Daler-Rowney Art Supplies Deals — Sales, Discounts & Price Comparison UK

The Complete Guide to Daler-Rowney Art Supplies — Plus How to Find the Best UK Deals and Discounts

Daler-Rowney is one of those brands that has been part of British art making for so long that it's easy to take for granted. The name has been on studio shelves, in art school supply lists, and in the paint boxes of generations of UK artists for decades — and the story behind it is considerably more interesting than most people realise. Here's everything you need to know about the range and how to find the best UK price before you buy.

A British Brand With a 240-Year History

The Rowney side of the Daler-Rowney story begins in 1783, when brothers Richard and Thomas Rowney opened premises in London selling — of all things — perfumes and wig powder. The wig trade collapsed when it went out of fashion, and the Rowney brothers pivoted to making colours for artists. It turned out to be the right decision at the right moment. The late eighteenth century was a golden period for British painting — Turner and Constable were both early customers of the Rowney business, which gives you a sense of the company's standing in the art world from its earliest years.

The Daler side of the business has an entirely different and rather remarkable origin. Terry Daler returned from a German prisoner of war camp in 1946 and, starting essentially from nothing, founded the Daler Board Company in the same year. He began in sign writing before moving into art materials — specifically the boards, canvases, and surfaces that artists paint on. The business grew steadily through the post-war decades as British art education expanded and the market for quality art materials grew with it.

The merger of Daler and Rowney in 1983 created a company with complementary strengths — Rowney's deep expertise in artist colours alongside Daler's manufacturing capability in surfaces and supports. The combined business became one of the most comprehensive art materials manufacturers in the UK and remains so today. The Bracknell headquarters and manufacturing facility produces over 30 million units annually — tubes, pots, pans, and bottles covering the full range of painting media. For a country that has largely lost its manufacturing base in most industries, Daler-Rowney's continued UK production is worth acknowledging.

The Daler-Rowney Range — What's Available

Daler-Rowney produces one of the broadest art materials ranges of any single UK brand — covering virtually every painting and drawing medium from student to professional grade. Here's a breakdown:

Daler-Rowney Georgian Oil Paint

The mid-range oil colour that has been a staple of British studios for decades. Georgian is triple-milled, available in 58 colours, and carries lightfastness ratings of 3 to 4 stars across the range. It sits above entry-level student paints and below professional artist grade — occupying the sweet spot that makes it the right choice for students, developing artists, and established painters who use it for underpainting, large areas, and studio practice where professional-grade colour isn't necessary.

I have a specific memory of Daler-Rowney Georgian that puts the brand's loyalty in sharp context. Around 2014, when I was running digital marketing at ARTdiscount, we bought approximately 20,000 tubes of discontinued Georgian colours in a single purchase. It took us the best part of two years to sell every single tube — not through fire sales or heavy discounting, but through targeted emails and community content that reached artists who specifically wanted those discontinued shades. Nobody returns to a paint they don't rate. The fact that 20,000 tubes found homes over two years tells you more about Georgian's real-world standing than any technical specification.

We've covered Georgian oil paint in depth in our <a href="https://discountartsupplies.co.uk/blog/daler-rowney-georgian-oil-paint-review" target="_blank">full Daler-Rowney Georgian honest review</a> — worth reading if you're considering the range.

Georgian Water Mixable Oil Paint

A modification of the Georgian formula that allows thinning and cleaning with water rather than solvents — making oil painting accessible in shared spaces, classrooms, and studios where ventilation is limited. The same colour range, the same lightfastness ratings, slightly longer drying time. One of the better water mixable oil ranges available at this price point.

Daler-Rowney System 3 Acrylics

The System 3 acrylic range is one of Daler-Rowney's most widely used products — a student and hobbyist grade acrylic available in an extensive colour range across tubes and tubs. System 3 is the workhorse acrylic for art education in the UK — it's in more school and college art rooms than any other brand and has introduced more people to acrylic painting than probably any other single product range.

Available in 75ml tubes, 150ml tubes, and 500ml tubs, System 3 covers the full colour range including fluorescents and metallics. The larger tub formats are particularly popular for mural work and large-scale painting where volume matters more than pigment depth. Not a professional grade product — but a reliably consistent, accessible one that serves its audience well.

Daler-Rowney Cryla Artists' Acrylic

The professional tier acrylic — higher pigment load, better lightfastness ratings, and more consistent colour behaviour than System 3. Cryla is the product serious Daler-Rowney acrylic painters reach for, and the range has been refined over decades to offer genuinely professional performance. Available in tubes and larger sizes, with open stock across a full colour range.

Daler-Rowney Aquafine Watercolour

The entry-level watercolour range — student grade, available in pans and tubes, at a price point that makes regular practice affordable. Aquafine is the range most recommended for beginners to watercolour and for children developing an interest in the medium. Not a professional product but a solid, reliable introduction.

Daler-Rowney Artists' Watercolour

The professional tier — higher pigment concentrations, better lightfastness, and more nuanced colour mixing behaviour than Aquafine. Available in a focused range of tubes and pans, the Artists' range is the product for serious watercolour painters who want Daler-Rowney's British manufacturing heritage at a professional level.

Daler-Rowney Graduate Brushes

A student and educational brush range covering watercolour, acrylic, and oil applications. Graduate brushes are the most widely distributed Daler-Rowney brush product in the UK — reliable, affordable, and available in every art shop across the country. For students and beginners who need a functional brush range without significant investment, Graduate is the standard recommendation.

Daler-Rowney Simply Range

The entry-level range across multiple media — paints, brushes, canvases, sketchbooks — at price points designed for complete beginners and children. The Simply range is widely stocked in non-specialist retailers and serves as most people's first encounter with art materials. Not a range for serious practice but exactly right for its audience.

Daler-Rowney Canvases and Surfaces

The Daler side of the business built its reputation in surfaces, and Daler-Rowney's canvas and board range reflects that heritage. Stretched canvases, canvas boards, sketching papers, and mixed media surfaces across a range of sizes and grades. The Daler-Rowney canvas range is among the most widely stocked in the UK and offers competitive pricing across student through to professional formats.

Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Inks

One of the most distinctive products in the Daler-Rowney range — FW Acrylic Inks are water-based, acrylic inks with a very high pigment load that produce intense, transparent colour. Waterproof and lightfast when dry, FW inks are used by illustrators, calligraphers, mixed media artists, and anyone who wants the colour intensity of ink with the archival properties of acrylic. Available in 38 colours including fluorescents and metallics.

The FW range has a devoted following in the illustration community and is one of Daler-Rowney's most consistently recommended products by artists who use it regularly.

Daler-Rowney Designers' Gouache

A professional gouache range used extensively in illustration, graphic design, and fine art. Designers' Gouache offers the opaque, matte coverage that gouache is known for, with Daler-Rowney's characteristic consistency and colour accuracy. Popular with illustrators who work in traditional media and with fine artists who use gouache as a primary medium.

How to Get the Best Daler-Rowney Deals and Discounts in the UK

Daler-Rowney is one of the most widely stocked art brands in the UK — available from virtually every art and craft retailer. That breadth means prices vary genuinely between stockists and comparison shopping is consistently worthwhile.

Use a price comparison tool first — this page aggregates live pricing from UK stockists so the best current Daler-Rowney deal is immediately visible.

System 3 large tubs on sale — the 500ml System 3 acrylic tubs are frequently included in sale promotions and represent the best value format for artists who use acrylic in volume. Watch for these specifically during seasonal sale events.

Georgian large tubes — the 225ml Georgian oil paint tubes for Titanium White and other high-use colours are considerably better value per ml than standard 38ml tubes. Buying the large format during a sale event is the best economics for regular Georgian users.

FW ink sets on promotion — the FW Acrylic Ink range appears in gift set and introductory pack promotions regularly. If you've been meaning to try FW inks, a promoted set is the right entry point.

Watch for seasonal sales — Daler-Rowney products are included in virtually every major UK art retail sale event. Black Friday and January sales consistently include meaningful reductions on the Georgian and System 3 ranges in particular.

Check discount codes before checkout — we list verified active codes for UK art retailers on this site. General retailer codes apply to the full Daler-Rowney range.

Is Daler-Rowney Worth Buying?

The honest answer depends entirely on which part of the range you're looking at. Georgian oil paint and System 3 acrylics are exactly right for their intended audiences — they don't claim to be professional grade and they deliver well on what they actually are. FW Acrylic Inks and Designers' Gouache are genuinely professional products that compete credibly with alternatives from more fashionable brands. The Artists' Watercolour and Cryla acrylic ranges are solid professional options from a manufacturer with genuine heritage.

What unites the range is the manufacturing consistency that comes from 240 years of British art materials production and one of the last remaining large-scale UK manufacturing operations in the sector. Daler-Rowney may not be the most glamorous name in the studio, but it's one of the most reliable — and reliability, over time, is what the best studio materials deliver.

Frequently Asked Questions About Daler-Rowney

When was Daler-Rowney founded? The Rowney business was founded in 1783 in London. The Daler Board Company was founded in 1946. The two merged in 1983 to create the Daler-Rowney name.

Where are Daler-Rowney products made? Daler-Rowney manufactures at their facility in Bracknell, Berkshire — producing over 30 million tubes and pots of colour annually. One of the last significant art materials manufacturers still producing at scale in the UK.

What is the difference between Georgian and Artists' oil paint? Georgian is Daler-Rowney's mid-range oil — triple-milled, reliable, and well-priced for students and general studio use. Artists' Oil is the professional grade — higher pigment load, better lightfastness, and more nuanced colour behaviour for finished professional work.

Are Daler-Rowney FW inks waterproof? Yes — FW Acrylic Inks are waterproof and lightfast once fully dry, making them suitable for work where permanence and water resistance are required. They can be used with watercolour washes over the top once dry without lifting.

Where can I buy Daler-Rowney products in the UK? Daler-Rowney is stocked by virtually every UK art retailer including Cass Art, Jacksons Art Supplies, Amazon UK, Hobbycraft, The Works, and most independent art shops. Use the comparison tool on this page to find the best current UK deal before you buy.