Daniel Smith Inc. manufactures professional artist quality watercolor paints, oil paints and mediums. Owner John Cogley maintains an unwavering commitment to quality and innovation, so that artists worldwide can always rely on the stellar performance of DANIEL SMITH products, which are proudly made in the USA since 1976.
1976Dan Smith decides to learn how to make his own inks. He sells his motorcycle to fund his idea to become an art materials retailer, and Daniel Smith, Inc. is born in Seattle, Washington. Click here to meet Dan!
1990Original Oil™ Colors are introduced.
1990Joins ASTM, an international organization that develops and publishes technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.
1993Extra Fine™ Watercolors are launched with 15 colors and defined as “classic watercolor of unsurpassed purity and permanence.” The vision was to produce a truly unique selection of colors that were the best in lightfastness and permanence.
1993Introduces Quinacridone colors to the art materials market – fantastic pigments originally developed for the automotive industry.
1993Joins ACMI, an international association of over 200 art, craft and creative materials manufacturers which seeks to promote product safety through its certification program.
1994PrimaTek colors made from minerals are introduced.
1994Luminescent Watercolors are launched.
2000Development begins for replacing Cadmium pigments for better safety and performance. The project is complete in 2010.
2005John Cogley, first hired in 1988, has worked his way up to President and buys the company from Dan Smith. Click here to read more about John’s passion for pigments!
2006Environmentally-friendly pigments from reclaimed mining tailings are introduced.
2009Extra Fine™ Watercolor Sticks are added to the family of watercolors.
2011Watercolor Grounds are introduced.
2012Water Soluble Oil Colors are added.
2018Hand-poured Half Pan Sets are introduced.
2020Half Pans are made available as open stock.
2022Extra Fine™ GOUACHE is introduced.
