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Paint-by-numbers inventor dies at 93
BBC ^ | 5 april 2019 | BBC

Posted on 04/09/2019 1:19:45 PM PDT by csvset

Dan Robbins, the artist behind the paint-by-numbers craze that swept America, has died in Sylvania, Ohio, at the age of 93, his son told the AP news agency.

He was working at a paint products firm in the 1940s when he invented the kits.

By the 1950s millions were being sold across the US every year.

His inspiration for the idea came from Leonardo da Vinci, who used a similar method when teaching his apprentices how to paint.

Mr Robbins first joined Palmer Paint, a company selling children's paint sets, after serving in World War Two.


Dan Robbins with a paint-by-numbers self-portrait

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: art; paintbynumbers; painting; rip
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Some examples and stories by folks.

'Painting-by-numbers literally saved my life'

1 posted on 04/09/2019 1:19:45 PM PDT by csvset
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To: csvset

Huh. Sylvania, one of the more fortunate suburbs of Toledo.
RIP.


2 posted on 04/09/2019 1:22:03 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Texas Fossil

Seriously, you can’t make thus stuff up.

His legacy lives on!


3 posted on 04/09/2019 1:23:12 PM PDT by Ezekiel (The pun is mightier than the s-word.)
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To: csvset

I really enjoyed these, as a kid. Now we have apps that will create a painting from a photo. Times have certainly changed.


4 posted on 04/09/2019 1:23:37 PM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: Huskrrrr

We used to get a lot of these as gifts when I was very young in the ‘60s. My mother’s rule was we could paint anything we would like with them, except the outlined subject provided
— so as to encourage our own creativity.


5 posted on 04/09/2019 1:26:05 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: csvset

Rest in Peace.

Thanks for sharing the story, csvset.


6 posted on 04/09/2019 1:26:55 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Huskrrrr

Times have certainly changed.

Have an older astrologist friend, she bemoans that in the old days you got out the star books and did a reading based on the birthday, time and location, it would take a few hours but you would slowly see the “personality” of the people coming into focus. Now she says there is software and you get the same results but it takes 30 seconds and there is no joy in it.
I think that is what is so missing in our society, there is so little craft-work or hobbies anymore to give simple happiness.


7 posted on 04/09/2019 1:29:15 PM PDT by Jolla
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To: Jolla
...she bemoans that in the old days you got out the star books and did a reading based on the birthday, time and location, it would take a few hours but you would slowly see the “personality” of the people coming into focus. Yeah, they just don't teach STEM like they did in the old days, do they?
8 posted on 04/09/2019 1:34:56 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: csvset

When my Daughter was around 4, I bought her a “paint with water”, coloring book. She loved it but actually has no drawing or painting talent at all.

Interestingly, both her Son and Daughter are extremely talented. My Grandson can draw pictures which one can easily mistake for a photograph.


9 posted on 04/09/2019 1:43:38 PM PDT by yarddog
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Yeah, they just don’t teach STEM like they did in the old days, do they?


No, they don’t. I got my start with these...from third thru 12 grade. Loved seeing those blue and yellow boxes come in the mail.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_of_Science


10 posted on 04/09/2019 1:45:59 PM PDT by Roccus (When you talk to a politician...ANY politician...always say, "Remember Ceausescu")
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To: csvset

Today you can paint by numbers using a computer monitor and a mouse . . . I don’t really think it is the same thing.


11 posted on 04/09/2019 1:46:54 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: csvset

RIP.


12 posted on 04/09/2019 1:54:13 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj ("It's Slappin' Time !")
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To: csvset

According to Pythagoras, “All things are numbers.”


13 posted on 04/09/2019 1:59:28 PM PDT by fwdude (Think about it: Blacks were made slaves in Africa, but were made free men in America.)
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To: Roccus
That was a joke about astrology.


14 posted on 04/09/2019 2:01:08 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: fwdude

According to Pythagoras, “All things are numbers.”

36 24 36


15 posted on 04/09/2019 2:03:16 PM PDT by alternatives? (Why have an army if there are no borders?)
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To: csvset
The first paint-by-number picture:


16 posted on 04/09/2019 2:05:34 PM PDT by C210N (You can vote your way into Socialism; but, you have to shoot your way out of it.)
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To: Roccus

That “Things of Science” kit sounds wonderful! I wonder why I never heard of that as a kid. I bought all sorts of things like that, my Dad gave me wonderful toys and tools like that (Erector set, chemistry sets), helped me build crystal radios using cat’s whisker detectors he got at work (I remember 100 foot copper wire antennas across the back yard). One of my all-time favorites was building the “Visible V8” engine kit.

I’ve been automating my home the past several years and find that there aren’t always the sensors or systems available to do what I want, so I’ve been teaching myself Arduino and circuit design to fill in gaps. It’s like the electronics kits from the 50s and 60s on steroids these days! I still get a lot of fun out of building things like that.


17 posted on 04/09/2019 2:08:07 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

If you haven’t read it yet

https://makezine.com/2011/01/25/things-of-science/


18 posted on 04/09/2019 2:13:57 PM PDT by Roccus (When you talk to a politician...ANY politician...always say, "Remember Ceausescu")
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
Remember these catalogs? Getting one of the in the mail during the holidays was better than the Sears Wish Book.....


19 posted on 04/09/2019 2:21:28 PM PDT by Viking2002
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To: csvset

Good man, great invention. RIP. Prayers for his soul up.


20 posted on 04/09/2019 2:23:50 PM PDT by libstripper
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