Our team of ingredient specialists in our global Solution Centers knows that innovation doesn't happen overnight, particularly with coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, rubber and plastic additives (CASE) products. It takes diligent research and development, the highest precision regarding quality control, and creativity – an infinite amount of creativity – especially when formulating with spray paint ingredients. In those instances, few collaborators meet that criterion better than Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., better known among the professional artist community as GONZO247.
Beginning his artistic journey in 1992, the native Houstonian and self-taught multidisciplinary artist has over three decades of experience. His body of work, including numerous local and international exhibits and instantly recognizable murals, spans the globe, and he collaborates with top brands and campaigns that speak to urban communities.
GONZO247 is also the co-founder of Houston's "Wall of Fame," the city's first legally authorized graffiti wall that welcomes all artists to paint, making it the first and one of the most unique productions of its kind. Additionally, he founded the Graffiti & Street Art Museum of Texas and continues to create new projects at his home base of Aerosol Warfare Gallery and Studio.
Considering Univar Solutions' history of innovation, our chemists' approaches to spray paint formulation, and GONZO247's history of breaking new ground through his art world endeavors, our partnership makes perfect sense for exploring vital solutions to advance product development.
The process: Improved spray paint properties through collaboration
Brands and manufacturers often hear common criticisms when a product isn't working efficiently in the field. Beyond being a world-class distributor, our Solution Center specialty labs work directly with producers to find effective ways to overcome even the most complex paint formulation challenges.
In our collaboration with GONZO247, the lab aimed to create spray paint formulations that were safer than current market offerings – ideally water-based – without sacrificing efficacy or lessening performance. Our team wanted to develop formulations with characteristics comparable to or better performing than existing products, especially with high gloss formulations.
"Early on, everyone realized the importance of [spray paint] ingredients," GONZO247 says. "There were certain brands where you knew that brand was just watery because what was in it was garbage. [You had to learn which products to use for their ingredient properties] that is going to help you achieve what you want."
Historically, GONZO247 and numerous other graffiti artists in their community gravitate toward aerosol paint offerings from Europe, which have long focused on this specific market segment in providing artists with the tools they need for modern murals and street art.
The lab team started with existing formulations from public information and combined them with their knowledge of similar systems. Next, they modified the formulations to improve their characteristics to align with anticipated performance needs. Lastly, they had a local paint company charge spray cans from SEM with our reimagined formulations.
Initially, the team conducted a spray evaluation in the lab to assess the updated spray paint formulation's performance under controlled conditions. Based on GONZO247's feedback, they made changes to the rheology modifiers, polymers employed, and several other additives.
The goal of the latest spray test was to better gauge how it performed in the field at GONZO247's Houston-based studio space using the refined formulations from his prior feedback. The testing results demonstrated tremendous progress, leaving him thrilled with the performance and overall potential of our water-based offering and what it could mean for the art community's future.
The importance of field testing for spray paint performance
GONZO247 offers advice for any paint formulators who want to solve real-world problems regarding aerosol spray formulation. "Work with an artist. Don't be afraid to exit the lab. If you were going to [work with] someone in the automotive industry or someone in the construction field, you would go to them and see where they're working, what they're doing, what their environment is...with art, you should go into the artists' studio...go out to the wall space to see what they're doing...how they're using your product," the internationally renowned artist stated. Our application development specialists in the Solution Centers couldn't agree more.
Whether formulating for eco-friendly paints, waterborne coatings, or other architectural paint solutions, Univar Solutions can provide the right performance material solutions for your paint formulation needs. Through our Solution Center capabilities, our coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, and plastic and rubber additives provide extensive formulation options using high-quality raw materials from our premier chemical and ingredient portfolio for paint solutions.
Want to learn more about how our collaboration to make aerosol spray paint formulations better for street artists, muralists, and our environment's well-being? Connect with our team to learn how to advance your product lineups.
