Archives of the Art Dog Blog from MacPherson's

We are back in stock on the Art Alternatives Young Artist Easel in our 3 distribution centers! The easels are being refurbished by replacing the old chalkboard with a new, compliant, black chalkboard. Our inventory will be completely converted by the middle of next week. If you’d like to place an order for this item, it is AA13301S, UPC 082435133027.

If you are holding the previous version of the easel in quarantine, please click the link below to fill out a very short form. We cannot proceed with our chalkboard replacement plan since it has not been approved by the CPSC, but we can replace your inventory with refurbished easels if you’d like.  http://tiny.cc/Eib8U

Questions? Call our recall hotline at (800) 289-9899 x1093 or email us at recall@macphersonart.com.

Newell Rubbermaid, parent company of Sanford Business-to-Business, announced it would close its Sanford operations in Janesville, WI early next year, laying off 153 workers. Sanford is the last remnant of the former Parker Pen company, a company that in many ways defined Janesville.

On August 20th Candy Meininger, sister and former business partner of Henry, died in her sleep at home. She had valiantly battled colon cancer for the past two years. She will be missed by many in our industry who knew and respected her. Candy’s memorial service will be held on Saturday August 29 at 11:30am at Horan & McConaty on South Colorado Blvd at East Mississippi (1091 S. Colorado) in Denver, CO.  A notice will be placed in the Denver Post on Wednesday August 26th and Friday August 28th. The Horan and McConaty website is www.horancares.com where the obituary can be read and a guest book signed.

New York-based Barnes & Noble reached a definitive agreement to acquire Barnes & Noble College Booksellers Inc, the contract operator of 624 college bookstores. The acquisition price will be $460 million net of the cash on hand. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers is currently owned by Leonard Riggio, the chairman of Barnes & Noble.

At MacPherson’s we are constantly on the lookout for features to add that put you, the independent art material retailers, in control. You’ll find our latest idea in the Totals section on the last page of any invoice from us. It gives you the total retail value of the order, and the calculated discount from MSRP. What does it all mean? Now you can monitor your gross margin at a glance and make adjustments as needed.

Here is an article from a recent Small Business Trends blog by Kare Anderson that seems particularly timely given the huge challenges facing all sizes and shapes of brick and mortar retailers.

How often have you entered a store. . .
* And observed two clerks continue to chat instead of turning to smile at you?
* To find that the order you called in the day before is not at the counter, ready for your quick pick-up and payment, because the clerk said she “got busy with other customers?”
* And asked the clerk a question about a product and get an “I don’t know” response, with no offer to find out?

These situations describe Americans’ top three in-store pet peeves according to a multi-client Gallup Poll taken in January.
In a stressful economic time, coddle customers to keep them.  In fact, give them bragging rights about “my store” so they come back and tell others.
Next to value-priced quality products, a motivated staff is the most cost-effective way to stand out from the competition while avoiding costly price wars. So many no-cost and low-cost staff behaviors can make all the difference in how a customer feels about your store.  The devil is in the specifics because even the most well-intentioned staffer may unwittingly slight someone.

As customer service expert, Holly Stuhl is fond of saying, “You never get bitten by an elephant.  It’s the mosquitoes that eat you alive.”
Just as a cultural group has commonly recognized rules of etiquette, your store staff can agree on the specific behaviors that constitute “good store manners” – with each other and with customers.
If everyone in your store agrees to propose and abide by specific  “Rules of Conduct,” (ROC) then each staffer knows what is expected and can feel it is appropriate to speak up when a co-worker, including the owner or manager, is not abiding by them or is demonstrating outstanding customer service, according to their “ROC.”

For a brainstorming session with your staff to agree on your outlet’s “Rules of Conduct” here’s some suggestions to jumpstart the discussion:

1. “Welcoming Smile”
Smile at each customer immediately as she enters the door. Their instinct will be to smile back. Safeway asked their clerks to smile at customers and some staff accused the company of trying to “enforce friendliness.”  Some women on staff even said that smiling encouraged some male customers to flirt with them.
Hopefully your staff feels comfortable in their ability to smile as a gracious gesture of welcome.

2.  “Agree on Your Greeting”
Rather than leave greeting to chance, consider various phrases you think are fitting for your kind of store and market area.  Compare notes on what feels comfortable to say to demonstrate that you are willing to help if they need it.
There is a fine line between greeting and overwhelming customers. Avoid opening phrases that don’t recognize their purpose in visiting the store, such commenting on the weather.

3. “Sunshine Over the Phone”
The four most frequent complaints Americans have about talking clerks with whom they speak by phone are that they:
* Speak too fast
* Do not enunciate clearly
* Do not sound like they care
* Do not propose ways to solve a problem but simply answer the questions they are asked
Agree on the exact greeting and tone of voice for answering your store phone.  Some people on staff may resist spending time on a seemingly obvious and small detail, but, like the first face customers see upon entering a store, the “faceless” voice over the phone is the “stain” or “sparkle” of first impression.
For example, you may simply agree to say warmly and clearly, without speed talking, “(name of store), (your name) speaking.  How may I help you?”  Ask each staff person to practice saying your agreed upon phone greetings and give candid feedback to each other about clarity, warm, loudness, tone and rate.
In a chain of Italian clothing stores, clerks are asked to listen to audiotapes of melodic, rich male and female voices, saying the greetings that the store owner believes most represents the signature style of the store.
Practice with each other until you are proud of what you hear.

4. “No Matter What”
No matter what else you are doing, from re-stocking a shelf to talking with another customer, pause to smile at the new customer entering the store to acknowledge their presence.  It only takes a moment.
If you are with a customer when a new customer enters the store, still take a moment to smile and greet that new customer, perhaps saying “Hello.  I’d be glad to help you right after we’re done here.”
Research shows that people are more willing to wait for service if they feel that the moment they can see the clerk, the clerk makes direct eye contact and acknowledges their presence by a smile, nod and some greeting.

5. “Serve the Line”
Serve people in the order that they have asked for service.  If one customer interrupts you while you are serving another customer, be especially warm as you turn to the “interrupter” and say something like, “I look forward to helping you right after I’m finished assisting this customer.  Thank you.”

6. “Advance Orders”
Actively encourage your customers to place advance orders by phone, fax or e-mail, indicating what is adequate time for you to prepare the order in advance of their coming in.
Even if people walk into the store as you are preparing that order, greet the newcomers and explain that you are completing a prior order.
Tell them how long it will take and ask for their patience, because you will be with them next.

7. “Their Go-to Expert on That Situation”
Become your customers’ top-of-mind subject matter expert. When people come into browse, ask if they would like some suggestions for their particular situation.  If they would like such assistance, ask sufficient questions so that you know something about the budget, the customer’s feelings and needs for the situation and what kind of similar products they or their friends have used and liked in the past.
Understanding the big picture of how the customer sees their situation helps you advise them more specifically and thoughtfully.

8. “Specific Sampling Scripts”
Invite customers to participate, to offer advice and to learn.
Every action someone takes on behalf of a prospective sale moves him closer to buying. Set a standard of always having something to sample, ask about, offer suggestions for or otherwise take action on.
For example, a gourmet store might offer samplings. Set the food to be sampled on a counter near a staffer.  That way the staff person can offer samples and engage in conversation, perhaps asking a question or making an offer. Art supply stores store might have a demo area.
Asking for advice starts a dialogue where the focus is on the product not on someone trying to get another person to buy. That gourmet store staffer might ask:
* (While holding a platter of sausage slices with toothpicks and three bowls of various flavored mustards): Would you mind telling me which mustard you think goes best with our new smoked chicken and apple sausages?”
* “Do you think this cheese is soft enough to serve on the kind of crackers you use?”
* (Holding a platter with three bowls of slices of different kinds of cookies, with stand up cards in front of each with the names of the cookies on them): Want to guess which one of these cookies is our best seller?”

9. “Would You like French Fries With That?”
Just as McDonalds instructs its staff to suggest additional food items, such as drinks or fries with each order, you can establish a low-key and helpful standard for making suggestions of products that would go with each other for a meal, a gift or other special situation.
If in-store displays involve a combination of products for a timely occasion, staff will find it easier to refer to product combinations to buy as a bundle.

10. “Cross-Sell to Stand Out and to Sell More”
Let customers literally see a situation in which they’d enjoy using several of your products, as a natural extension of their lifestyle – or the life to which they now want to become accustomed. Stage a scene on a table or shelves or in the window. Sometimes include products from a partner’s store to complete the picture of that situation.

In short, encourage more spending in your store by reducing the number of boring or irritating steps to do so and increasing the number of positive in-store moments and reasons to buy.

From Steve Gallisdorfer:

All-

I am sure most all of you have heard of the tragic and untimely death of Bob Fisher, a well known and longtime figure in the art materials industry. A great many of you had the pleasure of getting to know him a more than just a little bit, but a great many also came to know him as a good friend, and a genuinely pleasant person. I happen to be one of those fortunate ones who knew him very well, having working with him in various capacities for about 28 years, and am just blessed that he was my friend.

Bob passed away early on the morning of August 3rd after a 15 month battle against Amyloidosis. The whole time he was positive and up-beat, and actually he was his own best cheerleader that he would conquer this disease. A memorial to celebrate Bob’s life will be held on Saturday, October 10th, 2009, at 3:00 PM, at the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church. Here is the address information for those wishing to attend:

Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church
11427 Fair Oaks Blvd
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
www.fopc.net

To all of you that reached out to him and his family while he fought this battle, I thank-you from the bottom of my heart. I know I asked often for call, cards and kindness, but now I have two more favors to ask.

The first should be easy. I am sending this out in several ‘group’ emails to a total of about 600 individuals in our industry, but will miss many who knew him, as I don’t have everyone’s email address. So, if you could forward this on within your company to all who know Bob, I would greatly appreciate it.

The second favor I have to ask is harder. We are all feeling the changes our economy has gone through in the past year or so, and things are tight for all of us. For a great many, they are even tighter. Bob’s family is one of those. During Bob’s last 15 months with us, his family’s finances were ravaged, so much so that the NAMTA Foundation began accepting donations to help with the mounting bills and decreased income. Many have given, but still, the need is severe. It appears now that Bob’s wife, Jennifer, may lose their home of many, many years without a miracle. I know I can certainly do without several months of Starbucks visits and a few nice dinners out, which really will be almost no sacrifice when it comes right down to it. But to Jennifer, it will make a world of difference. And if a great many of us do that, all on our own scale, we can save Bob & Jennifer Fisher’s home, and she can keep his memories right there where they belong. Bob touched some many of our lives, and our businesses, in such a great way. Won’t it be nice to touch back a bit?

Will you help us do that? Here’s how easy that is.

The NAMTA Foundation has set up a web page that you can make donation directly to using your credit card. 100% of the money collected goes to Jennifer Fisher. It can be accessed at:

Bob’s Namta Fund

or if you would prefer, checks can be sent at follows:
NAMTA Foundation
Attn: Sid Smith
“Bob Fisher Fund”
15806 Brookway Drive, Suite 300
Huntersville, NC 28078

I don’t ask lightly. We are all feeling this economy thing. Think of what Jennifer Fisher is feeling then, on top of losing her husband. Please, forward this email, and make a donation as you see fit. Please, please consider this. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I am sure Jennifer Fisher will, too.

With kind regards-

Steve Gallisdorfer

phone: 530.265.8482    fax: 801.761.1747
On Facebook: Steve on Facebook

Pentel Arts® new Pocket Brush Pen has finally arrived. This brush pen is ideal for cartooning, painting, fine detailing, and more. The refillable portable pen contains permanent pigment ink, which is both water and fade resistant. It also features durable premium bristles that will not lose their shape. The leak-proof fittings and measured ink flow guard against unwanted stains on clothing or spills on projects.

The Pocket Brush Pen is available in a blister pack with 2 refill ink cartridges (PLGFKP3BPA) with an MSRP of $16.50. Also available are 2-pack refill cartridges (PLFP10BP2A) with an MSRP of $3.50.

Looking to add some color, while sprucing up your Kid’s Art Department?  Check out these new Art Instruction Titles from Walter Foster:

All About Drawing Series

Perfect for children who love to doodle, this introductory drawing book series makes the art of drawing easy. Clear, easy-to-follow examples use basic shapes and colors to teach children how to draw step by step. Inside, young readers can learn simple ways to draw and color a collection of reptiles, dinosaurs, horses, dogs, dolphins, whales, and more! Each lesson features fun, fascinating facts about species or breeds, as well as simple drawing tips to guide kids along. With the exciting titles in this All About Drawing series, aspiring artists will be drawing their own masterpieces in no time!

Elgin Only (automatic split ship from all locations):
FOAA1 All About Drawing Dinosaurs and Reptiles
Retail $9.95 Net $4.98 SKU 026381
FOAA2 All About Drawing Horses and Pets
Retail $9.95 Net $4.98 SKU 026383
FOAA3 All About Drawing Sea Creatures and Animals
Retail $9.95 Net $4.98 SKU 026384
(SMIAB Promo 50%, normally 46% off).

Watch Me Draw Thomas & Friends

Every “Watch Me Draw” title includes 11 drawing lessons, a sheet of “reward” stickers, a paper pad with helpful drawing prompts, and engaging characters that guide kids on an artistic journey. Watch Me Draw Thomas & Friends features Thomas the Tank Engine, Sir Topham Hatt, and many other endearing characters from the Island of Sodor. Children can join Thomas, Percy, James, and Emily as they seek adventure on the tracks, help others, and learn valuable life lessons. Based on the beloved books written by Reverend W. Awdry and the long-cherished PBS series, Thomas & Friends, this drawing book is a must-have for all young Thomas & Friends fans.

All Warehouses
FOHIT201 Watch Me Draw Thomas and Friends
Retail $5.95 Net $2.98 SKU 027121 (SMIAB Promo 50%, normally 46% off).

Here’s the latest from our friends at Strathmore…

“REMINDER:  Don’t Forget to Use Our Helpful Tools for Back to School!

We are offering fun and easy ways to drive more sales this back to school season.  You can access or order these tools on our Web site.

How Do You See Green? Illustration Contest  – The competition officially opened August 1 and we have already received a number of art entries!  There also has been a lot of positive “buzz” among artists on Internet blogs and Twitter.  Don’t miss out on the opportunity to create excitement in-store.  Order your promotional material today!

Back to School Stimulus Package – In June, we launched this program which includes ideas, instructions and tips for in-store events to help drive traffic to your store.  You can even create your own promotional material with your store specific information in just minutes.  If you haven’t checked it out yet, now is the time!

Back to School Sales Promotion – We are offering great discounts on proven performers!  If you haven’t received our promotional flyer or e-blast, you can access it on our Web site.  Don’t forget to order our new back to school posters and signage.

You can access all of this on our web site:  www.strathmoreartist.com.  Create your own user name and password on the spot and get access immediately.”

Strathmore Artist Papers’ own super heroes made appearances at Comic Con 2009 in San Diego July 23-26. Comic Con is the country’s leading comics and popular arts convention.  Don Bradley (Captain Strathmore) and Kari Foteff (Thistle Girl) were on site sharing news of Strathmore’s new Sequential Art Surfaces.

“Strathmore’s bristols have been the choice of award-winning comic and sequential artists for decades,” says Don Bradley, Senior Account Manager.  “So you can imagine how excited artists were to hear that our best-selling bristols are now in convenient formats that fit their specific application.”  Check out Sthathmore’s Comic Con photo album on its Facebook page:  Strathmore on Facebook.

You are already a fan of Strathmore… make it official!
Strathmore Artist Papers now has a Facebook page. Become a fan and get the latest information on new products, tips, testimonials, contests, special consumer promotions and artist features.  Interact with Strathmore by posting your own comments.  Check out Strathmore’s page at Strathmore on Facebook and become a fan!

Art Media Celebrates 35 Years

Congratulations to Kathy Christian, David Mosher & Gail Vines of Art Media, as they  celebrate their 35th year as a locally owned business serving the greater Portland, OR metropolitan area. All three, who graduated from the University of Oregon in 1974, founded Art Media  and continue to work in the business day to day. Art Media has been a member of NAMTA for over 25 years.

Lionel Flax, former educator and CEO of Kate’s Paperie in NYC has relocated to Atlanta and is now managing the Sam Flax-Atlanta store. Lionel co-owns both the Atlanta and Orlando, FL stores along with his father, Leonard Flax and uncle David Flax. We wish him much success in this exciting new endeavor.

Our heartfelt  condolences to the family and friends of Tara Materials’ co-founder Wally Klarman, age 78, who died July 25, 2009 at the Glenmoor Healthcare Center in St. Augustine, FL from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. After his discharge from the army in Georgia in the late 1950’s, he worked as a salesman in various positions. Wally then went on to started an arts material manufacturing firm which he called “Beaux Arts”. This became “Tara Materials”  in 1966. Wally built Tara’s first automated coating machine from scratch. He served on the NAMTA’s board of directors and chaired the 1980 convention/trade show. In 2004, Wally was honored with NAMTA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Winners have been announced in the GOLDEN Digital Mixed Media Contest! Check out all the amazing talent that came out of the art stores around North America. The DMM products were put through their paces and we all discovered new ways to use these versatile materials. Take a look at the great work done by the winning entries at:
Golden’s Mix More Media Contest

BEST VISUAL STORY OF HOW TO USE DMM PRODUCTS
The use of visuals to show the process of using the Digital Mixed Media products so that it improves the success of the artist trying out these products for the first time.
FIRST PLACE: The Paint Spot in Edmonton, Alberta.
SECOND PLACE: True Blue Art Supply in Asheville, North Carolina.
THIRD PLACE: Studio Supply in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

MOST UNIQUE USE OF DMM PRODUCTS
Use of the Digital Mixed Media products that takes it into another unexpected direction.
FIRST PLACE: Arizona Art Supply in Tempe, Arizona
SECOND PLACE: The Paint Spot in Edmonton, Alberta
THIRD PLACE: Guiry’s in Denver, Colorado

MOST COMPELLING AESTHETIC PIECE USING DMM PRODUCTS
The most artistically engaging use of the Digital Mixed Media products.
FIRST PLACE: Art Systems of Florida in Winter Park, Florida
SECOND PLACE: Alabama Art Supply in Birmingham, Alabama
THIRD PLACE: Binders Art Supplies and Frames in Charlotte, North Carolina

MOST CREATIVE MIXED MEDIA USE OF DMM PRODUCTS USING OTHER MATERIALS IN THE STORE
Using the wealth of materials within an art store in conjunction with the Digital Mixed Media products.
FIRST PLACE: Forstall Art Center in Birmingham, Alabama
SECOND PLACE: Jerry’s Artarama in Raleigh, North Carolina
THIRD PLACE: Artisans of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Here’s a cool story that we found at ABCnews.com, called “Google Street View Offers Views of the World”

About a year and a half ago, Bill Guffey, a graphic artist for the local Cumberland County News, said he was struck by the urge to paint. So he stopped by a local hobby store, picked up a set of paints and canvases and got to work. “From that point on, I was just addicted,” he said. “What I did was I started painting from Google Street View,” he said. “I was looking at it and found that I could travel the world from rural Kentucky.”  What followed was a series of tableaus from European cities and every U.S. state (except for Hawaii) that now cover the walls of his home, illustrating the adventures of a presumably well-traveled artist. Yet the self-taught oil painter said he has never physically been to 99 percent of the places he has captured on canvas. Launched in May 2007, Google Street View layers panoramic images of public streets (and some national parks) captured by Google over its maps (after blurring faces and license plates). Although it initially prompted some privacy concerns, the tool now covers nearly a dozen countries around the world in North America, Europe and Asia. And it’s still expanding. Read the entire store here: Painting from Google Street View

Here’s something fun. We follow Rachel Minor on Facebook. She’s the manager at Rileystreet’s beautiful San Rafael, CA store. The other day I was visiting and they were excited about the installation of their street sign after two years in business at this location. Today Rachel posted a photo on her Facebook of this smart new addition. Now that’s technology we can use! Check it out.

It does wonders for the self-esteem when you’re asked for your sage wisdom, good or bad. Below is a quote from the Creative Leisure news newsletter/blog. The question was; what’s the outlook for the rest of 2009? Here’s our view. What do you think?

“We have been seeing a shift to distributors vs. the retailers buying direct. It just seems that replenishing in small quantities, just in time, is allowing the retailers of all sizes to keep customers happy while continuing to reduce inventories. This has been a happening all year, but we have only recently seen the effect in our sales due to the overall impact of the retailer inventory reduction efforts.

Retailers seem recently upbeat. Perhaps they are just tired of being down in dumps. At any rate my sense is that back-to-school and Holiday will be okay, but because of all the retailer caution out there, we will see a lot of late and therefore rush orders.

Consumers seem equally cautious. Everyone is squeezing the last drop of paint out of their existing tubes. Are the consumers doing as much art? My guess is yes. In the scheme of things, it is very cheap and very satisfying to create things. One thing that consumers are responding to right now are significant promotions on regular items and categories. We’ve seen annual sales events at specific stores exceed last year by 20% when advertised properly.” – Frank Stapleton, MacPherson’s

Give us your opinion below.

The East Bay Express (a local arts & entertainment publication in the San Francisco Bay Area) held its annual Best of the East Bay Party at the Oakland Museum on August 7th.  The theme of this year’s party was “Subcultures of the East Bay”, and with the amazing blend of cultures and styles shown through music, art, dance, and food, it was very fitting.  The party attracted several thousand people, and was a huge success.  One of the highlights of the party was the live art exhibition featuring four Bay Area artists each painting a four-sided canvas “cube” using Montana Gold spray paint. Estria Miyashiro, Jared Roses, Mel Waters, and Max Ehrman Eon 75 each showed off their spray skills and painted the canvas fixtures in their own unique styles.

To see still photos of the event click here: Subcultures of the East Bay

For a slide show, check out this video.

Here’s a link to a great article from the LA Times on the importance of budgeting, one of the key elements to small business success in these uncertain times.  There are huge pluses for retailers to create budgets these days. Investors like to see that a business knows where it stands. When employees, customers and investors know you have an idea about how your company could fare in the coming months and next year, they have more confidence in you and your business.

Here are the bullet points:

• Determine what your business will spend. Use current- and past-year financial information to build a month-by-month list of fixed and variable costs expected in 2010.
• Estimate monthly revenue. Start with current- and prior-year numbers, then talk with your customers about how they are faring and what they expect to need from you next year is even more important now because of the volatility of the economy.
• Compare costs and income. Plan to fill any gaps. When revenue won’t cover the costs estimated during a particular month, find ways to cut costs and increase revenue.
• Create budget variations that cover a handful of situations. Tweak the basic budget to show how the numbers would change if sales grew or fell by specific percentages. Show what would have to be done to cut costs or boost revenue if sales fell 15% to 20%. What if sales grew by that amount? What if you lost your biggest customer?
• Don’t forget to map out your cash flow. Your budget may show a profit in a particular month — maybe a customer is scheduled to place a big order — but that doesn’t mean your business will have enough cash that month to cover expenses. Cash flow, as many small-business owners learn too late, doesn’t rise in step with sales.
• Update the budget each month. Don’t stick your completed budget on a shelf. Revise it monthly as you get closer to the start of the year and as you work your way through 2010.

Read the whole article here:
A Budget is Key to Small-Business Success

The Deals are Red Hot for retailers willing to pull the trigger on a great list of promotable products and lines.  Choose from Open Stock of MacPherson’s DCs selection or even better Drop Ship Promotions. These deals are effective through 9/30/09.

OPEN STOCK

All Grumbacher Brushes(74%) and Brush Sets(70/10%)

All Grumbacher Color ranges at 60/5%

Grumbacher Paint Sets at 50/15%

Grumbacher W/C Pan Sets at 50/10%

Koh-i-noor Pastel Sets, Pencils, Pencil Sets and Accessories at 50/10%

Koh-i-noor Pastel Pencils and Sets at 60/5%

Koh-i-noor Toison D’or Pencils at 60/10%

Koh-i-noor Rapidograph 7 Pen Sets at 50/25/10%

Koh-i-noor Rapidograph Pens and Points at 50/10%

Koh-i-noor Pen Cleaners and Accessories at 50/10%

Ad Markers at 60/5%

Higgins Ink at 50/15%

Pelikan Watercolor Sets at 50/10%

Pickett Templates at 57.25%

All Clearprint at 50/25%

DROP SHIPS (Include free freight and free rack)

Grumbacher Color Assortments at 50/35%

Grumbacher Brush Assortments at 70/25%

Ad Marker Assortments at 50/35%

Koh-i-noor Graphite Pencil Assortment at 60/5%

Koh-i-noor Triocolor Pencil Assortment at 60/5%

It’s a sign of the new economy; a lot of people who lived high on the hog are now having to adopt frugal living techniques. But will these ways last? We’ve seen this scenario with our parents or grandparents who lived through the Great Depression and they never changed their “money minding” ways. Perhaps the trusty Tube Wringer will be the symbol for this generation of “squeeze every last drop of paint from the tube” artists.

It certainly would not hurt to give them a few choices in Tube Wringer Models. That’s why we have added two well built models from the original designer of this art supply store classic.

They are now in our Reno DC and will be in Elgin and Atlanta within the next two weeks.

Add these item numbers to your order:
MVTW205 Medium Duty Tube Wringer – Retail $18.95, less 45%
MVTW401 Heavy Duty Tube Wringer- Retail $24.95, less 45%

The GOLDEN YouTube Channel is Growing!

Be sure to check out the ever increasing number of videos that have been posted to the GOLDEN YouTube site. The seven newest videos focus on common problems related to varnishing, including applying an isolation coat, thinning varnish and the entertaining, yet fundamental, “Shake Your Can”. Golden Video Channel

Shake Your Can

GOLDEN plans to continue producing short video clips, with particular attention placed on subjects that can be confusing for or problematic to artists. If you have a video that you would like to see, or that you think your customers would benefit from, please email your suggestions to drice@goldenpaints.com.

New Fluid Colors

Now is a great time to update your GOLDEN 1 oz. Fluid Acrylic cabinet by taking advantage of MacPherson’s strong Fall Back-to-School offering.

GD0944-0 Fluid Acrylics New Colors 1 oz. Assortment

Get 3 each of the five new colors, plus a magnetic rack top POP and a set of rack tags. At a fantastic discount of 60/10, the promotion price is only $37.14!

If you have any questions about any of the above information, please contact your MacPherson’s Sales Representative.

·      Prismacolor will introduce two Marker Sets for Sequential Art and Manga use in September of this year. MacPherson’s has a great promotion that includes these two new sets and a FREE Strathmore Sequential Paper pack. You will see this offer in the Holiday Consumer Buyer’s Guide offered by Creative Catalog Concepts (CCC) and in the MacPherson’s Holiday Trade Buyer’s Guide.

·      Prismacolor has also just approved a Holiday Consumer rebate effective for purchases made between November 15th and January 15th 2010. More details on this as we get closer to Holiday time.
·      The Prismacolor BTS rebate form itself is available as a pdf download at www.prismacolor.com and can be printed directly from that site. This is a great selling tool that is tailor made for incremental selling. Your customer will receive a $10 rebate for a purchase of $50 or more of ANY Prismacolor branded product. The rebate is available on purchases made between July 1, 2009 and October 15, 2009.

·      Don’t forget about the Prismacolor Merchandising contest. We are awarding prizes of $1,000 for 1st place, $750 for 2nd place and $500 for 3rd place. The whole purpose of the contest is to get Independent Dealers to make secondary placement a regular part of your seasonal selling strategy. Any secondary placement should also include the Prismacolor Consumer Rebate materials. Ask your MacPherson’s sales contact for all the details.

·      The Prismacolor Illustration Marker web based national advertising campaign kicked off on August 1st not July 15th as previously stated and runs through October 1st. You can check out its landing page at the link below. Have your sound up! In addition, Sanford will do an email blast to all consumers in its database touting the Illustration Markers and the $10 consumer rebate available for purchases of $50 or more in Prismacolor Product.
Prismacolor Illustration Markers

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted an updated copy of the CPSC Handbook for Resale Stores and Product Resellers on its website. Most of the focus is on child care articles, but there’s information pertaining to children’s products in general (which include art and craft supplies) and children’s toys. The handbook is a good reminder of the new rules that apply to resellers and it’s definitely worth a look, especially if you sell a lot of children’s products in your store. Here’s the link: CPSIA Handbook for Children\’s Products Resellers

Sakura’s Pigma® Micron® and Cray-Pas® Expressionist® oil pastels are combined to turn a favorite photo into a unique handcrafted item. A plain 100% cotton canvas is transformed into a keepsake quilt home décor wall hanging. Each simple step of the creative process is demonstrated by designer Julie Fei-Fan Balzer in a video. View the Oil Pastel Canvas Photo Quilt video.

Cray-Pas® Expressionist® with its extra fine quality pigment formulation is suitable for many surfaces: paper, cardboard, canvas and wood. 48 colors in 5 color sets; plus the new Cray-Pas® Expressionist® Multi-Cultural set.  Available now, Expressionist® Extender expands a color hue; available in a 2 stick set.

Pigma® Micron® pigment ink pen is selected for fine-point technical and artistic applications requiring archival permanence.

Recommendations: The inks on fabrics are for “decorative purposes only” – do not launder.  Use only pre-laundered textile, 100% cotton.  Most importantly, do pre-test materials on fabric scraps prior to the final application.

Here are the  links for the Sakura Products used in this demo:
Pigma® Micron®
Cray-Pas® Expressionist®

Have you ever been bewildered by acrylic mediums?  Chroma, Inc.’s Resident Artist Jennifer VonStein takes the mystery out of using Atelier mediums along with Atelier Interactive Professional Artists Acrylics in the new online video series, found at Atelier Mediums Video.  Jennifer covers the main ways that artists use mediums such as Binder Medium, Fast Medium/Fixer, Slow Medium, Thick Slow Medium and the Unlocking Formula, as well as transfer techniques, monotypes, and ways to explore texture.  This series is sure to inform and enlighten you!

Please feel free to place this link on your website!  If you have any questions about mediums, and would like to schedule an in-store workshop or demo based on “Taking The Mystery Out Of Mediums, ” please contact Kathryn Betz at kbetz@chromaonline.com

Watch Atelier Interactive Mediums Part 1 – Introduction in Educational & How-To |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com