Melbourne · Since 1963
Art materials, made by hand.
Oil pastels, drawing blocks, water based enamels, varnishes and more. Non-toxic, biodegradable and 100% Australian owned and made.
An artist and a chemist
Every Marcus Art product starts with one question: what is it made from, and how will it behave in an artist’s hands?
For more than sixty years we’ve been formulating and hand making art materials in Melbourne. Pigments, resins, oils, waxes and minerals, combined so the artist has full control over the creative process.
Safety is built into every formula, for the person using it and for the environment. That’s why our range is non-toxic, biodegradable and made right here in Australia.
The range
Made for the studio, the classroom and the kitchen table.
From a child’s first drawing to a practising artist’s finishing varnish. Choose a product to learn more.
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Rich, buttery colour that blends beautifully. Hand made in Melbourne and packed in our signature tins and boxed sets.
- Tins
- Boxed sets
- Artist & student
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Chunky, bold blocks of colour that are easy for little hands to hold and a joy for big ones to work with.
- Kids
- Schools
- Mixed media
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Vivid, durable colour without the harsh solvents. Cleans up with water and is safe to use at home or in the classroom.
- Water based enamel
- Water colours
- Aquarells
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Flexible, stable mediums and finishing varnishes, including our Non-Drip and Flow formulas and Uni-Lac.
- Varnish Non-Drip
- Varnish Flow
- Uni-Lac
- Water based fixative
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A non-toxic, user-safe shellac that can be applied with a brush, sponge or cloth.
- 1 kg
- Non-toxic
- User safe
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Disolv non-toxic oil clean-up from 50 ml to 2 litres, Stone and Wood Wax, stained glass kits and Playing “Goo” for the kids.
- Disolv
- Stone & Wood Wax
- Stain glass kits
- Playing “Goo”
Water based enamel
Colour you can trust.
Reasonably priced, readily available and consistent in performance, jar after jar. The same quality whether you’re buying one colour or stocking a whole art room.
Why Marcus Art
Freedom to create, with nothing to worry about.
Non-toxic & user safe
Formulas reviewed and refined with the user’s safety front of mind, so they’re right for kids, schools and studios.
Kind to the environment
Biodegradable, environmentally friendly materials, with water based options across the range.
Hand made in Melbourne
100% Australian owned and made, in small batches, by people who know every ingredient.
Consistent, every time
Reasonably priced, readily available and guaranteed to perform the same from one order to the next.
Sixty years of colour.
Marcus Art pioneered oil and water based pigment pastes that combine with flexible, stable mediums, giving artists total control over their work.
Who we make for
From first scribbles to the gallery wall.
Kids
Safe, non-toxic materials that make creative play easy, including drawing blocks and Playing “Goo”.
Schools & students
Reliable classroom supplies that clean up with water and suit every year level.
Hobbyists
Quality materials at a fair price, for crafters, makers and weekend painters.
Practising artists
Pastels, mediums and varnishes formulated by an artist, for artists who want control.
Wholesale art & craft materials
Stock Marcus Art in your shop, school or studio. Talk to us about wholesale pricing and supply.
In the studio
Made in small batches.
Our story
A family tradition, still hand made.
Marcus Art was founded in Melbourne in 1963 by Ed and Rina Marcus. Ed thought as both artist and chemist, blending a deep understanding of traditional practice with new synthetic resins, oils, pigments and waxes to create materials for everyone from children to professional artists.
In 2006 Ed asked Kentha Edmunds, who had worked alongside him for almost 40 years, to take over the business. Today Kentha and his wife Smadar proudly carry on Ed’s tradition of high quality, hand made art materials.
- 1963Ed and Rina Marcus establish Marcus Art in Melbourne
- 2006Kentha Edmunds steps in to run the business
- TodayStill hand made in Bayswater North, Victoria
Knowing what an art material is made from is what gives the artist true freedom.
Get in touch
Orders, wholesale and product questions.
Call, email or send us a message. We’re happy to help you find the right material for the job.
- Phone
- (03) 9720 8779
- Mobile
- 0400 848 064
- Location
- Bayswater North, VIC 3153