Kidderminster arts firm Reeves lands super Spiderman deal with Marvel Comics

Oct 5 2009 by Anna Blackaby, Birmingham Post

“Not only have we worked closely with Marvel for some months, but we have also conducted some research with a child development psychologist to ensure the Painting By Numbers products work for the targeted age groups.

“The research suggests that the age six-plus and eight –plus licences are the perfect fit, as the kits provide the ideal stimulant to keep children entertain and engaged, leaving the child with a satisfied feeling when they have competed this picture.

“Not only is this great news for us all, it is a real success story for the industry and the wider business community, as the product will be manufactured here at our Kidderminster headquarters.”

Reeves said it was witnessing a renaissance in painting by numbers, an activity which achieved popularity in the 1950s. Painting by Numbers was the brainchild of artist and designer Dan Robbins in 1951.

Although early examples of painting by numbers existed during the 1920s, these were marketed solely to children.

The products were inspired by a story about artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci assigning numbered portions of paintings to his assistants to complete.

They promised to make Rembrandts out of art enthusiasts and successfully bridged a gap between Joe Public and the elitist.