff I took them home to test and have been using Langridge oil paints since then, expanding my range as new colours became available and encouraging the addition of Langridge Oils to the range of paints at Murray's.

In a small factory in Melbourne, their paints are hand made in small batches, by artists and for artists, maintaining the highest standard of quality. I visited the factory in 2012 and met the people behind the scenes. I have since had conversations with founder and Master Paint maker David Coles as he answered questions about technical aspects of use of the paints and mediums, and ethical aspects of their business. The paint is made in traditional and also contemporary colours. It is very highly pigmented and the attributes of the paint are a result of the inherent qualities of the pigment.

Langridge supply both traditional solvents and mediums, as well as low toxic solvents. Solvent 75 is one of the most refined solvents on the market, with an increased flash point of 75 degrees and a slower evaporation rate. They also have a solvent free medium called Oleogel, as well as various drying oils, and Safe Clean-up which is a solvent free hand and brush cleaner.

As with all paints, some pigments (regardless of brand) are very toxic so do be aware of your materials and safe handling practices. The Langridge Colours website has product information and resources which may be helpful for determining which products are suitable for your needs.

Langridge in the studio. Image courtesy of Sharon Roberts.

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I make paint with one stated aim: to build the most pure, most intense oil colour possible. No shortcuts, no compromises, just pure paint with an individual nature, a ‘blood and guts’ physicality. Created to achieve sublime combinations of colour with deftness of touch; in the hands of the artist it becomes great rivers of colour, mounds, spiky drips and twisted braids of paint. Langridge is one of the youngest paint manufacturers in the world with a unique vision of how oil paint can be re-invented and rediscovered by today’s artists for the fullest range of contemporary application. - David Cole (Langridge)

Want to learn how to get started with oils? Check out our upcoming workshop with local artist Catherine Ketton here