Where do you guys buy art supplies?

**Erik Asorson** · July 23rd, 2003, 02:16 PM

Lets face it, art supplies are expensive since they are a specialty item. I was wondering if you guys all shop in your local area for art supplies, or are there perhaps any hidden treasure online retailers with cheap prices and good service?

**Fisa** · July 23rd, 2003, 03:09 PM

All the art stores by me are lame-o. I usually buy them online from various places. Instead of googling for art stores, I look for specific items and order from whomever.

**freakybob** · July 23rd, 2003, 03:35 PM

Your best best is dick blick. www.dickblick.com

Pretty cheap prices and a big selection...

cheers.

**jrr** · July 23rd, 2003, 09:42 PM

http://www.italianartstore.com
pretty cheap for good brushes and paint.

**Michael_H** · July 23rd, 2003, 11:02 PM

I buy mine at Staples. They can actually have nice stuff at times.

For more out of the ordinary supplies, I go to "Artworks - Galleries and Supplies." I'm not sure if thats a chain though.

**Sakievich** · July 23rd, 2003, 11:09 PM

A good place to get really great brushes for a low price is http://www.trekell.com

If you take care of these brushes they last a long time and hold up under a lot painting.

**stephen** · July 24th, 2003, 02:29 AM

http://www.aswexpress.com/
GREATprices on winsor&newton oil paint. prolly other stuff too, but that's all ive bought from there so far.

**Andrew** · July 29th, 2003, 03:32 PM

So I go were I can get the best deals.

Dick Blick
Mister Art
Utrecht
Jerry's
Cheap Joe's
Ceramic Supply

and oddly enough; Van Dykes Taxidermy

I just shop around for the best deal.

Andrew

**BadMange** · July 29th, 2003, 04:46 PM

I found an art supply store three blocks from my apartment that gives 25% off to students. They don't have much, so I'm trying to find a place that gives student discounts online. I doubt there are any, since I've done some searching. Anyone know?

-Bad Mange

**strych9ine** · July 29th, 2003, 04:51 PM

What do you think of Pearl downtown Chicago, Mange? I don't know where yer at, but Pearl and Utrecht (on michigan ave. by School of the Art Institute) aren't bad.

**BadMange** · July 29th, 2003, 08:23 PM

Pearl has a lot of stuff, and it's only one L stop away from the Mart. I've never bought anything from there, but I've heard they have good prices on stuff. I usually buy supplies from the Art Store near North Ave and Sheffield. I just found out about a place called Genesis, on Western off of Fullerton. They give students a 25% discount on everything. It's a small place though, and they carry only basic stuff.

I'll have to check out Utrecht, never even heard of it. Is there still a Dick Blick downtown? My dad used to buy all his architect supplies there and I'd go with him and look at all the art stuff there and drool. But that was a long time ago...

-Bad Mange

**Elwell** · July 29th, 2003, 09:05 PM

Utrecht's store brand of paints are a really good bang for the buck, and their canvas selection is really good (they started out as a canvas importer). I don't know if they give a student discount, but their prices on non-store brands are still way below list.

Pearl's student discount (at least at the NYC store) is 10%, but their stuff is already discounted so much that that's probably more than equivalent to 25% off at a smaller store.

BTW, most of the big on line art supply places (Jerry's, ASW, Blick) have a form that you can fill out to get a printed catalog. This makes it much easier to compare prices, or just brouse.

To Andrews list I would add
Daniel Smith http://www.danielsmith.com

Trekell brushes rule! (At least the sables, I haven't tried their bristles.)

**PT Osborne** · July 29th, 2003, 10:17 PM

pearl: la cienega... its close to work

**strych9ine** · July 30th, 2003, 12:14 AM

I don't know if Dick Blick is still in town... we have a Brudno's by school (Wabash and Balbo), but it rapes students in need of quick supplies. Genesis is cool, but I tend to go to Pearl for everything. They always have what I need and have a huge selection.

**Andrew** · July 30th, 2003, 12:01 PM

I haven't used any of his stuff, but some friends have and speak highly of the Watercolors at least.

I forgot ASW too. Their drawing and drafting supplies (for those that remember pre-CAD drafting) are well priced. They have some good sales too.

Andrew

**BadMange** · July 30th, 2003, 12:08 PM

I'm glad to hear about all these art stores in downtown Chicago because my school's animation dept is moving to the culinary school location (Randolph & Wabash) and I wasn't aware of anything around that area. Don't know downtown all that well, but I plan to figure it out next quarter. I checked Blick's site, they're only in Schaumburg and Wheaton now, unfortunately. So you've been to Genesis, eh? Not much there, just the very basics.

Daniel Smith advertises a new set of watercolors every issue of Artist's Magazine. I have their catalog, but they're really expanding the whole watercolor palette choices. They seem expensive though, as most good paints are...

-Bad Mange

**Sakievich** · July 30th, 2003, 12:09 PM

I have mostly bristles from Trekell, and they are absolutely splendid.

**keyth** · July 30th, 2003, 10:03 PM

ha. i went to the ILIA in the mart. man....i could tell you a story or two about that school. whew. i hope you are mad disciplined man...cause they don't offer too much as far as instruction. get bruno surdo's life drawing classes and take patrick welch's storyboarding class and his character design class. when you take portfolio...sign up with welch as well. he studied at the royal academy of art in london. he and bruno surdo are the ONLY ones there that have a substantial training in art and they (unlike many instructors there) are into helping the students out.

my two cents.

**BadMange** · July 31st, 2003, 08:32 AM

Hey keyth, thanks for the advice! Funny you should mention those classes. I transferred to ILIA from Denver's branch and it sucked so bad that anything would've been better. Don't want to get too off topic here, so I sent you a PM.

-Bad Mange