Art Machines: Colour Stability

When you get the opportunity to go behind the scenes with paint-makers and manufacturers–you take it! Explore Winsor & Newton’s “Art Machines,” which pull back the curtain to reveal the company’s unique investment in craftsmanship, research and development of premium paints.

Stability in Your Work

The right materials matter to any artist. But how do you guarantee your paint performs well every time you use it? Winsor & Newton test their paint rigorously to make sure you can rely on a perfect finish. And now you can get a first look at how this level of precision is achieved. They’ve just released some must-watch footage showing the machine precision that goes into developing their Professional Acrylic range.

It’s thanks to rigorous in-depth research and development that Winsor & Newton can deliver such precisely engineered products. Their commitment to innovation in materials involves rigorous testing at their London laboratory.

It’s where the colour stability machine comes into play. Last post, we looked at how the Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic range is analyzed to ensure exactly the right level of opacity. This time around you have the chance to see the technology they use to guarantee colour stability in every one of their paints.

The colour stability machine is an advanced piece of equipment that helps ensure each batch will keep its vibrancy of colour for up to five years from purchase–while maintaining perfect consistency. Paints are incubated at extreme temperatures inside the appliance and carefully monitored for how they perform under duress.

To begin the test, wet paint is loaded into beakers. These are then placed in the colour stability machine on a sliding metal shelf. Once the door is closed, the temperature is turned up. Then the paint is cooled and tested. Next, the paint is frozen and thawed and checked again for any changes in its colour or texture. This test ensures the paint can perform after it’s been subjected to a range of different conditions.

It’s thanks to the Winsor & Newton “colour men” based at the company’s London headquarters that new paints are brought to this testing stage. These colour experts work on developing vibrant colours, and are helped in this by an in-house artist. Such a wealth of experience ensures the highest quality paint.

Making the acrylic paint itself is a four-stage process that begins with the pigment and wetting agent being combined into a pigment paste. The paste is then mixed with beads and ground. Next the ground paste is combined with emulsion and water to make acrylic; and, finally, any excess air is removed from the paint.

This is just one of the ways Winsor & Newton guarantee exceptional quality in their Professional Acrylic range. Check out their other test videos and discover more about their pursuit of perfection.

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