Introduced in the early 1950s, triggered by a lot of leisure time, postwar prosperity, and the free thought that anyone can paint a picture – the paint-by-numbers came into being.
It was one fateful day in March 1951 when people of all ages gathered around Herald Square in New York to witness the very first demonstration of paint-by-number project. From then, various orders from people across the country have begun pouring.
The kits included numbered premixed paints and two brushes. A canvas or board filled with numbered spaces is also included. The numbered spaces should be filled in with the corresponding paint eventually revealing a picture – which usually brings surprise and delight to the one painting.
At that time, this craft project has triggered cultural critics’ mind who reviled this idea of “art” as a mindless trend. However, from the vantage point of artists and entrepreneurs, paint by number is a hobby filled with unique American virtue, which end result is worthy to be hung in people’s homes. This simple craft project has invited people who never once thought to wield a paintbrush to enter the portals of creativity and art.
The rush on Herald Square in New York City has been one of the most ingenious publicity stunts that ever happened in the world of art or even business. However, the invention of paint by number was actually inspired by the art genius in the person of Leonardo da Vinci. And its history was rooted from a series of unfortunate events that eventually led to its success.
Despite the mitigations from art critics saying that this was a mindless phenomenon – pleading to rescue the hobbyists, it still did not stop it from storming the entire country. Dan Robbins, the one who conceived the idea, was employed by Palmer Paint Co. in Detroit.
As mentioned previously, paint-by-number was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. The idea stemmed from da Vinci who taught those who apprenticed under him the basics of painting through numbered spaces on a canvas. Dan Robbins who at that time was reading about da Vinci’s method of teaching had formulated this idea and predicted that this might have a massive appeal to a lot of art-inclined peopled. So, the idea became a developed product that will later amass widespread popularity among aspiring artists and people who have positive inclination towards art of varying ages.
However, the newly developed paint-by-number kit – “Craft Master” was initially rejected by retailers in the fear that customers might not get the gist of what the product was and wouldn’t want such half-baked art project. Eventually S.S. Kresge (known later to be Kmart) took a risk and placed a relatively large order.
Due to packaging problems, however, the numbered paints intended for the canvas – “The Fishermen” got swapped into the package containing the canvas – “The Bullfighter.” This resulted to a disastrous blue-caped matadors and green bulls, which left hobbyists thinking where they had it wrong. Eventually this led to customers demanding for refunds then further led to Kresge cancelling all future business with “Craft Master.”
Palmer Paint, who hired Dan Robbins, knew that it had to devise plans as fast as it could in order to get the product back into the market. And the company’s founder, Max Klein, had just the perfect idea when he and Robbins asked Macy’s to allow them to demonstrate their paint-by-number kits in their store along with the promise that any unsold products are free of charge. So, on that fateful day in March 1951, Macy’s signed on this endeavor considering that they did not have anything to lose.
Robbins later recalled, in 1998 memoir, that Klein gave each of the two newly hired reps $250 dollars and to give their friends, relatives, and neighbors, and anyone willing to buy the paint-by-number kits for $2.50 at Macy’s. As a result, he spent $500, which is more than enough to buy all the paint-by-number kits available in the store.
So, yes – the customers and everyone who went to Macy’s that day were all make believes. Even with the hype, Robbins and Klein forgot one important detail – to keep track of the sets that are sold to their reps and company, and the sets sold to real customers caught up in the in the middle.
Regardless, sales had skyrocketed and the sellout spread like a wildfire starting from the fair. And, by 1954, Palmer Paint sold around 12 million paint-by-number kits amounting to $20 million and bestsellers included seascapes, pets, and landscapes as well as The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Hence, “Every man a Rembrandt!” on top of the kit boxes. Before they knew it, paint-by-numbers had become a full-blown trend. In no time at all, Palmer Paint boasted thousands of employees and several competitors. They developed varying
Whatever the critics and professional artists across the country had to say, the idea that real talent or training is not necessary to paint something worth as a wall décor has attracted people of varying ages. Children to adult age groups have been taken into this fad – painting frame-worthy art project using paint-by-numbers kits. Customers from across country would send fan mail, with some saying that they are spending money they ought to be saving just to paint throughout the day and that they could not wait to see other new subjects the company has to offer. From paintings of famous painters converted into numbered canvases to Ann Hathaway’s cottage paintings, customers have already viewed this art project as a way to spend leisure time as productively as they could. Before long, this product has emphasized educational value in the pamphlets.
Palmer Paint did not just earned profit from this well-sold out idea. They had demonstrated that even when you are painted into a corner, there is always a marketing strategy that will pave your way out. The most important thing that happened in the history of paint-by-numbers is that even when a product gets rejected at first – with the right marketing strategy it will sell out with flying colors that even the highly acclaimed critics could not do anything about it.
Who knew that the simple idea of paint-by-numbers actually stemmed from Leonardo da Vinci’s method of teaching his apprentices and would later turn out to be bestselling in the world of arts and crafts?
drtytrcr 