TSOFA TESTED • The Society of Figurative Arts and The Venerable Association of Artists (VAoA) will field test and review artists materials in the TSOFA TEST LAB to provide the Fine Art Professional and serious amateur with the product information they need to make informed purchase decisions. We visit industry trade events such as Namta to see what’s new and talk one on one with manufacturers, distributors and retailers. We also request samples of new products directly from the manufacturer to review and evaluate.

Artists are uniquely different and have different needs. Very few will find all of those needs satisfied by one product line or manufacturer. The TSoFA review team consist of the top tier of professional artists whose names remain anonymous so they can provide unbiased assessments of the products being analyzed.

Different papers are best suited for different media. If one has a favorite media they need to find the surface best suited for that media. This is just one example out of the vast array of decisions facing artists as they go about their personal journey. The bulk of the marketing in the art materials arena is geared toward mass merchandisers (big box stores) which, by its very nature, focused on Sunday painters, hobbiest and crafters. Products developed for the mass market are seldom the best choice for the serious amateur or full-time professional. That’s where we come in, The Society of Figurative Arts is focused on the needs of individual Draughtsman, Painter, or Scupltor.