Prototype Abstract #1 – First Paint by number painting.
In the post World War II era of the 1950′s America elevated its famous can do spirit into a place where dreams really do come true. Dan Robbins was one of those people. Dan made a modest living by producing washable paints sets for kids when one day he remembered how Leonardo de Vinci would hand out numbered patterns to his apprentices and thought , “Why not do the same for anyone who wants to paint but does not have the talent to draw or mix paint colors”. Dan quickly took his idea and prototype to the owner of Palmer Paint Company Max Klein . It was to be a terrific merger and as they say, the rest is history! The years between 1951 through 1954 they sold 12 million paint by number kits alone.
“I painted it myself” became household conversation! It rapidly was the number one leisure activity of the day!
These are just a few samplings of Dan Robbins paint-by-numbers paint kits.
Dan Robbins and Doug James teamed up to produce the now very famous paint-by-numbers Mona Lisa paint kit. Doug once said, “While paint-by-numbers weren’t ‘art’ at the time of their origin, they certainly are now, by virtue of ideas and concepts which have evolved into being”.
Nowadays, paint-by-number paintings have become collector items!
“Picture Walls” are popping up in homes with paint-by-number paintings.
I particularly love this gallery wall !
These days its becoming increasingly difficult to find paint-by-number paintings in antique stores, but you can now find replicas like this Poodle painting at Urban Outfitters for only $19.99 !
If you are fortunate enough to run across a Dan Robbins paint-by-number painting I suggest you snatch it up ! Its now an iconic American form of Art!
We didn’t have such kits here unfortunately. It would be awesome to “paint it myslef”
You can still purchase paint by number kits! Also, I’m going to show on my next post how to make paint by number art work on your computer!
Always glad to have you stop by!
Hugs!
Vicki, seeing this makes me want to paint one. Do you have particular ones you recommend?
Hey PV!
There are two companies I would start with.
Herrschners – they’ve been around a long time and Holfcraft.
A lot of the kits are cheezy , but you can find a few worth painting!
As always its so nice to have you drop by! Happy Painting!
Oh and yes, hope your holiday’s were peaceful and bountiful in joy!
Hugs!
Oh, fun! Herrschners has Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, Van Gogh’s Starry Night, a Monet…
I would have had so much fun with that. I would’ve created masterpieces. Alas and egad, it twas not to be. I had fun with those little (and big) rugs that you used a weird little handle thing to create. It was the same type of concept I guess, but with rugs. Do you know what I’m even talking about? lol What were the name of those things??
Scott,
I think you’re talking about hook rugs…right?
That’s the rugs we use to make as kids.
By the way its not to late to paint a paint by numbers painting. I’ll show you how to do it on my next post!
By the way, are you to young to remember macrame? You know those rope hanging plant things from the 60′s-70′s ?
Love ya kid!
Vicki! I remember my brother and you doing those. Forgot that one. Good memories!
Timm,
Yes, I have a photo of Jon and I making a hook rug! Great memories!
Yep, hook rugs. I can always count on you to catch the things running out of my head! I’ll try the paint by numbers; I wonder if they have any Dali? I remember the name macramé, but I don’t remember what it looked like.
Wow, you are young if you don’t remember macrame!!! LOL
I’ll have to send you a pic on FB !
You know there is web site that will make paint by number paintings of famous artists.
I think you should take a photo of Spain and turn it into a paint by numbers painting!
Thanks Scott…you always brighten my day when you come and visit my blog!
Love and Hugs!
this is really cool. i remember loving to do them them when i was little. Want to go get some and paint
. beautiful paintings love them
Smitha!!!! My little Farmville buddy! Howdy neighbor! LOL
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Here’s hoping you find something to paint!!!
Hugs…see you on FB!!
Wow. I swear we grew up in the same neighborhood. I did the hook rugs and macrame and the paint by number kits. I loved that stuff. Can you even buy hook kits anymore? Stuff like that has been replaced by video games, Ipods, and cell phones.
Claire Girly!
Yes, you can still buy hook rugs so there’s still hope for you and Scott!!
I think our kids are missing out, don’t you?
Although I did make my kids sit down and paint still life’s. They loved painting! Most kids do!
Always good to have you stop by Miss Claire!
Hugs!
Alright Vicki, I’ll admit, I did one at least, the Matterhorn perhaps, something tall and white.
However I was more a tomboy than that, and just had to get my hands more intimately involved. I built things from junk and wires and motors sometimes, things that moved. Then give me a huge sheet of brown wrapping paper and a pencil. That was enough, and oh yea, my hands to smudge and blur edges to make them wide on the wrinkled skin. Pastels and water colors, but ever unconventional. Couldn’t draw a still life to save my life, like others could, so found that my home even then was more abstract. Arshile Gorky I adored for one. Anything you could find in the Whitney was my feast.
But you know, the best of all, and my own found/made sort of art… simple children’s blocks of black paint, like in those little kid’s trays, like mom got in bags unwanted from the schools, those and a simple metal plate. Draw an image with fingertips, pause, then transpose, print onto paper with textures like fingerprints! Yea, guess I was back in kindergarden again! Finger-painting, that’s me, certainly. No sophistication at all! A poor artist’s block printing, yes. Fun!
There! You found me again!
Mr. Neil !
Who doesn’t love finer painting…its awesome !!
I once told you my Mom says of me that I was born with a paint brush in my hand! I think its true, I’ve been painting all long as I can remember.
But I must say, I did spend a lot of time climbing trees and playin in the dirt! I too was a tomboy!
Thanks for sharing, I love it when you and all the others share precious little pieces of their lives and all the things they love!
Two hugs for you my friend!
I saw the movie ‘Drowning by Numbers’ does that count?
Sean,
Sure why not! Its good to see you ! Hope you’re doing well and as always thanks for stopping by!
Hugs
Yoohoo…now I can paint too?!
Nope, did not paint by numbers when I was young or paint at all, but used to love to sketch…
Off to your next post to make notes:)
You’re so cute Juicer! Glad you’re home safe! Now lets get to paintin!!! Love ya hun! Hugs