Sennelier
Encyclopedia
Sennelier is a French brand of art supplies famous for their hand selected pigments. They produce oil paints, water colors, gouache
, pastels, india ink
and many other mediums.
Gustave Sennelier opened this art supply store in 1887, near the famous Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Initially, Sennelier sold paints made by various manufacturers; later he chose to produce his own paints using local pigments and binders procured from his travels across Europe.
Anecdotally, it is believed that Sennelier's gained prominence at this time. Art-supply shops were ubiquitous, and Cezanne, Gauguin
, and many other artists would shop around in the neighborhood, in search of particular shades of paint. If Gustave Sennelier didn't stock the color, he would create it for his painters.
In 1949, the Sennelier shop created a product specially for Pablo Picasso
. He wanted colors he could use on any surface, without first having to do special preparation or coating. Henri Sennelier, Gustave's son, created the first oil pastel
, a stick of colored chalk that is waxy rather than powdery. It goes on thickly and won't smudge.
In addition to the aforementioned Cézanne, Gaugin, and Picasso, Van Gogh was also known to have used Sennelier oil paint.
Sennelier is one of just a few companies which still provides dry pigments for sale. Most artists today simply buy ready-mixed paints. The range of dry pure pigments offered by the company is quite large, exceeding eighty colors.
The artist can then mix the colors into the preferred medium, creating a range of possibilities.
Sennnelier has a website that explains more about these techniques. It is in French, but allows the user to chose an English translation.http://www.sennelier.fr
Gouache
Gouache[p], also spelled guache, the name of which derives from the Italian guazzo, water paint, splash or bodycolor is a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water. A binding agent, usually gum arabic, is also present, just as in watercolor...
, pastels, india ink
India ink
India ink is a simple black ink once widely used for writing and printing and now more commonly used for drawing, especially when inking comic books and comic strips.-Composition:...
and many other mediums.
Gustave Sennelier opened this art supply store in 1887, near the famous Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Initially, Sennelier sold paints made by various manufacturers; later he chose to produce his own paints using local pigments and binders procured from his travels across Europe.
Anecdotally, it is believed that Sennelier's gained prominence at this time. Art-supply shops were ubiquitous, and Cezanne, Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
, and many other artists would shop around in the neighborhood, in search of particular shades of paint. If Gustave Sennelier didn't stock the color, he would create it for his painters.
In 1949, the Sennelier shop created a product specially for Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
. He wanted colors he could use on any surface, without first having to do special preparation or coating. Henri Sennelier, Gustave's son, created the first oil pastel
Oil pastel
Oil pastel is a painting and drawing medium with characteristics similar to pastels and wax crayons. Unlike "soft" or "French" pastel sticks, which are made with a gum or methyl cellulose binder, oil pastels consist of pigment mixed with a non-drying oil and wax binder...
, a stick of colored chalk that is waxy rather than powdery. It goes on thickly and won't smudge.
In addition to the aforementioned Cézanne, Gaugin, and Picasso, Van Gogh was also known to have used Sennelier oil paint.
Sennelier is one of just a few companies which still provides dry pigments for sale. Most artists today simply buy ready-mixed paints. The range of dry pure pigments offered by the company is quite large, exceeding eighty colors.
The artist can then mix the colors into the preferred medium, creating a range of possibilities.
Sennnelier has a website that explains more about these techniques. It is in French, but allows the user to chose an English translation.http://www.sennelier.fr