St. Luke Artist Colourmen

How to Varnish

2012-01-14T15:05:00.005+11:00

IT’S EASY IF YOU KNOW HOW...

Varnish, let’s talk about it.

Are you worried about varnishing because you dont know enough about it? Recently we have had quite a few enquiries about varnishing, so we thought we would supply some tricks and tips to help you become a master varnisher.

The following is an edited version of what can be a complex and tricky process to embark upon. The St. Lukettes have written a distilled list of the essential peices of information to help you understand varnish and to help you varnish better.

Retouch Varnish = is a low resin content varnish that allows the oxygen to access the paint surface for hardening of the oil paint. It is the only varnish to be used before the painting has fully hardened (dried).

Generally it takes 3-6 months for oil paint to absorb enough oxygen to fully harden at which point a final picture varnish can be applied. Retouch Varnish is made from resin and no matting agent so it will not reduce gloss levels on your painting. Aerosol versions of this product require longer drying times to liquid based versions so to be in the safe side please wait until your painting is dry as it is not a true Retouch Varnish.

Final Picture Varnishes (Gloss, Satin and Matt) = Varnishes have two major functions;Firstly to create an even reflective finish of a specific gloss or mattness. Secondly the varnish is a sacrificial coat that will collect future dirt and grime. The dirty varnish can be easily removed at some future point without destroying any of the paint film underneath. All Langridge and GOLDEN solvent-based retouch and picture varnishes (except damar varnish) are based on synthetic resins dissolved in White Spirit. Do not use alternative solvents for dilution or clean-up.

Damar Varnish = A traditional varnish made from natural damar resin dissolved in Distilled Gum Turpentine. Clarified and double filtered, it dries to a gloss finish.

GOLDEN MSA Varnish (Gloss, Satin and Matte) = Synthetic resin based final picture varnish for use on or oil and acrylics paintings. Thin with Artists White Spirits prior to use.

GOLDEN Polymer Varnish = This is a unique fully-reversable, water-based varnish to be used on acrylic paints.

All GOLDEN varnishes include high levels of Ultra-violet stabiliser prevent fading of sensitive colour layers such as digital prints.

For examples of the different reflective finishes come in to see our varnish sample banner instore. To attain more information and MSDS’s please visit the Langridge website.

How To Apply

First you must read the label, then re-read the label. If you need to thin your varnish with White Spirit, Turpentine, water or shake the can for a minimum of 2 minutes then this is what you must do. Always test your varnish before applying it to your masterpiece that is required to be on the gallery wall tomorrow.

Situate yourself in an area away from dust, pet hair and dirt. If you are using a liquid varnish, pour it into a clean non-spill container made of glass or ceramics. With a clean brush dip the first centremetre of hair filament into the varnish and then immediately wipe the brush against the lid of the container disposing of any excessive amounts of varnish. Thinly apply the varnish over a small squared area of the canvas in a vertical and then horizontal motion.

Repeat this process until the entire surface has been covered. With this method you can be sure that the square application of varnish will overlap resulting in no missed areas. It always helps to varnish under natural lighting so that you can identify any dull areas where you may have missed applying the varnish. Always varnish an artwork lying down so that no dribbling occurs. Try to varnish as thinly as possible, more is not better and building up thin layers is always more desirable than pooling the varnish on.

Matte and Satin varnish contains a product called Matting Silica. Matting Silica is a fine particulate that knocks the gloss finish back. Matting Silica is quite heavy and tends to sit on the bottom of the can or bottle, if you do not thoroughly mix the separated out materials before applying the varnish the resultant layer of applied varnish could streak or turn white. If this has happened you must remove the varnish with the correct solvent and start again.

Underbound paint layers, i.e. areas of paint that do not have enough binder will cause varnish to sink in creating a varnish/no varnish streaking effect across your painting. If this is happening you may want to consider completing an isolation coat before you begin to varnish. Please come into St Luke and talk to a st lukette if this is an issue as it is always case sensitive and there are many factors that cause this problem. If you are using acrylics please follow the link below to see some information available on Golden’s youtube channel.

Golden You Tube Channel - Isolation Coat

To varnish properly you need a specialty varnishing brush. St Luke recommends a synthetic short handled brush with very fine hair filaments. A varnishing brush should always be used for varnishing alone and great care needs to be taken to clean it thoroughly, then form it back into shape and store it for the next occasion.

St Luke stocks the full range of Langridge and Golden Varnishes. Our store catalogue is now online and can be accessed here on our blogspot.

Black and White Pigments

2012-01-06T16:10:00.015+11:00

Got any Blacker?

It's not all black and white, there are shades of grey too. Grey areas can happen if you are not sure you have the right black or white when you are making art. St Luke is in Collingwood so we know how to dress in black and white and how to paint with these tricky pigments.

BONE BLACK Pigment Black 9

Ivory black has a cool bluish undertone and was utilised in painting by Rembrandt. Ivory black is traditionally made by the charring of animal bones, getting it's title "Ivory" form the burning of waste ivory bones. Also known as Bone Black this pigment

LAMP BLACK Pigment Black 6

Lamp Black is one of the oldest pigments and has been in use since pre-historic times. Light and fluffy it is also confusingly known as Carbon Black although it does not have the same production method or properties as Pigment Black 7. it is produced from the soot of burning oils.

CARBON BLACK Pigment Black 7

Intense and Velvety, t

his pigment makes beautiful pigmented ink and is recommended for use with water

based binders (i.e. watercolour and acrylic) as it is a thirsty pigment and slow drying. Made from the carbonising of oils, woods or vegetable matter. Pigment black 7 is a form of Carbon Black that was invented in America by burning natural gas and came into use around 1884, this pigment is one of the blackest blacks.

Also known as Furnace Black.

MARS BLACK

Pigment Black 11

A high

performance black that is creamy, dense and opaque. Mars is one of the fastest drying of all the blacks. It has a warm brown undertone and is recommended as a superior oil painting black as it is least likely to sink into the substrate once painted out. Also known as Iron Oxide Black

TITANIUM WHITE Pigment White 6

Trying to hide? Titanium White is very opaque and gutsy.

When painting pure white, this colour is the best option. Its tinting strength is high

when mixed with other colours and can tend to bleach out your palette, choose zinc as

your mixing white. The warmest of all the whites, Titanium White is a necessary staple

for all artists, ideal as a pure white highlight.

ZINC WHITE Pigment White 4

First manufactured in 1781 by Chemist Bernard Courtois as an alternative to the lead

based Flake White. Zinc is a semi transparent pigment with a slightly cold, bluish tinge.

Also known as permanent white or Chinese white, Use this pigment to create clean tints

when mixed with other colours.

FLAKE WHITE Pigment White 1

Made from lead, Flake White is one of the earliest manufactured pigments and its popularity only wained when other white pigments were introduced in the early 1900's. Flake white imparts a beautiful warm reddish yellow undertone and is popular for portrait painting because of its hiding power and delicate glow. The painter Lucian Freud is known for using this pigment. Also known as Lead White or Cremnitz White.

Bibliography

Ralph Mayer, The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques.

END OF FINANCIAL YEAR SALE

2011-06-04T14:56:00.002+10:00

END OF FINANCIAL YEAR SALE

20% OFF EVERYTHING!!!

LANGRIDGE PROFESSIONAL OIL COLOURS

LANGRIDGE PIGMENTS, MEDIUMS, RAW MATERIALS

AND GILDING SUPPLIES, DRAWING INKS

GOLDEN ARTIST COLORS

BLOCKX OIL PAINTS

WILLIAMSBURG HANDMADE OIL COLORS

OLD HOLLAND CLASSIC OIL COLOURS

MAIMERI CLASSICO AND LE FRANC OIL PAINTS

SCHMINCKE WATERCOLOURS AND PASTELS

BRUSHES

HANDMADE LINEN MDF BOARDS

ARCHES WATERCOLOUR & MAGNANI PAPERS

STRETCHER BARS

CONTE, PENCILS, CHARCOAL, PORTFOLIOS, GLASS JARS

(EXCLUDES: BOOKS, MOLESKIENE AND CUSTOM STRETCHING ORDERS)

NO RAINCHECKS OR ACCOUNT SALES

WED 1st JUNE – THURS 30TH JUNE

St. Luke Artist Colourmen 32 Smith St, Collingwood. 3066

Golden Acrylic Price list and Colourchart

2011-05-17T15:00:00.002+10:00

Golden Heavy Body Acrylic

2011-05-14T12:07:00.000+10:00

Golden Digital Mixed Media Rrp

Golden Gels, Mediums and Specialty Polymers

2011-04-30T12:12:00.000+10:00

Golden Mediums RRP

Langridge Raw Materials

2011-04-23T10:42:00.000+10:00

Langridge Raw Materials RRP

Langridge Professional Oil Paint

2011-04-21T15:35:00.000+10:00

Langridge Oil Colour RRP

St Luke Oil Painting Mediums, Low Toxic Solvent, Gum Turpentine, Varnish, Oils and Primers

2011-04-21T15:21:00.005+10:00

Langridge Oil Mediums RRP

St Luke Pigment, Binders & Mullers

2011-04-21T15:18:00.002+10:00

Langridge Pigment RRP

St Luke Catalogue Rust and Verdigris

2011-04-20T17:46:00.002+10:00

Langridge Decorative RRP

50% OFF LANGRIDGE OIL STICKS

2011-04-09T13:50:00.005+10:00

St Luke has an impressive amount of Langridge oil sticks in store at the moment,
it looks like someone spilt a rainbow on the table. Louise has decided to have a sale and at 50% off, oil sticks at these prices make us want to get all gestural.
So if you haven't tried painting with oil sticks or think you should take advantage of our great sale, please come and pay us a visit.
Made from buttery beeswax with heavy anded amounts of pigment,
these beautiful sticks of hand made love can be used to draw with,
fill in vast areas quickly or blended with painting mediums to extend across a surface.
Langridge Oil Sticks are a gutsy way to apply paint, (think Jenny Saville, Freud & De Kooning).
The sale ends on 17th April and starts tomorrow so get in with those funds you've been saving for a rainy day,
because at St. Luke it's pouring.

50% OFF LANGRIDGE OIL STICKS
SERIES 1 $16.10 NOW $8.05
SERIES 2 $18.70 NOW $9.35
SERIES 3 $19.95 NOW $10.00

Postage on Oil Sticks within Australia is $6.50, please call or email to place an order while stocks last.

ACRYLIC CLASSES MELBOURNE WITH GOLDEN ARTIST EDUCATORS

2011-02-10T10:48:00.001+11:00

Acrylic Aspirations

Acrylic painting classes with Merryn j Trevethan

Explore the amazing variety of paints, gels, mediums and grounds available today for creating with this

incredibly versatile medium. Be inspired to let loose and explore the infinite possibilities and combinations.

Enjoy a series of 3 hour hands on painting workshops using Golden Acrylic Colors and Golden Acrylic Gels

and Mediums in a relaxed, supportive and fun environment. You can do one workshop or you can do all of

them.The workshops are suitable for beginners to practising artists, whatever stage you are at- learn ways to

push your creativity further by finding the right materials for your vision and making it happen!

There will be loads of product samples on hand fozr you to try and you will leave with some artworks of your

own. These classes aim give you the confidence to experiment and to find the right materials for your

creative vision.

Acrylic Aspirations- colours for a cleaner palette

An introduction to Golden acrylics. Find out what makes Golden so special and explore the difference be-

tween the Fluid, Heavy Body and Open paints. Learn basic colour mixing, the difference between mineral and

modern pigments and which colours to choose for a cleaner palette. Try some of the many gels and grounds

and learn how to create contemporary surfaces for painting, drawing, pastel, and mixed media. Play with

water colour techniques using Golden Fluids on the surfaces you have created.

Date: Sat 26 Feb 10am- 1pm Cost: $80 (does not include materials)

Process Painting- Pour, scrape and drip

Get a grip on the many gels and mediums Golden have to offer and see what’s in it for you. Explore a range

of textural effects using the different gels and mediums. Layer your work with pours, stains, drips and pastes.

Scrape, carve and sand. Learn how to make acrylic skins and look at ways of incorporating them into your

work.

Date: Sat 5 Mar 10am- 1pm Cost: $80 (does not include materials)

Pixels and Paint- The magic of mixing more media

Welcome to the exciting world of digital printing grounds and manipulating the printed image. Use a wide

range of prepared surfaces combining acrylics, gels, pastes, digital grounds, fabric, fibre and other. This

workshop will cover a variety of ways to transform your own images from direct transers to digital printing.

You will make acrylic skins and learn how to prepare them for printing. Look at ways of manipulating the

printed image by adding, subtracting and layering.

Date: Sat 19 Mar 10am- 1pm Cost: $120 per person. Includes all materials.

Contact: Merryn Trevethan

Mobile:04 22 515 880

email: info@merryntrevethan.com

Web: www.merryntrevethan.com

Venue: Substation Art Centre, 1 Market Street, Newport. (Ample free parking onsite) Opposite Newport

Train Station. Bookings essential.

WILLIAMSBURG SALE ENDS TOMORROW (Saturday 5th)

2011-02-04T16:45:00.004+11:00

Carl Plansky founder and owner of Williamsburg Paints has always been interested in pigments oils mediums and old-world recipes. Wherever he traveled he would research the history of painting and the relationship between painters and paintmakers. In France he bought colors from the houses that made paints for Monet Matisse and Cezanne. Carl analyzed their paint to see how fine or coarse the grind was and to determine where they found their pigments and oils. With this same passion he searches for the most beautiful raw materials in the world importing pigments from dozens of countries. Getting the proper pigment is just the beginning. So much of the quality of oil paint is in the grinding. Each color is ground to enhance the beauty and luminosity specific to that particular pigment. Some of our paint will feel slightly gritty; some extremely smooth. Our Cerulean Blue will have a beautiful velvet light-absorbing surface with an extremely strong covering power; our siennas will often be chunky or gritty to allow light to travel through the vehicle exposing rich golden or mahogany undertones instead of just heavy dull browns. Employing the techniques of 19th century French colormakers Plansky''s pigments are made in small batches ensuring the ultimate in quality control.

30% OFF WILLIAMSBURG 150ml OIL COLOUR

2011-01-21T17:33:00.005+11:00

30% OFF ALL

WILLIAMSBURG HANDMADE
OIL COLOUR 150ML TUBES
SATURDAY 22^nd – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 5^th
Here is your chance to try some of the most luminous and beautiful oil paints in the world.
Williamsburg can be seen on recently acquired canvases in galleries all around the world,
form the Pompidou in Paris to MOMA in New York .
Williamsburg Handmade Oil Paints are all about pigments.
St Luke knows that some of our customers are up to date with these beautiful modern paints made in New York,
but for the rest of the uninitiated it’s time to graduate to fully loaded, pure pigment oil paints.
Williamsburg is an instituition and thier colour range comprises of some of the newest and highest performing pigments in the world.
Forget your stalwart, tiring English and German reliables and test drive the best that New York has to offer.
From phthalos, Quins to Pyrroles this sale is a one off and designed to get you addicted to the best looking oil paints in the world.
Colours are limited to stock at St Luke so first in best dressed, (or most colourful in this case).

SERIES 1 ~~$56.10~~ now $39.30
SERIES 2 ~~$80.55~~ now $56.40
SERIES 3 ~~$94.65~~ now $66.25
SERIES 4 $~~116.85~~ now $81.80
SERIES 5 ~~$179.35~~ now $125.55
SERIES 6 ~~$195.45~~ now $136.85
SERIES 7 ~~$223.70~~ now $156.60
SERIES 8 ~~$308.35~~ now $215.85

No further discounts apply and can not be used in conjunctions with Vouchers.

Encaustic Workshop

2011-01-11T14:37:00.003+11:00

Here are the details for Michelangelo's Encaustic workshop. All materials for Encaustic are available from St. Luke and our staff can help you with any information you require.

Lessons on painting will start again soon in my studio in North Fitzroy.

Term 1

1st February - 8th April (10 weeks)

Term 2

27th April - 1st July (10 weeks)

Term 3

18th July - 23rd September (10 weeks)

Term 4

10th October - 22 December (11 weeks)

Wednesdays: 10.00 am. to 2.30 pm. (half hour lunch break)

Thursdays: 3.00 pm. to 7.00 pm.

As always let me know if you have different preferences and I will try to accommodate your requests.

The cost for the lessons are:

$ 90 per session casual

$ 75 per lesson when purchased in a 5 lesson block. (to be used within the term)

$ 65 per session when purchasing the entire term (1 lesson a week).

Workshops on Encaustic Paintings in North Fitzroy

Before Term 1 starts again I will run two 2 day workshops on Encaustic Painting.

First Workshop Wed. 26 and Thu. 27 of January .

Second Workshop Fri. 28 and Sat. 29 of January.

All workshops from 10.00 am. to 3.30 pm. (half hour lunch break)

Bees wax, dry pigments, damar crystals and 2 wooden panels 30 X 25 cms (approx depending on availability) provided.

If you like you may bring some natural bristle brushes, a heat-gun, some of your favourite dry pigments or a support you may like to work on if you think the two wooden panels are not enough (all support to be un-primed).

The above items are optional.

Again let me know if you have different time preferences and I will try to accommodate your requests.

Cost for the two day workshop $ 360 (+GST) - all materials included

Lunch is BYO or there are a number of good cafes in walking distance from the studio.

Please note Max 5 students per workshop.

Bookings and enquires please contact Michelangelo

e-mail mic.russo@optusnet.com.au

mob. 0413 996 071

Art Classes-Melbourne

2010-12-23T11:30:00.003+11:00

If you need to plant yourself in a structured environment to get the creative muse to rear its head, then we can point you in a few directions to help enthuse, educate and enjoy.

Friends of St Luke run all different classes; from Life Drawing to Icon Painting and Encaustic.

The Victorian College of the Arts are running part time and short courses for anyone who wants to get more involved with art. Summer School begins on the 18th of January and you can choose from Life Drawing, Sculpture, Contemporary Painting, Digital Art and Printmaking. Their Studio Art program will commence on the 8th February. This is your chance to be taught by some of the most skilled practicing contemporary artists in Melbourne.

Contact Ieuan Weinman at the VCA via phone or email for more information:

Ph: 9685 9462

E: weinmani@unimelb.edu.au

The beautiful and talented Artist, Erika Gofton is holding Art Classes at The Substation in Newport. You can enroll throughout the year, but the first workshop begins on the 23rd of January. Erika offers Foundation Drawing and Painting Classes as well as a mentored Art Class which begins on the 8th February. To enquire please contact Erika on:

M: 0407197 106

Ph: 9391 8373

E: erikagofton@iprimus.com.au

W: www.erikagofton.com

If you are in love with acrylic then you must put yourself on the waiting list for Merryn Trevethan's Golden Acrylic classes coming up in the New Year. If there is anything to know about Acrylic applications or technique then Merryn knows it in spades. Merryn is a qualified teacher trained by the inventors of acrylic, Golden.

Contact Merryn to join the list:

E: info@merryntrevethan.com

M: 0422515880

W: www.merryntrevethan.com

Anna Prifti is a very respected Icon painter and you must see if her if you want to learn this very historical Byzantinian art form. Classes begin February 10. Location 3-7 Macedon Avenue, Balwyn North, 3104, Vic next to the church Presentation of the Lady in the Temple.

W: www.byzantineart.net

M: 0415 243 917

Michelangelo Russo invites a small group into his artisan studio to teach the art of Encaustic. Places are limited and we understand the class is very popular. If you have ever wondered how to mix pigments and beeswax then learn from the master. Michelangelo will be running a class in Fitzroy in the new year so please contact him to register your interest. Check out his work

E: mic.russo@optusnet.com.au

M: 041-399-6071

When you have done all the classes there will be a quiz in store, so pay attention and improve your art practice with all the knowledge, tricks and tips that these wonderful educators can teach you.

Have a wonderful Xmas and a safe New Year x

We will be back on 5th January 2011

Merry Christmas from the St Lukettes

2010-12-17T17:21:00.001+11:00

We will be feet up and tools down from Christmas Day until the 5th of January.
In December's Newsletter we just thought of things that we want you to buy us,
we hope it helps because we are very fussy!
10 Christmas gift ideas between $10 and $150
Langridge Rust and Verdigris Base Introductory set
You wanted it and Langridge brought it back. Mum and Dad won’t know what hit them. Next time you go over to their house the pots will be bronzed and the gnome may have rusted. A great gift for people with absolutely no artistic talent. It’s fool proof and highly satisfying to use. Put it on anything and watch surfaces transform, Rome can be built in a day and if it needs rusting you know who to see. $30.80
Golden Fluid Set of 10 colours
Do you know someone who is creating with products that they bought at the hardware store? If the answer is yes then you need to buy them this set of paints stat. It’s obviously an emergency and the only way to help is with a Golden intervention. The best Acrylic paint in the world, packaged up in a box for those suffering from a serious case of Duluxitis. $97.30
Langridge’s Oil Stick Set
Like drawing with lipstick, Langridge’s oil stick set is the perfect excuse to glam up your paintings without cross-dressing or applying any make up. Let go of those tight lines and draw your painting like you mean it. $79.70
Foldable Field Easel
Going to the country? Going on holidays this January? Have easel will travel, will be the catch cry of any lucky left brainer that receives one of these lightweight travel easels this Christmas. It’s only $48.60……Yes that’s what I said
Giant Hogs Hair Scenic Paint Brush
For the Artist who needs something that no one else has. Brushes don’t get any bigger. Think painting while standing back from the canvas, (way back) because this baby is 90 cm long. $20.90
St Luke’s Three Kings gift set of gold, frankincense and myrrh
An annual event for St Luke, the Three Kings gift set is about being alchemical and not so much about being artistic. Everyone needs gold and if you haven’t smelt Frankincense and Myrrh, then you don’t know how amazing resins can be. Light a charcoal tablet with a little piece on top and absorb the historical vapours. $49.95
Marseille Soap
Great for you, great for your brushes, stay clean this Christmas with a little olive oil love straight from France. $11.75
Langridge’s Professional Oil Paint wooden box set
The Supreme gift of love: professional paint for an artist of any age. Start with the best oil paint and mediums and don’t look back or sideways or down because you’re a star. With these tubes of pumped up pigment you will be putting other painters to shame. Viva le Langridge. $198.00
Golden’s set of Gels and Mediums
An introduction to the uninitiated - Golden’s Gels and Mediums can do just about anything; self level, softly gloss, fibre up or run like tar. $46.00
St Luke Gift Voucher
Available at any amount; for anyone who has an inclination towards the creative. $1000,000,000

BRUSH ENCYCLOPEDIA PART 1

2010-11-19T12:32:00.003+11:00

ST LUKES BRUSH SALE ENDS THIS SATURDAY NOVEMBER 20th. GET IN QUICK TO STOCK UP ON YOUR FAVOURITES. HERE IS PART ONE OF THE ST LUKE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BRUSHES, JUST SO YOU CAN KNOW WHAT IT DOES AND HOW IT WORKS BEFORE YOU BUY IT.

PURE SABLE BRUSH - LONG HANDLE, ROUND, FILBERT & FLAT

Great for smooth brushstrokes in Oil paint, Watercolour and Acrylic.

Suited to glazing and photorealist techniques.

Long Handle for easel painting.

PURE KOLINSKY SABLE BRUSH – SHORT HANDLE, ROUND

Superior quality hair grown in Russia. Hairs are naturally longer enabling a larger amount of paint to be loaded at one time. Great for smooth brushstrokes in Oil paint, Water colour and Acrylic. Suited to glazing and photorealist techniques. Holds shape and retains its point.

EXTRA FINE MONGOOSE HAIR BRUSH – LONG HANDLE, FLAT FILBERT & ROUND

Great for smooth brushstrokes in Oil paint and Acrylic. Suited to glazing and photorealist techniques.

Ideal for moving paint around whilst maintaining the ability to blend and keep paint surfaces smooth. Sits between Sable and Hogs hair as a brush with a mid range of flexibility.

PURE SABLE BRUSH - ROUND

Essentially an economical watercolour brush. A pure sable brush can be used for fine detail work in oil and acrylic. This brush has good liquid holding capacity and with proper care will hold its shape.

SQUIRREL MOP – SHORT HANDLE

Pure squirrel hair has excellent spring and snap. The Kazan squirrel mop is the best brush for watercolour. This brush enables a smooth transition from fine lines to large washes and it is unsurpassed for its water holding ability.

BRISTLE FAN BRUSH

Dry blending brush for oil and acrylic. Uneven marks can be produced when used to paint, making this brush ideal for trees, landscape and hair.

SYNTHETIC - SHORT HANDLED FLAT, ROUND & FILBERT

Economical brush for watercolour and acrylic.

Short handle for working in journals or on the table.

Great spring with nylon fibers that last longer than natural hairs if cared for properly as synthetic hair do not wear down.

Synthetics can be used for detail on oil paintings but do not have enough resilience and spring to manipulate large amounts of oil paint.

SABLE RIGGER – SHORT OR LONG HANDLE

Originally designed to paint the rigging on ship paintings. It is now used to create fine lines.

The long length of pure sable hair loads up with paint, making it easier to use than a small round brush.

Can be used for detail on oil paintings when the paint/medium combination is very liquid.

CHUNGKING BRISTLE BRUSH – LONG HANDLE, ROUND, FLAT & FILBERT

Hog hair farmed in Chungking, China.

Chungking bristles are renowned for their length, flag, and spring.

This is the best brush for oil and acrylic. Paint can be applied quite thickly due to the strength of the hair filaments.

A flag or split at the end of the hair enables the brush to load up with paint and hair grown in Chungking has many more flags than regular hogs hair.

BRISTLE BRUSH

A traditional Hog hair brush for oil and acrylic painting.

Paint can be applied quite thickly due to the strength of the hair filaments.

A flag or split at the end of the hair enables the brush to load up with paint.

ETCHED, SYNTHETIC -LONG HANDLED FLAT, FILBERT & ROUND

Synthetic alternative to Hogs hair.

Fibers last longer as they can not be worn away with over use.

Hairs do not dry out and synthetic brushes hold their shape well with wear.

FINE HAIR MOP – SHORT HANDLE PLASTIC FERRAL

A beautiful full mop brush of mixed hair.

This economical brush is perfect for colouring large areas with gouache or watercolour. Often made from ox, horse goat and the scraps from better quality hair farming.

DRY BLENDING BRUSH

Economical mixed hair brush. Best for use as a dry blending brush which can seamlessly fuse paint colours together to make blurry tonal transitions of paint or smooth out lumpy brush work. For use with oil and acrylic or as a budget watercolour mop.

20-50% OFF ALL BRUSHES

2010-11-06T12:08:00.002+11:00

HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY ST LUKE
To celebrate our 10th Anniversary we want to say thank you to all our delightful customers that have supported us.
We know you want to use good brushes and we want you to use good brushes too, so we are taking up to 50% off on all our brushes for 2 weeks!
We are getting every brush imaginable in just for this sale - it will be a brush feast!
Now is the time to buy up big. All brushes will be available to test and the St. Lukettes can help you with technical and application advice.
The sale will be on for two weeks only. 6th -20th Nov
When you spend over $100 we will also give you a present!

St. Luke Happy Birthday Brush Sale
NOVEMBER 6th - 20TH

GOLDEN ACRYLICS: FLUID, HEAVY BODY & OPEN

2010-10-26T15:55:00.004+11:00

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

Choosing the right Acrylic could dramatically change the ease and success with which you work. St Luke is the home of Golden Acrylics in Australia so we can help you to choose the right product to help you create the effects that you desire. Here is a short rundown of the types of acrylic paint that Golden produces. All heavily pigmented and made to a professional quality Golden paint is like no other brand and handles like the rolls royce of acrylic art materials.

*FLUID ACRYLICS have a thin, pourable viscosity with an equally strong pigment load to heavy body acrylics. Fluids are ideal for artists who like to create smooth paint surfaces and thin washes of colour.

*HEAVY BODY ACRYLICS have a high viscosity that’s designed to hold a brushstroke and spread like butter with a palette knife. Heavy Body acrylics are free form fillers and matting agents making them one of the most popular paints in the world.

*OPEN ACRYLICS have a creamy viscosity for applying thin layers of paint used in traditional blending techniques. Created with a unique polymer dispersion, Open can remain wet on the palette for days and are interchangeable with all gels and mediums.

St Luke is now stocking a new book by the Master of all Golden Acrylic Patti Brady.

Rethinking Acrylic, radical solutions for exploiting the world's most versatile

medium.

This book contains everything you need to know about using acrylics; from manufacture through to surfaces, mediums and applications. Rethinking Acrylic retails for just $39.95 and you can purchase it from St luke via postal order or in the store.

For more information on Golden or Patti Brady please visit the Golden Website.

All images courtecy Golden Artist Colours.

*All text courtacy Patti Brady

2010-10-02T16:16:00.004+10:00

Spring Dreaming of Summer

This month we thought we should share some colours with you that reflect this beautiful time of the year.

Daylight savings has just arrived so more time to enjoy the light and start to savour the longer twilights- more time in the studio, gardening and beer gardens!

Most of you will be aware that Langridge (our sister company) has now released their range of Professional Oil Colours. We are extremely excited about this!

This is the only professional oil ever made in Australia and has been 10 years in the making. David Coles, the paint maker has chosen 32 colours for the first range, with another 32 to be released within the next 10 months.

Here’s some of the colours in the new range with our slant on them- of course we have all the technical terms and descriptions of them at St. Luke and we could talk for hours about how pure and beautifully ground they are but you already know that Langridge never does anything by halves and anyway this is more fun!

UNBLEACHED TITANIUM

It’s not a mixed colour it really is unbleached titanium!

Sort of looks like the skin tone stockings you have been wearing all winter.

Just like stockings it’s beautifully soft which makes it delicious to brush out.

TITANATE YELLOW

This is the yellow of nostalgic childhood late afternoons when everything heightens in colour. You know when the grass and shadows go otherworldly?

Great for wild high lights or mix it with some Phthalo Green= Bang!

NAPHTOL RED

I’m pure and sweet, transparent and glowing

I’m St. Luke’s trademark

I’m good looking on ladies lips

I’m the red of a post box

What am I?

ZINC BLUE

David Coles emigrated from London in 1992 and he is still in awe of the Australian sky. This is his homage to the blue summer sky and we thank him very sweetly for doing it so neatly!

CADMIUM GREEN

This is the colour you want to lay down on so you can stare at the Zinc Blue sky above.

And if you feel the need to chomp on a piece of grass at the same time make sure it’s this colour!

COBALT TEAL

Now that you have taken off your winter stockings, had your trip down memory lane, had a taste of Naphthol and gone off to the gardens to experience the sky and grass what better way to end the day with swim in some Cobalt Teal water just like in those travel brochures that you never believe in until you get there!

All Langridge Professional Oil Colour is available in 40 ml, 110 ml, 1 Lt and even 4 Lt if you really want to go nuts!

Low Toxic Solvent & Mediums

2010-10-02T15:43:00.002+10:00

As artists we occasionally need to use our brains. If you use oil paint in your practice you will be familiar with the joys of inhaling distilled gum turps. If you are particularly naughty the odour of supermarket bought turps will be something you are also familiar with, but please, don’t tell us about your bad studio habits. The St. Lukettes are here to let you know that we love your brain and you should too. Langridge combats the history of artists gone mad by bringing you Low Toxic and Non-toxic professional artist materials.

Langridge Low Toxic Solvent

Langridge Low Toxic Solvent is different to other “Odourless” Solvents on the market.

It’s not just deodorised, it’s 84% less toxic. Yes, 84%!!!!!

Of course it can’t do everything distilled gum turps can do, like dissolve Damar but it can do enough for you to have no excuses against using it in your studio practice. Odourless Solvents may not smell like poison but they are.

Mix Low Toxic Solvent with your paint mediums or clean your brushes.

No more headaches. No more awful smells.

Langridge Low Toxic Paint Medium

That same great stand oil base, except made with Low Toxic Solvent. You know Langridge have street cred for making the best oil painting mediums and this one is:

-Non-yellowing

-Great for wet in wet painting, soft blending and glazes.

-A classic all rounder.

-Completely necessary.

Langridge Low Toxic Gel Medium

When you want oil paint to dry yesterday, try this. Touch dry in 18-36 hours, you can build up layer upon layer. This medium holds robust paint marks but is also great for glazing and extending oil colour.

Langridge Safe-Gel

Now we are getting totally non-toxic. Completely solvent free, Safe-Gel is ideal for delicate types who flare up at any provocation. Extend your oil colour whilst maintaining structured marks. This medium is slow drying so you can save your brain cells and have time to think about what you are doing. Great if you’re up the duff!

Langridge Safe-Clean-Up

Super brush restorer! Non-toxic and solvent free. Clean your brushes of oil and acrylic paint with this coconut oil based product. It is like a moisturiser for your brushes, they will last way longer and keep their shape better than if you use turpentine.

Langridge Safe-Impasto

A paint extender that is for big mark making and impasto techniques. Based on Linseed oil, this medium contains no phosphates or skin irritants. Safe-impasto is slow drying due to the omittance of solvents.

Exclusive only to St. Luke

Empty Packaging

2010-09-24T17:21:00.003+10:00

We now stock empty bottles, jars, paint tubes, ink bottles, boxes and delicate glassware. Liberate and decant the Alchemist inside.

Custom Stretching

2010-09-24T16:58:00.004+10:00

That Marrimekko fabric sitting in the closet could hang on the wall. St Luke can custom-cut stretchers and re-stretch most things. Any size. Nanna’s tea towel perhaps? Show us what you’ve got and we can give you a quote.

Of course we can stretch any cotton or linen on to the best heavy duty, farmed hard wood stretcher bars. Our stock sizes start at 10" and go up to 84".

In the photo above Merryn is stretching a 3 metre beauty with the flick of a wrist. All in a days work for the magical St. Lukettes, is there anything we can't do?

No, no there isn't.

St. Luke Vernissage

2010-09-24T15:59:00.005+10:00

ORIGIN French, literally ‘varnishing,’ originally referring to the day prior to an exhibition when artists were allowed to retouch and varnish hung work.

Why Varnish?

-To protect the underlying painting from damage, dust and dirt.

-To uniform the surface and give an even optical reflection.

What you want from a varnish

-All varnishes should be removable.

-The varnish should be flexible enough to move with the support.

-Varnishes should provide a non-tacky surface so as to resist imbibing dirt.

-Wether Gloss, Semi-Gloss or Matte the finish should be even, enhance the artwork and provide resistance to discolouration caused by heat and humidity.

Types of Varnish

Retouch Varnish- the only varnish that can be applied to oil paintings younger than 6 months. We know you want to use other varnishes before the painting is dry but really, control yourself or risk having cracks in the surface.

Damar Varnish- the most traditional natural varnish still in use. It takes about 50 years for this varnish to turn yellowish brown. It is removable so you don’t have to freak out.

Gloss Varnish- super shiny and lustrous. Hard to walk past as a superior finish to most paintings.

Satin Varnish- somewhere between matte and shiny, Satin Varnish is world wide the most popular finish to artworks

Wax Varnish- with a wax finish this varnish is to be applied with a lint free cloth. The Matte look can be softly buffed to subtle sheen.

How to Apply Varnish

DON’T RUSH!!!!

Take your time.

Move away from the dusty areas of your house or studio, those squiggly floating pieces of fluff will and can attach themselves to your freshly varnished masterpiece.

For liquid varnishes estimate how much varnish you will need and pour into a flat-bottomed container to avoid spillage.

Use a soft, wide, flat brush dedicated to the task.

Put only the tip of the brush in the varnish so as not to overload it and flood the painting.

Work your way across the middle of the painting and then oppose you next stroke at a 90 degree angle to the first. Work your way to the outer edges.

Leave the painting to set for 10 minutes before moving.

For an amazing overview of Varnishing Check out an article by Golden Artist Colours here.

Colours for a Seasonal Palette

2010-09-24T15:48:00.001+10:00

ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN.

To play your colours by eye is worse than playing the piano by ear. –John Sloan (1875-1951)

CAPUT MORTUUM. Pigment Red 101. A velvety purple earth colour, it is also known as Mars Violet or Indian Red. St Lukettes love the intensity and warm radiance of this pigment. Its unusual name is Latin for 'dead head'. Caput Mortuum is a beautiful opaque pigment with excellent permanency. This Prepared Iron Oxide is unbelievably opaque and when used in most media dries to ultra flatness with a matt finish.

YELLOW OXIDE. Pigment Yellow 42. This is an opaque pigment with excellent permanency. This is another prepared Iron oxide pigment known as Mars Yellow, Mars orange, Iron yellow or Ochre. Yellow oxide is very bright and pure with a medium tinting strength; this colour makes a useful companion for landscape and portrait painting.

CADMIUM YELLOW DEEP. Pigment yellow 37. Not many pigments compare to the cadmium family. They are renown for their extraordinary opacity and high tinting strength. This deep warm yellow has a beautiful luminous and radiant quality. Cadmium yellow deep is an inorganic synthetic pigment with a fast drying rate, as tough as it is delicate, never underestimate a great cadmium colour.

MARS BROWN. Pigment Brown 6. Mmmmmm chocolate……… This rich deep brown has a strong red undertone and is very close to natural Burnt Umber. Very opaque, it gives excellent recession of space for shadows. Indispensable to portrait, landscape and still life painters, Mars Brown is seductively rich. Just like chocolate, Mars Brown is hard to resist.

GOLD OXIDE. Pigment 42. This prepared iron oxide has richer tones of gold than Yellow Oxide pigment and matches its natural ochre counterpart, Raw Sienna. Sitting between Yellow Oxide and Mars Orange this luxurious pigment is rich and brilliant.

This selection of pigments are part of the new range of 32 oil paints available from Langridge Artists Oil Colours.

LOVE YOUR HAIR

2010-09-24T15:39:00.003+10:00

Sable brushes are not made from sable (Martes zibellina) but hairs from the weasel family. These hairs are less expensive. Kolinsky sable is the best hair, valued for its length, thick belly, fine point, softness and strength. Kolinsky is usually made from Mink and only the tail is used.

If you are buying a Kolinsky brush, first ask to dip it in water. Flick the brush aggressively in one sharp movement. The point should snap back into shape, if it doesn’t, it means that the brush does not contain enough male hairs, (The male hairs are very springy and snap into shape).

Bristle brushes are made from hog hair produced in china. The best hairs come from Chungking. These hairs are valued highly because of the long length of the split in the tip of the hair, known as flag. Without this flag, hogs hair brushes would drag and split when applying paint to a surface.

The flag also enables the paintbrush to load up and hold more paint. Brush makers will always imprint the handle, letting the consumer know if it is a top quality bristle. Cheap hogs hair brushes are cut into shape and don’t have any flag, this is easy to see if you look closely at the ends of the hairs.

If a brush is described as interlocked it means that the hairs have been worked into a curve. Each hair slightly bends inward helping the brush to keep its shape. The best bristle brush will be interlocked and titled Chungking.

Camel hair brushes are not made of camel. Camel has never been used as a material for brushes. The title signifies the brush is made of ox, pony, squirrel or a mixture of all of these. A nineteenth century brush manufacturer named Camel stamped his name on the brushes he produced because he did not want anyone to know what type of hair was in the brush. This practise continues today.

New Langridge Product

2010-09-24T15:20:00.004+10:00

Isolating Medium

Created to even out the reflective finish of oil paintings. Similar to retouch Varnish in its function Isolating Medium is not a varnish and does not have the same glittery reflection as Varnish. This medium when applied to an entire painting will dry to beautiful gloss finish, increasing the depth and lustor of the painting. Isolating medium can be worked back into making it a useful tool to create beautiful oil painted surfaces.

Langridge Isolating Medium is available in 100ml, 500ml,1 Litre & 4 Litres.

Fully Loaded

2010-09-24T14:46:00.004+10:00

When buying professional artist paint, find brands that have single pigments and are highly loaded with colour.

The cheaper the paint the less pigment you are buying. Paint manufacturers that have a high loading of pigment will want you to know. Look for the pigment number on the back of the tube and a light fastness rating. Desirable paint will have few blends of pigments and will only have one or two pigment identification numbers listed. Cheaper paints are full of fillers such as opacifiers barium and surfactants. Next time you are buying paint go for something different and spend a couple of dollars extra on a paint that will treat you well, make painting easier and use paint that goes further!

St. Luke recommends Langridge, Golden Acrylic Colours, Williamsburg, Blockx, Schmincke and Old Holland. Check out the links to see the product range.

Find the right surface to suit your practice

2010-09-24T14:39:00.003+10:00

Sometimes not just anything will do!

If you are an oil painter try an oil primed surface as it is less absorbent and your oil paint is more likely to glide along the surface. Don’t go for cheap canvases from the two dollar shop, they feel like paper and are so absorbent you may as well re-prime them, beware they warp with moisture! If you like a smooth surface for fine detailed work, build up successive layers of primer and sand in between, or buy a fine weave cotton or linen. If you are more thick and chunky go for a pronounced weave, it grabs hold of paint and won’t let go!

St Luke stocks Fine and Medium weaved primed cotton, a variety of loomstate and primed linen and beautiful Gesso from Langridge and Golden

Use products with less harmful solvents

2010-09-24T14:21:00.003+10:00

Leaving painting mediums and solvents open while you are painting is a hazardous occupation. Langridge keeps coming up with the goods and has just released Low Toxic Gel Medium a medium with 89% less toxicity than any other product on the market. The gel medium gives body and holds flag marks without increasing paint transparency. It’s a fast dryer too!

The Low Toxic range includes a Low Toxic Painting Medium and Low Toxic Solvent.

Stop using turps to wash your brushes

2010-09-24T14:12:00.003+10:00

Using solvents to clean your brushes strips moisture from the hair filaments.
Liquids tend to send pigment into the ferrel of your brush where they become lodged and cause the brush to lose its shape.
Using an oil or waxed based brush cleaner moisturises and conditions brushes increasing their longevity. These products can also re-wet and restore brushes left to dry by the artist with better things to do than clean up!

St. Luke recommends Langridge Safe-Clean

and still more...

2010-08-24T17:30:00.001+10:00

More Palettes...

2010-08-24T15:29:00.001+10:00

2010-08-24T15:13:00.001+10:00

2010 Exquisite Palettes

2010-08-24T15:06:00.001+10:00

With thanks...

2010-08-24T15:03:00.001+10:00

This years show is the largest yet with 216 participants creating the most wonderfully diverse palettes... in no particular order they are..

Cat Poljski
Merryn J Trevethan
Irene Wellm
Kerry Van Lint
Fiona Morgan
Michelangelo Russo
Magda Cebokli
Patrick Cross
Louise Blyton
Rowan Williams of S.Kalice
Karen Lewis of S.Kalice
Andrew Harry
Michael Fitzgerald
Kathryn Hattam
David Mellows
Alizon Gray
Bob@ Neo Frames
Jason Roberts
Adrian Kellett
Catherine Pilgrim
Catherine Ryan
Shane Jones
Marion East
Christopher Jones
Anna Russell-Ward
Triecia Gibney
Spiros Stasi
Colin Palethorpe
Lyn Dingley
Damon Koworsky
Aliey Ball
Wendy Kelly
Kitty Chung O'Kane
Kim Anderson
Noel Hourigan
John R Neeson
Ian Wells
Marte Newcombe
Ingrid Chady
Christopher Grikscheit
Gail Stiffe
Marianne Potts
Spook
Jo Todd
Blythe Neve
Jakob Schmitt
Jade Zivanovic
Christine Gibbs
Nicoll Heaslip
Karen Young
Mick Turner
Wendy-Jane Sheppard
Askolds Petersons
Kaitlin Becket
Sheridan Brown
Jeff Keddie
Rhonda Goodall-Kirk
Robin Cave
Kirrily Hammond
Andrew Conners
Mark Threadgold
Andrea Przygonski
Deb Mostert
Jodie Wells
Dierde But-Husaim
Jason Chatfield
Simon Collins
Anne Robertson
Rhys Lee
Adriane Strampp
Kevin Lincoln
Deborah Klein
Raymond Carter
Rachael Baker
Tony Delov
Merrin Eirth
Peter Cave
Denis Chapman
Andrew Dewhurst
David Coles
Benjamin Paul Rowett
Debbie Hill
Kim Wall
Selby Ginn
Amanda van Gils
Jessica Schroeter
Simon O'Carrigan
Roz Esplin
Fleur MacDonald
Nick Safstrom
Sue deGennaro
Luke Ryan
Bob Abrahams
Jenny Zhe Chang
Erin Tily- Laurie
Drasko Boljevic
Cathy Kirwan
Katarina Widderington-Oliver
Helene Athanasiadis
Charmaine Hardy
Peter Richards
Mat Vaughan
Katy Stiffe
Jimmy Crone
Andrew Dyer
Julian Twigg
Michèle Meister
Mark Ogge
Erika Gofton
Melissa Shemma
Norma Neil
Jacqui Comer
Eddie Parrett
Mark Griffith
Deborah Williams
Wendy Grace
Ivan
Patsy Blair
Sara Collis
Genevieve McLean
Bronwyn Bain
Siobhan Donoghue
Michelle Giacobello
Sam Martin
Richard Combley
Jock Clutterbuck
Nada Poljski
Kylie White
Peter D Cole
Frank Tagliabue
Matthew Collins
Trish Cave
St. Luke
Daniel Gorzadek
Sue Lock
Rosalind Atkins
Charlotte Barker
David Hagger
Dale Hunt
Heather King
John Papanagiotou
Christine Wrest-Smith
Julie Keating
Smiley
Anna Leaton
Rhys Burnie
Antonius Van Duynhoven
Helena Hautova
Annette Allman
Helen Krocis Edwards
Rosemary Mangiamele
Eugene von Nagy
Rosemary Blanch
Judy Holding
Pete Summers
Rachel Derum
Smodge Mc Villian
Michael Hawkins
Stephen O'Shea
Kate Ryan
Narelle Desmond
Sally Ruth
Megan Weston
Jasper Heal
Jae-Kyung Kim
Bernadette Boundy
Tanmaya Bingham
Patricia Holleley
Mario @ Fluff
Christine Mullins
Michael Grant
Belinda Melzak
Louise Kyriakou
Nelly
Pierrette Boustany
Charlie Wells
Pia Murphy
Nancy Johnson
Forest Keegal
Meryl Waugh
Anita Halliday
Janine Mamonski
Kathy Fahey
Arancha Joulian
Fiona Taylor
Sue Anderson
Jan Lewis
Elissa Denby
David Allen
Simon Dennes
Karen McCullough
Tammy Gilliam
Grangie Kemp
Maurice Lammerts Van Bueren
Elise Pahlow
Gail Trembath
Laura Osborne
Rebecca Mayo
Angeliki Androutsopoulos
Janice Gobey
Jennifer A Rowlands
Rick Doyer
Huhana Smith
Jane Fleming
Joan Cookson
Vesna Maksimovic
Yuho Imura
Andrew Treloar
Jennifer Marshall
Robert Hollingworth
Marianne Harris
Jane Rusden
Ulli Brunnschweiler
Elizabeth Knight
Iain Skinner
Jax
Michael Wedd

2010-08-24T14:52:00.001+10:00

More Exquisite Palettes from 2010

2010-08-24T14:45:00.003+10:00

2010 Exquisite Palette Show

2010-08-23T17:12:00.000+10:00

And the winners are...

2010-08-23T17:04:00.005+10:00

Most Exquisite palette...
Deborah Klein, Behind the Mask- Acrylic on palette, 2010

Most Bizarre Palette...
Drasko Boljevic, I Want You- Kinetic Sculpture, 2010

2010 Exquisite Palette Show

2010-08-23T15:46:00.003+10:00

What you really what to see!

2008-10-17T16:13:00.001+11:00

2008-10-17T16:01:00.000+11:00

Palettes!!!!!!!

2008-10-17T15:48:00.003+11:00

2008 Palettes!

2008-10-17T14:12:00.003+11:00

Well we have recovered from the huge opening night for this years Exquisite Palette Show. This year we have 137 wonderful palettes, again we have been amazed how much work has been put into the show.
We ( Louise, Merryn and Kez) would like to say a big thank-you to all Artists involved in Exquisite Palette 2008 xxxxxx
Brian Dunlop
George Matoulas
Cat Poljski
Sharon Billinge
Kez Hughes
Paul Ikin
Patricia Holleley
Danny Young
Pablo Cabezas
Tim Gresham
Jacqui Stockdale
Ewen Coates
Brett Hayes
Angela Cavalieri
Jenny Zhe Chang
Louise Skacej
Deborah Williams
Irene Wellm
Narelle Desmond
Mark Threadgold
Noel Hourigan
Jimmy Chrome
Soula Mantalvanos
Simon Collins
Claire Busuttil Bridge
Christopher Jones
Sheridan Brown
Robert Jones
Triecia Gibney
Andrew Dewhurst
Peta Mayer
Kate Shaw
Craig Deuce
Rosa Tato
Pauline Foo
Nada Poljski
Robert Hollingworth
Drasko Boljevic
Marian Crawford
Jim Thalassoudis
Liz Walker
Amanda Van Gils
Dianne Gall
Alex Grant
Allison Howson
Douglas Kirwan
Kat Weir
Sally Gibbs
Judy Holding
William Yoneyama
Graeme Gordes
Neil Thomas
Mia Schoen
Adrian Kellett
Michael Downs
Julie Keating
Simon Gregg
Deborah Klein
Rosalind Atkins
Barry Drinan
Katherine Hattam
Robin Cave
Dagmar Cyrulla
Tony Irving
Matthew Collins
David Coles
Geordie Cole
Celeste Chandler
Dan Ablethorpe
Louise Blyton
Merryn Trevethan
Shane Jones
Anthony Capon (et al)
Mayonaise
Jackie Hocking
Jennie van Dam
Dylan Statham
Melinda Harper
Steven Rendall
Bill Sampson
Phillip Holquinn
Simon Sherrin
Ian Wells
The British Crown
Michelle Caithness
Sarah Faulkner
Genevieve Mc Lean
Yuho Imura
Ieuan Weinman
Andrea Daniel
Anita Foard
Marina Campbell
Paul Karafillas
Thornton Walker
Mark Griffith
Ann Cameron
Peter Summers
Kim Vernon
David Wlazlo
Tom Leggatt
Troy Mendham
Denis Chapman
Forest Keegel
Rebecca Jones
Colin Palethorpe
Pauline Clayton
Jenny McCracken
Jennifer Travers
Paul Beauvais
Pram Pillai
Maurice Iammerts Van Bueren
Robert Stanton
David Band
Anne Hastie
Fluff
Cath Coad
Michael Fitzgerald
Jackson Rowe&Hannah Raisin
Griffin Simm
Kim Jackson
David Mellows
Helen Kocis Edwards
Antia Haliday
Rebecca Day
Mary Schepisi
Madeline Day-Henri
Bianca Durrant
Penny Rattray
Ted Dansey
Scott Langridge
Trish Cave
Roger Moloney
David Leece
Pia Murphy
Jo Todd
Michael Powell
Graham Fransella

Exquisite Palette 2008!

2008-08-13T15:18:00.002+10:00

Well it's going to happen again!!!
Watch out for the new Exquisite Palette Show on at St. Luke Artist Colourmen opening 3rd October 2008!

Madonna with Palette

2007-10-03T15:09:00.000+10:00

More palettes

2007-10-02T16:45:00.001+10:00

Deb Williams Merryn J Trevethan
Louise Hearman Graham Fransella
Pauline Clayton Robot Hollingworth
Narelle Desmond Andrea Daniel
Paul Boston Mark Griffith

Paletts

2007-09-15T14:42:00.000+10:00

Here are just a few of the wonderful palettes on show at St. Luke
Celeste Chandler
Deborah Klein
Dennis Chapman
Katherine Hattam
Louise Skacej
More Palettes to come soon!!!

The Exquisite Palette

2007-09-12T13:10:00.000+10:00

Late 2006 St. Luke thought up a lovely little idea. What if we put on a small exhibition in our shop? We could ask some friends/customers to paint on a wooden kidney shaped palette, cliche? Maybe but then so is the palette these days.

With a great space behind the counter to display them we thought OK we just need 32 Artists to say yes.As we started counting out names to hit up we realized there is just too much talent that comes into St. Luke, then of course we wanted all the wonderful people and Artists that had really supported us over the first 7 years of business- well that just opened the flood gates, of course we didn't except them all to say yes but 98% did which was mind blowing considering we deal with a lot of extremely busy exhibiting Artists.

So off the palettes went far and wide, even as far as China and New York! To help them along we said no rules (something us Artists love!). Everyone was very keen to get started apart from our book keeper who thought it was a wonderful idea until we handed her her palette explaining it was compulsory under St. Luke law that all staff must be involved-the look on her face was the same face we give her when she does our tax.

For 2 months the palettes were out there being coiffed by the Artist's hand. Then the due date finally came around....that day was better than Xmas, to see the wildly high standard that everyone had done was staggering! Like little bees the St.Lukettes started to get everything in place for the big opening night, music, wine and a dress code dubbed "Exquisite" our goodness what to wear!!

Many things have been already said about the opening night and all we can say is it's all true- it was a real wing ding. It continued on till the wee hours thanks to The British Crown Hotel that also sponsored our wine for the opening (We love you Gavin!)

Fast-forward to September 2007 and we are now sitting in St. Luke surrounded by 150 amazing palettes of all description most of them already sold due to the feeding frenzy of sales on opening night. The response has been to say the very least over whelming!

Many people were involved in this show and St. Luke is greatly grateful to firstly the Artists, without you the show would not exist!

Dan Ablethorpe, Andrew Ackroyd, Rosalind Atkins, Melissa Barnes, Paul Beauvais, Sharon Billinge, Laurene Billiet, Patsy Blair, Katt Blakie, Louise Blyton, Paul Boston, Clive Bowles, Robin Bowles, James Broadway, David Bromley, Sheridan Brown, Penny Byrne, Pablo Cabezas, Michelle Caithness, Joel Campbell, Robin Cave, Trish Cave, Angela Cavalieri, Celeste Chandler, Denis Chapman, Jimmy Chrome, Pauline Clayton, Cath Coad, Ewen Coates, Helen Cole, Peter D Cole, David Coles, Mathew Collins, Marian Crawford, Michael Cross, Dagmar Cyrulla, Andrea Daniel, Narelle Desmond, Craig Deuce, Andrew Dewhurst, Tessa Dodds, Tina Douglas, Barry Drinan, Jason Edwards, Peter Fifer, Rosemary Fisher, Michael Fitzgerald, Pauline Foo, Juan Ford, Belinda Fox, Graham Fransella, Caroline Fry, Dianne Gall, Nat Gauci, Jeff Gauci, Jeremy Geddes, Triecia Gibney, Amanda Goodge, Rona Green, Marguerite Griffith, Mark Griffith, Rob Grove, Brigitte Hafner, Anita Halliday, Kirrily Hammond, Melinda Harper, Rebecca Harris, Katherine Hattam, Louise Hearman, Christine Healy, Susan Hipgrave, Nina Hipgrave Waring, Judy Holding, Patricia Holleley, Rob Hollingworth, Noel Hourigan, Alison Howson, Ruth Hutchinson, Tuyet Hutchinson, Christine Johnson, Christopher Jones, Rebecca Jones, Shane Jones, Tim Jones, Jeff Keddie, Forest Keegel, Adrian Kellett, Caroline Kennedy, Helen Kennedy, Martin King, Deborah Klein, Helen Kocis Edwards, Scott Langridge, Rhys Lee, David Leece, Peter Mahoney, Jade Mahoney, Jeff Makin, Michael Mark, Ken Martin, George Matoulas, Jenny McCracken, Roger Moloney, Soula Mantalvanos, David Mellows, Sarah Menelaus, Patricia Mullins, Mark Ogge, Lou Paulin, Anne Pavey, Luke Pither, Lachlan Plain, Cat Poljski, Nada Poljski, Clifford Posner, Michael Powell, Steven Rendall, Michelangelo Russo, Mary Schepisi, Simon Sherrin, Louise Skacej, Spook, Anne Spudvilas, Aaron Steinke, Rosa Tato, Elizabeth Tarrant, Jim Thalassoudis, Jo Todd, Joshua Tonkin, Jennifer Travers, Andrew Treloar, Merryn J Trevethan, Mick Turner, Steve Turpie, Angela Valiotis, Jennifer Van Dam, Kim Vernon, Anne Virgo, Adam Waddell, Hugh Waller, Peter Walsh, Edward Waring, Peter Webster, Irene Wellm, Ian Wells, Deb Williams, Cathryn Wills, Michael Wolff, Oscar Yanez & John Young

The British Crown Hotel whose staff also took on board the dress code for the night.

Dennis Chapman who jumped on a train to come down from Bendigo in our hour (many hours) of need to hang the show xxx
Graham Fransella whose wonderful opening speech warmed our hearts

The Chocolate Lover for making the beautiful chocolate covered palette which was raffled, you can find him at the South Melbourne Market (the best hand made chocolates ever!)

Ian Wells, Jo Todd and her gang for making sure people didn't go thirsty

David Coles and Langridge Staff for putting up with all our calls for HELP. To all the poor people that had to listen to us talk non-stop about THE SHOW. And lastly St. Luke would like to say thank-you to Angelia Valiotis and Louise Blyton who gave birth to The Exquisite Palette Show.
St. Luke will put up all the palette photos next week!!!!!!!!!!!!