Dan Robbins 2

CM-4- Abstract #1
16x12, 4x5.5

--I had been asked for demonstration of how paint by numbers would work. I decided to do a simple abstract painting because that seemed easy to do in segments of color. Abstracts were popular at the time and seemed like an artistic way of explaining the idea. So, with a little Braque, a little Picasso and a lot of Robbins, I created a 12x16 painting in 22 colors. I called it Abstract No.1. My boss got the idea, but hated the painting so I designed The Fishermen for our first kit. However, we included Abstract No.1 in the catalog of our first six kits. Eventually it became very famous when someone entered a completed Abstract No.1 in an art show and won. The judges were quite embarrassed but the prize resulted in lots of debate about the concept of art and lots of publicity about paint by numbers. Abstract No. 1 became so famous that it has been reissued as a commemorative kit.

CM-5- Latin Figures
7.5x12, 4x5.5

Looking for something a little different, I decided to create a kit with four coordinated pictures by splitting the 12x16 canvas in half. I was attracted to the idea of a man and woman sharing a tropical life in a warm climate. In order to add this picture and The Bullfighter to the catalog we had to expand our production pallet to sixty different mixed oil colors.

CM-6-The Bullfighter
16x12,4x5.5

--I had just read about the history of Manolet, the famous matador in Spain, and was determined to capture the essence of that death defying, yet beautiful struggle between man and beast. I wanted to be Hemmingway with paint and brush. A few of the first run of this kit went out with colors that were incorrectly numbered. The mistake was quickly noticed when the bullfighters ended up with blue capes.