BEHIND THE BRAND:
LANGRIDGE

Based in Melbourne, Australia, Langridge are an independent and innovative oil paint manufacturer founded by artist and colour expert David Coles. Established in 1992, the company set out to produce a range of exceptional colours of uncompromising quality, free from the conventions and limitations of historical paintmaking. Influenced by the intense light of Australia and the visual experience of modern life this has resulted in a range of clean and contemporary colours built for the 21st century.

David has been steeped in the world of colour since childhood. His family owned an art shop where he often helped out and his father was an illustrator. He then gained a place studying painting at Bristol Art School, England, where there was a deep emphasis on making art materials and understanding technical traditions harking back to the Renaissance. After graduating, he moved to London and secured a job at the famous traditional art store Cornelisson & Son where he consolidated his knowledge and began experimenting with 18th-century pigment recipes in his spare time.

But it was not until David emigrated to Australia after a period of travelling that he decided to build a business based on his passion for colour. Langridge (named after the Melbourne street where it was first based), was started on a tiny budget and he spent thousands of hours experimenting and perfecting his skills to make an oil paint that matched his vision. He also felt it important that his company offer something different from other paintmakers and the extraordinary light of Australia and the modernity it illuminates became his inspiration.