Ever wondered what art materials the Grand Maîtres would make if they could combine their traditional methods of colour making — renowned for their longevity, tension, and quality — with contemporary pigments and state-of-the-art preservation additives that had not yet been invented?
Innovation through tradition: We bring the proven knowledge of 16th-century master colour makers into the 21st century. After years of research and development, our materials combine historical craftsmanship with modern innovation to deliver exceptional longevity, depth, and chromatic power.
By focusing on natural pigments alongside carefully selected contemporary synthetic pigments, we create colours that meet the demands of today's professional artists while preserving the wisdom of centuries of artistic practice and tradition.
The journey began more than 25 years ago when artist Timos Batinakis, already an established and decorated professional painter, set out to create his own oil colours when modern materials failed to meet his specific needs – the journey of understanding the Grand Maîtres.
This experience revealed something profound; to truly master painting, an artist must understand his tools.
Driven by this realisation, Timos Batinakis began an extensive exploration into the materials used by the Grand Maîtres. His research uncovered not only forgotten recipes but also entire techniques made possible by the way historical materials were produced and prepared. The discoveries transformed both his knowledge and his painting practice.
In 2017, he met Dr. Leda Dorikou, whose doctoral research in Innovation Management and Business Strategy explored how tradition can become innovation—transforming historic methods into modern competitive advantages.
Their collaboration sparked a vision: What if centuries old knowledge could serve today’s artists? What if contemporary creators could access materials that preserve traditional craftsmanship while expanding artistic possibilities? From that point on, our brand was born!
All our Linseed Oil Colours are ground exclusively in first cold-pressed linseed oil, refined by hand according to the Marciana method — a process described in a 16th-century Venetian manuscript. It is this careful refinement of the oil that allows for an even greater pigment load and is precisely what gives our Colours their exceptional longevity.
First cold pressed linseed oil is processed in small batches to ensure the quality of the refinement – after all, artists in 16th-Century Venice did it indeed in small batches for their own use.
All our Colours are made in small, carefully controlled batches. Thorough quality testing throughout the production process, as well as on the finished products, ensures consistency and repeatability.
Working in small batches also allows us to hand-paint the colour sample on every tube using paint from that very batch. This means the artist sees the actual colour inside the tube — not a printed approximation that cannot capture the true depth, hue, and texture of the paint. The unique personality and character of each colour can be seen at a glance.
All our Oil Colours are ground on either metallic or traditional granite three-roll mills, depending on which method is best suited to each pigment.
We give special attention to natural pigments, preserving the subtle and often remarkable differences found in pigments sourced from regions around the world. Many of these have been used for centuries, some even since ancient and prehistoric times.
We also seek out exceptional contemporary synthetic pigments that have no equal in colour and/or, despite being historically known for their toxicity — such as our Cobalt Blue Medium and the entire Cadmium range — ours are certified as safe for both human health and the environment. There is no need to compromise with alternative "safe" pigments.
Again, our formulations are inspired by the Grand Maîtres: Ultramarine Blue as close to lapis lazuli as possible, Cobalt Blue to smalt, Titanium White to lead white, and so on.
We use no siccatives, whether artificial or natural. If artists prefer to use a siccative, they are free to choose their own. Yet the drying time is not prolonged, thanks to the natural drying properties of our first cold-pressed linseed oil, refined according to our traditional method. None of the fatty acids essential for the drying of Oil Colours are destroyed during refinement, so there is no need to add additional fatty acids—or siccatives.
We use no fillers, only the minimum amount of state-of-the-art additives necessary to ensure the paint remains stable in the tube.
The vast majority of our Colours are mono-pigmental, allowing artists to mix and create their desired hues with complete control and colour clarity —a quality consistently reflected in the feedback we receive from professional artists around the world.
Our product families:
Oil Colours based on the recipes of the Grand Maîtres, ground in first cold-pressed linseed oil refined by hand according to the Marciana method (Venice, 16th century), or in poppy seed oil for yellowing-prone pigments such as whites and blues. With maximum pigment load and no fillers, only the minimum necessary additives are used to ensure the Oil Colour remains stable in the tube. The vast majority of our Colours are mono-pigmental, allowing the artist absolute freedom and control to create their own mixtures. They contain no siccatives—again, the artist can add as much siccative as desired if faster drying is required. With a buttery consistency, workable as they are or with mediums, they offer clarity, power, perfect mixability, and blend with each other like “magical osmosis”, as per our feedback. The result - complete control of hues and textures!
Made to be used by artists, our Oil Colours are also particularly suitable for art restoration and conservation work, as well as for artists engaged in heritage projects due to the traditional way in which they have been designed and produced.
Our work is the culmination of over 25 years of research into art materials technology, more than 5 years of research into modern materials technology, and 6 years dedicated to transforming Tradition into Innovation. Supported by qualifications and expertise in Mathematics, an MBA, a TQM, we bring together scientific knowledge, business and artistic tradition to deliver unique professional traditional Colours for the contemporary professional artist.
At the heart of our work lies the most important element: over 40 years of painting experience by Timos Batinakis, which defines our standards of performance, quality, and authenticity.
We're here to answer your questions, discuss your project, or help you choose the right pigments for your work.
Send us a message and we'll be in touch soon.
