What does Kitsch mean in Art?

History of the kitsch craft, velvet art.

• I'm interested in learning about the history of the craft know today by several names, including: Fuzzy Art, Vivid Velvet, Velvet Art, and Fuzzy Treasures. This craft is basically just coloring, but with a twist. Instead of the art you color being ink on paper, it is velvet on paper (or poster board really). The lines in the art are actually thick lines of black flocking. So in between the lines of the art you have non-flocked areas that are meant to be colored. The velvet lines essentially are little walls that keep your markers in the coloring areas. Also, if you accidentally draw in the velvet areas, the color doesn't show. This essentially makes the coloring easy, especially for kids, which is what the craft is marketed to. I hope I have explained it well, here is a link to a place you can buy it on the web. There is a photo so you can get a general idea if you're still confused: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/alekazanders/creatkidvela.html Basically I just want to know the history of the craft. I hear it has been around for several decades and that it is recently making a comeback, but that's about the extent of my knowledge. When and where was it first created? Who was it marketed to originally? In what decades was it popular? Was the first piece of are really a velvet Elvis? : ) Those kind of answers are what I'm looking for. Thank you!

• Answer:

  Here's the answer reposted + contact information. If you need any additional clarification, please ask before rating this answer. Thank you! ------ Hi meggie-ga, This has been tricky, but interesting one to research! Let me know if you need more information. Western Graphics of Eugene Oregon is a pioneer in "fuzzy posters," having developed its product in the mid 1980's as an offshoot from a similar "black-light" flocked poster concept of the 1960's. They own a copyright on the name "fuzzy posters." According to the company, they're not aware of anyone doing it before them domestically. A representative who has been with the company since the mid 1970's says that the concept has generally grown in popularity since they've started developing it. They are unaware of an "Elvis" design. This flocked-coloring concept has, since its inception, been targeted commercially toward children. A notable dealer whom they wholesale to is called "Rose Art." I also made a contact with "Velvet Art," a company based in the United Kingdom that has a very "home-based" feel to its setup. They claim to have been one of the originators of the product in the UK, again from the 1980's. A rep from this company briefly mentioned a possible technological origin of fleece/poster implementation in connection with Germany in the 1960's, but had no more information to this effect. Contact information: Western Graphics 3535 West First Avenue [or P.O. Box 22310] Eugene, OR 97402 Tel: 541-686-2200 Fax: 541-484-5949 Toll Free: 800-532-3303 Velvet Art is made by: Pastime Promotions Keepers Cottage Lancaster Road Out Rawcliffe PR3 6BL England Tel 0044 (0)1995-671142 Fax 0044 (0)1995-670461 e-mail [email protected] www.velvetart.co.uk Search strategy [among other terms]: "velvet art" "fuzzy posters" jbf777-ga GA Researcher