In 1955, a company in Cincinnati, Ohio named Permanent Pigments that had been milling oil colors since 1933 and run by a man named Henry Levison launched a new product. This new artists’ color was formulated with an acrylic polymer resin that was emulsified with water. The new color could go from thick to thin and everywhere in between; it would adhere to anything – from canvas to paper to metal to wood to plastic– and it dried quickly for easy re-working, layering, and masking. Most important, it could be thinned and cleaned up with water.
Levison tried to come up with a name that captured the essence of the medium and the fact that it could go from fluid liquidity to heavy texture and everyplace else in between. The color was called liquid texture. Or Liquitex.
Since then Liquitex have partnered with artists to ensure that Liquitex continually evolve and innovate –resulting in a long history of acrylic innovation that includes:
- The first Acrylic Gloss and Matte Mediums
- The first lecture demonstration program in 1965, which continues today as the Artist Outreach Program.
- The first removable acrylic varnish in 1967, which has evolved into today’s Soluvar Removable Varnish.
- The first paint to be labeled for ASTM standards, toxicity, quality and lightfastness.
- The first value series acrylic paint available in the U.S.: Liquitex® Basics Acrylic Colors
- The first to manufacture “Hue” colors: offering alternatives to heavy metal and fugitive colors
- The first artist acrylic available in archival tubes: seven layers of plastic, paper and metal
- The first to create iridescent acrylic paint; acrylic enamels and a variety of innovative acrylic mediums including acrylic opaque extender mediums – Ultra Matte Fluid and Gel Mediums; among many others.
Today, Liquitex offers the largest array of vibrant acrylic paints, mediums and tools to enable acrylic artists to continually explore their art and take it to new and unprecedented boundaries. With Liquitex innovative drive, creative passion and intense desire to share the joys of artistic expression through unparalleled education and community outreach programs, Liquitex is and will continue to be a strong partner to help artists explore their art for decades to come.