Specialist Crafts Ltd

Specialist Crafts Ltd: art, textiles and design & technology supplies

Specialist Crafts Ltd is a supplier of art, textiles and design & technology (D&T) resources aimed at educational institutions, students and artists. The company operates as part of the Dryad Education Group and runs an online catalogue through specialistcrafts.co.uk. Its stated customer base spans schools and other teaching organisations as well as individual students and practising artists, both in the United Kingdom and internationally.

A broad catalogue organised by discipline

The product range is structured around the main areas of art and design teaching. In painting, the catalogue covers acrylic, watercolour, oil, spray, readymixed, gouache and tempera paints, together with special mediums and accessories. Acrylic lines include X2 Free Flow Acryl, X4 Standard Acryl, X6 Premium Acryl, System 3 Original Acrylics, Chromacryl Acrylic and Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic. Brushes are grouped into artist, student and set ranges, with additional bargain brushes, special brushes and applicators, palette knives, water pots, palettes, painting trays and cleaning materials.

Drawing materials include colouring pens, fineliners, markers and Posca pens; colour, graphite and watercolour pencils; charcoal and fixative; oil pastels, oil sticks and crayons, chalk and soft pastels; inks; technical drawing supplies; and calligraphy materials. The catalogue also lists canvas, inks and Brusho, storage and display products, photography supplies, artists' easels, art resource books, and protective clothing and cleaning products.

Pottery, modelling and ceramics

For three-dimensional work, Specialist Crafts lists air-drying clays, plasticine and coloured clay, pottery equipment and slip casting, potters' clay, pottery tools, glazes and glaze ancillaries. Modelling supplies include Mod Roc, modelling mesh, modelling foam and plastics, mould making and casting materials, sculptural materials and modelling tools. Ceramic colours, mosaics, and kilns with kiln accessories complete this part of the range.

Paper, printing and textiles

The paper and board section covers sketchbooks and pads, including spiral-bound sketch pads, Key Stage pads and speciality pads; cartridge, watercolour, speciality and sugar paper; Bordette; poster and art paper; craft and creative paper; tissue paper; plain card and board; mounting and construction card and board; and artists' canvas, paper and painting board, canvas rolls and tools.

Printing supplies are organised by technique: block printing (inks, watercolours, lino printing, inking rollers, lino cutters and equipment), screen printing (inks, mediums, squeegees, frames, tables, exposure units, stencil processing and wash-out booths, and screen care), intaglio and etching (inks and accessories), and printing presses and tools (friction and geared presses, drying racks). The textiles range includes cotton and jute, polycotton, silk, synthetics, fabrics, fabric bundles, specialist materials, non-wovens, and fabric paints and dyes.

Crafts, adhesives and cutting

Beyond the core art disciplines, the catalogue lists mosaics, glass paints and pens, candle making and encaustic art, gilding, enamelling, paper crafts, craft accessories and collage, ribbons, braids and trims, fantasy dip film, toy making, beads, canework and seating, pyrography and wooden blanks, paper and card blanks, jewellery findings and cord, and jewellery tools. Adhesives include glue sticks and pens, adhesive tapes, films and Velcro, PVA, Blu Tack and sticky fixers, spray adhesives, multipurpose glues and spreaders, and glue guns and glue sticks. Cutting equipment covers scissors, hand-held cutters and knives, and desktop rotary cutters.

Merchandising and customer categories

The website organises part of its offer into merchandising categories such as New Products, Value Buys, Bulk Buys, and Sale & Clearance, alongside sections for Student Packs and Workshops. It also includes editorial areas labelled Creative Corner and Meet The Experts. The company describes itself as a leading supplier of art, textiles and D&T resources to educational institutions, students and artists worldwide.