• Prismacolor is offering a great consumer rebate for 2008! Your customer will get a $10 rebate from Prismacolor if they purchase at least $50 worth of Prismacolor products. The rebate tear pad will be attached to the Prismacolor BTS Corrugate Floorstand and is also available from your MacPherson’s representative. This is a change from previous years because the rebate applies to any Prismacolor product such as open stock pencils, markers and NuPastels versus a specific set or sets. • Prismacolor is offering two Pencil Set Bonus Packs for BTS 2008. The 24-Color Prismacolor Pencil Set features the 12-Color Prismacolor NuPastel Set attached to it at no additional charge. This…

OPEN Acrylics feel like no other paint, representing a significant advancement to the most comprehensive suite of professional acrylics available. Since the launch of this product line at NAMTA, the demand for OPEN Acrylics has increased with each passing day, bringing great excitement to the artists eagerly awaiting its availability in their local store. OPEN Acrylics will generate incremental sales as existing customers reach to extend their range of techniques and will attract new painters to acrylics because of their remarkable working range. Recognizing the opportunity, more than 200 stores have submitted orders for the product. For a listing of current order commitments, go to Golden Open Store List.Great introductory…

Strathmore previewed its new 400 Series Hemp Charcoal pads in four sizes at NAMTA and expects to start shipping around July 11th. The paper contains 25% hemp, a readily renewable fiber, and 75% post consumer fiber; a truly tree friendly product. To help you launch the Hemp pads we are offering a 60/10% off SMIAB promo through the end of August. By now you must have heard about Strathmore’s Artist Trading Cards (ATC). Several hundred of the assortments have already been placed! A couple of SKUs have been sold out but recovered very quickly and all are in stock and are shipping. Jeanette Gile, Strathmore’s Marketing Manager, has put together…

The foamboard category continues to show steady growth, especially where effort is made to effectively merchandise the newer value-added varieties of product, utilizing both a permanent display as well as temporary floor displays of the most popular sizes. To best assist in such endeavors, MacPherson’s will be promoting the Full Line Foamboard Display starting July 1. This permanent metal fixture (a $200 value) is FREE when you order 16 SKUs of Elmer’s 20″ x 30″ foamboard. For a limited time, you will also receive a FREE metal power panel which can be positioned on either side of the foamboard unit, along with two each of a variety of foamboard accessories,…

With the cost of fuel and other essentials soaring, consumers are not only minding their budgets, they are making fewer trips and visiting fewer retailers to purchase their necessities. While consumer visits may be fewer, that same consumer is purchasing more items per retail visit to avoid the costs associated with additional trips or visits to other retail locations. So how do you get consumers to shop your store? Make sure core items are on sale and prominently featured along with eye-catching signage in the high traffic areas of your store. Cross merchandise accompanying accessories with these items to make the shopping experience easier and increase your items and dollars…

Check out our great deals in MacPherson’s Back to School promotion for 2008. Open Stock Grumbacher Pre-tested Oils, Academy Watercolors and Academy Acrylics at 60/5% Grumbacher Brushes at 50/35% Grumbacher “New” Brush Sets at 50/35% Ad Markers 60/5% Pickett and Rapidesign Templates at 50/10% Clearprint at 60% Pelikan Watercolor Sets at 50/15% Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Technical Pens at 50/10% Koh-I-Noor Seven Pen Set at 60/10% Koh-I-Noor Triocolor, Gioconda Pastel and Progresso Woodless Colored Pencil sets at 50/15% Drop Ship Grumbacher Color Assortments at 50/35% Grumbacher Brush Assortments at 70/25% Koh-I-Noor Graphite Pencil Assortment at 50/15% Koh-I-Noor Triocolor and Progresso Woodless Colored Pencil Assortments at 60% All Grumbacher Color and Brush, and…

If you have a display of children’s drawing products with markers, crayons, colored pencils etc., consider adding the new children’s drawing books from Walter Foster. Disney•Pixar promotes their brands and characters through movies, consumer products, and fast food tie-ins, making them highly recognizable with widespread exposure. Walter Foster has developed books on drawing the characters in their movies, DVDs, and TV events to take advantage of the Disney character recognition. The undisputed leader of our licensed titles is Learn to Draw Mickey Mouse and His Friends, item # FODS01. The number two licensed title year-to-date is our new Learn to Draw WALL-E, item # FODC27M, which features the characters from…

There is a design genius working at MABEF and his name is Luciano. Every year he dazzles us with a new innovative creation that solve artist’s challenges without sacrificing his signature Italian aesthetics. Luciano’s latest invention is finely crafted, oiled, stain-resistant beechwood tabletop easel that features a height adjustable canvas holder that can go below the table level to accommodate a wide range of canvas sizes. The canvas holder can be angled from a vertical position for oil and acrylic painting to a horizontal position for watercolors. The easel clamps to the table for stability and to easily allow the canvas holder to accommodate canvases up to 39-3/8″. The easel…

How do you grow demand and sales in the world of painting knives? It’s not easy, but it helps if your Italian supplier listens carefully to artists and is willing to take big chances. RGM has done just that in creating a new series of knives that will allow artists a range of new possibilities. 12 new palette knife styles feature new unique shapes and a special water-resistant mirror blade. They are great for use with all relief pastes such as mortar, gels (matte gel, heavy gel), modeling pastes, and gesso. These specially shaped knives can also be used when painting with acrylics and oils to obtain “relief” effects with…

Everything about Montana Cans seems to be hot and the new Hardcore Markers are no exception. These are high-quality, water-based ink markers that can write on flat, dry surfaces such as paper, plastic, glass, canvas, metal and concrete. The ink is water-resistant to water washing over the painted surface, but will come off with water and hard scrubbing. The clear barrel design allows the artist to see how much ink is left in the marker. Both the Large and Short Large size come in a variety of colors and have a 1/2″ wide chisel nib with different barrel sizes to suit artists needs. The XL size has a 1″ wide…

The STABILO Point 88 and Pen 68 are the hottest colored writing markers we offer. Why? Because they’re unique, colorful and affordable. In the art supply market they present an amazing opportunity for impulse sales because the target market is the young of art. The key to jump starting sales is offering these gorgeous new complete displays and employing a creative merchandising strategy that aims at these products youthful appeal. To encourage this approach, we have teamed with STABILO to sponsor a nation-wide retailer contest focusing on the spirit of STABILO. Here’s what you need to know: Purchase both the new Point 88 360-pen & Pen 68 360-pen displays, and…

Big trends have a way of sneaking up on you and Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are no exception. What are we talking about? ATCs are miniature pieces of art that are traded around the world. Artists create, trade and collect art at organized swap events, either in person or online. The only official rule is that the trading card measures 2.5″ x 3.5″. The movement started in 1997, when M. Vanci Stirnemann, a Swiss artist, created 1,200 cards by hand as part of an exhibit. On the exhibit’s last day, he invited others to create their own cards and trade with him during the closing reception. The movement has skyrocketed…

Sketch Book Imprint Program You work hard to put your store name out there and create an image for yourself – what better way to reinforce your message than imprinting your store logo on our Art Alternatives wire- and hard-bound sketch books? We’re taking orders for 2009 Winter BTS season now. Order forms are due June 13th so don’t wait! Your imprinted books will be delivered in December 2008. Remember that to receive the best discount, 70/20% off each book, order a full skid of 576 books. Ask your MacPherson’s contact for more information and an order form. Stretcher Bars Art Alternatives introduces an inexpensive, quality alternative stretcher bar for…

It’s Fall BTS time and we are featuring several new and exciting products as well as essential best-sellers: What’s New? Winsor & Newton’s giant 200ml tube Artist Oil in 40 popular colors Liquitex Professional Acrylic Inks, 30 colors in 30ml & 150ml bottles BASICS gesso in 250ml tubes as well as half- & full- gallon pump-top jugs Derwent’s Tinted Charcoal in 24 subtle colors Reeves Water-Mixable Oil Sets, Linseed Oil and Water-Soluble Wax Pastel sets Color & Co value-priced School Brush Packs Must Haves: All Winsor & Newton 37ml Artist Oils, assortments & open stock All Winton oil colors, assortments & open stock Galeria Acrylic 200ml, assortments & open stock…

Golden Artist Colors launched an entirely new product line – OPEN Acrylics – at this year’s NAMTA show. The uniquely relaxed working characteristics and remarkable ability to remain wet on the palette give OPEN Acrylics tremendous versatility, allowing artists a wider range of techniques to explore, including portraiture, plein air painting and other applications. OPEN Acrylics will begin shipping July 1. Contact your MacPherson’s sales representative for the introductory terms. To learn more about the new OPEN Acrylics product line, visit www.goldenpaints.com/OPEN and look for them in the upcoming July/August SMIAB. Congratulations to the winners of the OPEN Acrylics 2 oz. tube set-up & mediums booth drawing: Hyatt’s of Buffalo,…

Chartpak unveiled its new merchandising concept at NAMTA this year. This concept features Chartpak, Grumbacher, Koh-I-noor, Pelikan and Maco brands as a “Store Within a Store.” The concept includes the beautiful new Grumbacher acrylic paint and brush displays, metallic headers, custom branding posters, shelf labeling strips, and specific power panels with merchandising headers included. In the past 18 months Chartpak has launched 9 new brush assortments under the Grumbacher brand, brought back the hallmark of professional watercolor with the launch of Grumbacher Finest Watercolor and revamped the paint sets with new, attractive, up-to-date packaging. Koh-I-noor’s packaging was also updated and several new items were introduced. Retailers will definitely benefit from…

The new Back-to-School Prismacolor corrugated floor display was received very well at NAMTA. The quantities are modest and MacPherson’s is offering the display at a 50/20% (60%) discount off of the $1,472.22 MSRP for BTS. Perfect for impulse purchase placement throughout the year and particularly at BTS are the new eraser 72-piece display canisters. Available filled with Pink Pearl erasers (SA70521), Kneaded erasers (SA70531), or the Design Artgum erasers (SA73030). The Prismacolor Accessories tray is a convenient corrugated counter display that contains the Design Multi-Pack Eraser Set (SA73318), Prismacolor Sketch Accessory Set (SA3750) and the Prismacolor Turquoise Sketch Accessory Set (SA24187). All three of these items are great BTS items…

Strathmore Artist Papers 2008 Back-to-School Promotion is in full swing. Highlights of the promotion include 16 must-have items with an extra 20% off. Why the deep discount of 20%? Featuring these items on end-caps, floor stack-out displays and in your flyers will increase traffic and create excitement in your stores. To complement the 20% off offering there is also a great mix of pads, sheet stock, books and inkjet papers with an extra 10% off. The BTS promo includes the new Inkjet Iron-On Transfer Sheets at 20% off. This item has taken off and the sell through is excellent. In addition to the great discounts available to you through August…