Nova Color
Nova Color is a California manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of professional-grade acrylic paints, mediums, canvases, brushes, and art accessories, serving professional artists, hobbyists, muralists, and individual consumers through factory-direct e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersCulver City, California, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nova Color does
Nova Color is a privately held California manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of professional-grade acrylic paints and related art supplies. Its products are manufactured in California, and it operates a headquarters and manufacturing facility in Hawthorne. The company serves professional artists, hobbyists and art enthusiasts, muralists, and other individual or small-business buyers. The core catalog comprises 92+ acrylic colors across 15 color families, with high-pigment formulations, a resin binder, lightfastness ratings, and opaque, translucent, and transparent options in package sizes from 4-ounce jars to 5-gallon pails. Supporting products include gesso, mediums, varnishes, gels, texture pastes, artist canvas, brush sets, tools, containers, merchandise, gift cards, and pre-curated or build-your-own paint bundles. Nova Color generates revenue primarily through one-time purchases on its own e-commerce store, using factory-direct pricing, volume discounts of up to 70%, nationwide U.S. shipping, and in-store pickup. It also operates a rewards program, affiliate marketing, and artist collaborations. Individual purchases do not require a subscription.
Nova Color firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nova Color
- Legal name
- Nova Color
- Website
- https://novacolorpaint.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Nova Color is a California manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of professional-grade acrylic paints, mediums, canvases, brushes, and art accessories, serving professional artists, hobbyists, muralists, and individual consumers through factory-direct e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nova Color industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artist Acrylic Paint
- NAICS
- Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510)
- SIC
- Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pigments & Dyes (IMAEAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Nova Color is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Culver City, California
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nova Color business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Acrylic Paint Sales: Direct sales of professional-grade acrylic paints in various colors and sizes. One-time purchase model with volume discounts for larger containers.
- Art Supplies and Tools: Sales of artist tools including brushes (Jack Richeson brand), canvas, reusable paint palettes, stir stick sets, jars, and containers.
- Mediums and Gels: Sales of gesso, matte medium, gloss varnish, matte varnish, texture paste, gels, and specialty mediums for acrylic painting.
- Paint Bundles: Pre-curated bundles and build-your-own bundle options offering discounted pricing compared to individual paint purchases.
- Artist Collaborations: Artist-curated bundles featuring collaborations with artists like Betty Franks, Greg Simkins, Michael Carini, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual acrylic paint colors |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gesso and Mediums |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Paint Bundles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Artist Brush Sets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Artist Canvas |
| Other | Other | Rewards Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nova Color product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nova Color manufactures professional-grade acrylic paints in 92+ colors across 15 color families, hand-poured in California since 1965. The product line spans from 4oz jars up to 5-gallon pails, complemented by gessoes, mediums, varnishes, gels, texture pastes, brushes, premium canvas, curated bundles, and artist tools. Sales are conducted factory-direct through the company's own e-commerce site and in-store pickup at its Hawthorne, CA facility, targeting professional and hobbyist artists.
Product overview
Nova Color is a manufacturer of professional-grade acrylic paint and art supplies, operating since 1965. The company produces a core product line of 92+ professional artist acrylic paints available in various sizes from 4oz to 5 gallon pails. Supporting the paint line are gessoes (#200 Gesso, #201 Black Gesso), mediums and varnishes (#204 Matte Medium, #205 Matte Varnish, #206 Gloss Medium Varnish, #216 Exterior Acrylic Varnish, #299 Acrylic Retarder), and gels/textured pastes (#207 Nova Gel, #208 Matte Gel, #209 Super Gel, #202 TEXTURE PASTE, and various specialty gels). The company also offers Artist Canvas (semi-gloss and matte finishes), curated paint bundles (starter, essential artist, muralist, neutral, fluorescent, pearl, and artist collaborations), brush sets (essential, portrait, landscape), various artist tools and accessories (reusable palette, stir sticks, color chart, containers), and branded merchandise. All products are manufactured in California, USA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nova Color Artists Acrylic Paint: The company's primary product line of professional-grade acrylic paints available in over 92 colors, sold directly to artists through their website and retail channels.
Products and services
- Professional Acrylic Paint (92+ colors) Professional-grade acrylic paint available in 92+ colors across 15 color families, in sizes from 4oz jars to 5-gallon pails. Features high pigment content and professional lightfastness ratings. Intended for professional and serious hobbyist artists.
- Gessoes
- Mediums & Varnishes Mediums and varnishes including #204 Matte Medium, #205 Matte Varnish, #206 Gloss Medium Varnish, #216 Exterior Acrylic Varnish, and #299 Acrylic Retarder. Used to modify paint flow, drying time, and finish.
- Gels and Textured Pastes Texture and gel products including #207 Nova Gel Medium, #208 Matte Gel, #209 Super Gel, #202 Texture Paste, #203 Black Texture Paste, #218 Tintable Texture Paste, #251 Lightweight Texture Paste, #250 Coarse Lava Gel, #213 Flex Gel, #217 Slow Dry Matte Liquid, #233 Novaplex 233, and #235 Novaplex 235. Used to add body, texture, and specialty effects.
- Artist Canvas Premium artist canvas products available in semi-gloss and matte finishes, designed for professional artists.
- Brush Sets Nova Color branded brush sets (Essential, Portrait, Landscape) plus individual Jack Richeson brand brushes ranging from sponge brushes to pointed sash brushes.
- Curated Paint Bundles Pre-configured and artist-curated paint bundles including Starter, Essential Artist, Muralist, Neutral, Prep Prime and Seal, Core, Mid-Century, Fluorescent, Pearl, and artist collaboration bundles (Betty Franks, Goop Massta, Greg Simkins, Michael Carini, Suzanne Allard, David Unthank, Lesley Grainger).
- Artist Tools & Accessories Artist tools and accessories including Reusable Paint Palette, Reusable Stir Stick Set, Color Chart, Empty Squeeze Bottle, Empty Jars (4oz, 16oz Pint, 32oz Quart), Nova Color Apron, Canvas Brush Roll, and miscellaneous containers.
- Nova Color Merchandise Branded merchandise including apparel and accessories featuring the Nova Color logo.
- E-Gift Card Digital gift cards available for purchase on the Nova Color website for use on merchandise and supplies.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,000+ 5-star reviews from verified customers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Nova Color
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nova Color technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Nova Color partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Betty FrankscoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. Betty Franks creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
- Greg SimkinscoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. Greg Simkins creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
- Michael CarinicoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. Michael Carini creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
- Suzanne AllardcoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. Suzanne Allard creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
- Goop MasstacoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. Goop Massta creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
- David UnthankcoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. David Unthank creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
- Lesley GraingercoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. Lesley Grainger creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
- Jodie KingcoreArtist collaboration featuring curated paint bundles. Jodie King creates themed color selections for Nova Color customers.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nova Color competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Blick Art Materials: Largest US art supplies retailer, carries competing professional acrylic lines and Blick's own house brand. Not a direct manufacturer competitor but a critical distribution and brand-discovery channel that Nova Color currently bypasses.
- Jerry's Artarama: Major US art supplies retailer selling competing professional acrylic brands and house-label paints. Adjacent ecosystem player whose shelves Nova Color does not currently access.
Direct peers
- Chroma Inc. Australian-based maker of Jo Sonja and Atelier professional artist acrylics. Comparable in niche, professional-artist focus, and boutique brand positioning to Nova Color, with international distribution.
- Liquitex: Long-established professional acrylic paint brand (owned by ColArt). Sells heavy body and soft body acrylics plus mediums into the same professional artist and student segments as Nova Color, with much broader global distribution.
- Daler-Rowney: UK-based artist paint and materials manufacturer (System 3, Cryla, FW Acrylic Inks). Competes with Nova Color in student and professional acrylics and is sold through art supply retailers worldwide.
- Winsor & Newton: Historic British artist paint and medium manufacturer (part of ColArt group). Competes in professional artist acrylics (Artists' Acrylic, Professional Acrylic ranges) with comparable technical specifications and a far larger international footprint.
- Sargent Art: US-based manufacturer of artist acrylics including professional-grade formulations. Similar factory-direct value positioning to Nova Color, serving schools, hobbyists, and budget-conscious professional artists.
- Golden Artist Colors: Privately held New York-based manufacturer of professional artist acrylic paints and mediums. Directly comparable to Nova Color as a premium, professional-grade acrylic brand sold through art supply retailers and directly to artists.
- M. Graham & Co. Family-owned Oregon-based manufacturer of professional artist acrylics and oils with a similar heritage, small-batch, artist-focused positioning to Nova Color, including pigment-loaded formulations and direct artist engagement.
- Amsterdam (Royal Talens): Royal Talens' Amsterdam Standard Series and Expert Acrylics are professional artist acrylic paints sold globally. Comparable color range, professional lightfastness ratings, and similar artist-direct marketing approach as Nova Color.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nova Color social profiles
Digital presenceNova Color financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nova Color leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Nova Color funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nova Color M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nova Color
What does Nova Color do?
Nova Color manufactures professional-grade acrylic paints in 92+ colors across 15 color families, hand-poured in California since 1965. The product line spans from 4oz jars up to 5-gallon pails, complemented by gessoes, mediums, varnishes, gels, texture pastes, brushes, premium canvas, curated bundles, and artist tools. Sales are conducted factory-direct through the company's own e-commerce site and in-store pickup at its Hawthorne, CA facility, targeting professional and hobbyist artists.
Is Nova Color a public or private company?
Nova Color is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Nova Color founded?
Nova Color was founded in 1965. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Nova Color based?
Nova Color is headquartered in Culver City, California, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nova Color make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Acrylic Paint Sales are the primary driver. The others are art Supplies and Tools, mediums and Gels, paint Bundles and artist Collaborations.
Who are Nova Color's main competitors?
Others on record are Blick Art Materials and Jerry's Artarama. Direct peers are Chroma Inc., Liquitex, Daler-Rowney, Winsor & Newton, Sargent Art, Golden Artist Colors, M. Graham & Co. and Amsterdam (Royal Talens).
Does Nova Color have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nova Color.
What industry is Nova Color in?
Nova Color's product category is Artist Acrylic Paint. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAHAJ, Pigments & Dyes. Its NAICS code is 325510 and its SIC code is 2851.