Art Spectrum® was founded in Melbourne in the early 1960’s by Gay and David Keys Snr, who was an artist and a RMIT fine art lecturer.

Art Spectrum® has become the leading fine art brand in Australia, manufacturing artist oils, studio oils, watercolours, studio watercolours, gouache, pigmented inks, soft and extra-soft pastels, pastel primers, gessoes, varnishes, and solvents.

We are renowned for our unique Australian colours and our traditional European manufacturing methods.

 

Products and Materials

Art Spectrum® has a comprehensive range of supporting products that complement any artists’ requirements which include the world’s first pastel surface paper,  Colourfix™, a huge variety of professional artists’ papers and pads, Caravaggio linens, European Canvars pre-stretched canvas & linens, cotton canvas rolls, stretcher bars, brushes, painting & palette knives, easels and a whole range of studio accessories.

Art Spectrum® prioritises high-quality lightfast pigments and traditional milling processes, aiming for strong chroma, permanence, and reliable handling. The range of “Australian colours” is designed to match the specific hues of local skies, earths, and vegetation, making the brand particularly popular among landscape painters working in Australian light and climate.

Notability and reputation

Within Australia, Art Spectrum® is widely regarded as a benchmark professional brand and is stocked by most major art retailers; it also has a presence in international specialist stores and is exporting to artists worldwide. Its reputation rests on consistency, durability, and local manufacturing, and it is frequently recommended for artists seeking lightfast, professional-grade colour with colour choices tuned to Australian landscapes.

 

Key facts:

Type: Family-owned art materials manufacturer.

Founded: Early 1960s, Melbourne, Australia.

Core products: oils, watercolours, gouache, pastels, inks, primers, mediums, solvents, pads & paper with a supporting range of tools.

Signature feature: “Australian colours” range inspired by local landscapes.

Market position: Leading fine-art brand in Australia with international distribution.

 

 

Art Spectrum® is 100% Australian made and family owned with the strong artistic philosophy – carried on by David’s son, David and his partner Tamara.