Prestigious fine art brand Derwent appoints new distributor in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan artists aspiring to transcend depth, colour and precision in their work now have the choice of the revered British fine art brand Derwent, with the appointment of Thef:;llstop as the brand’s new distributor.

Sri Lanka’s leading distributor of branded stationery and office products, Thef:;llstop has just launched a selection of premium products from the Derwent professional range exclusively at its flagship store at Crescat, offering drawing and colouring pencils that have not only been used in the creation of masterpieces over many years, but have also kept pace with the evolution of technology. Some of these products will be rolled out to select stationery stores throughout 2018.

Inspired by the dynamic landscape of the Borrowdale Valley in England which was the backdrop for artists, writers and poets including Thomas Gray, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Ruskin and Hemmingway, the Derwent professional range in its new distinctive blue branding is aimed at professional and expert leisure artists who require the best quality drawing materials. The comprehensive range includes graphite and colouring pencils, watercolour pencils and pens.

Notable artists who were commissioned for the brand’s new packaging include Irish artist Claudine O’Sullivan whose hand drawn illustrations were featured in the professional advertising campaign that won the 2017 World Illustration Award and the Greek visual artist and illustrator Alexis Marcou best known for his work for the Nike, PepsiCo, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Atomic Skis, BMW, ESPN and Acco brands. O’Sullivan uses Derwent’s Coloursoft pencils for her work while Marcou enjoys working with the Derwent Graphic and Precision mechanical pencils.

The Derwent professional products that are available at Thef:;llstop include the innovative Derwent Inktense range and Derwent Watercolour pencils. Both pencils are water soluble but perform differently when dry. Layers created with Derwent Watercolour pencils can be worked by adding water on top to blend and create nuanced light effects. Inktense pencils, blocks and paint pan sets on the other hand, dry to a vibrant ink-like layer and are permanent; layers added on top do not affect the underlying layers but result in bold and intense paintings. Since the pigment of these Inktense pencils is permanent, they can be used on silk and cotton fabric and even on canvas.

Derwent Coloursoft pencils are particularly suited for bold still-life drawings and contemporary landscapes. Velvety rich in texture, this range of 72 colours, produces a soft texture, brings out the richness of colour, and is perfect for blending.

The Derwent professional ranges come in handcrafted, high quality wooden boxes which make a sumptuous gift for the budding artist.

Committed to meeting the needs of professional artists, the unique pigments used in Derwent products are tested for light fastness in the Derwent technical laboratory and graded from 1-8 on the Blue Wool Scale. Light fastness refers to the chemical stability of a pigment under long exposure to UV light. Each pencil is individually graded; paintings created using higher graded pencils are more durable and have a non-fade effect that lasts over 100 years in gallery conditions. 

The Derwent brand is owned by the ACCO Brands Corporation of USA which has been one of the world’s largest suppliers of business, consumer and academic products for more than a century.

As a specialist in branded stationery, Thef:;llstop serves as a platform to launch new products and improve the image of the brands it represents. These products are retailed via leading supermarkets, stationers and bookshops and at the company’s showroom at Crescat. Thef:;llstop brand portfolio includes Esselte of Sweden, Leitz of Germany, Maped of France, Maruman of Japan, Daycraft of Hong Kong,Plus of Japan, and now Derwent of the United Kingdom.

Thef:;llstop is also the sole distributor for the Derwent Academy range recommended for art students hobbyists and aspiring artists. This range is currently available at 30 stationers and bookshops around the country.