Art Supplies and Craft Supplies

Any artist knows that buying art supplies can be way too fun. Artists can get lost in art supply stores for hours, entranced by the spectrum of colors and the wide variety of mediums. It’s tempting for an artist to go overboard with grandiose ideas of all the great projects they can complete.

It’s also common for artists to be tight on cash- they don’t call them starving artists for no reason! And with all the tempting supplies it’s easy for the artist to blow through their budget. However saving money on art supplies doesn’t mean the artist has to sacrifice on quality. Allartdirect.com is an informational site designed to provide artists and art teachers information on art supplies and how to save money on these items.

The site does not endorse any products or brands but is more of a guide for those looking to amass a collection of supplies on a budget. This site has information on a wide range of supplies including brushes, pencils, paper, canvas, paints, and easels. There is also a section for teachers on the subject of classroom art supplies.

Having just the right amount of supplies is a matter of being realistic. Be aware of how much time is available for creative projects and realize that often times supplies get purchased, and then never used. It’s a good idea to start the supply inventory with just the basics, noting what gets used more and what collects dust.

For example a painter does not need every size of brush, just two or three of the couple of sizes they use most often. Professional paints can be mixed with student paints or a medium to make them last longer while not comprising the vividness of the pigment. Paper that has project that went nowhere on it can be recycled or even used for texture on the canvas.

Once the basics are identified then additional accessory supplies can be purchased. Certain types of art can benefit from useful extras. Acrylic painting is easier with disposable palettes. And when working with pastels having a piece of tracing paper will help prevent smudges in areas not being worked on.

Teachers who run art classes will find that student paint is much more affordable than professional paint. Additionally, student paint has less pigmentation giving students more room for error. Many teachers will also find using lower quality paper for sketches and rough drafts and saving the high quality paper for final projects can also ease the strain on the classroom budget.

Another great way to save money on art supplies is to compare kit prices to individual piece prices. Sometimes it’s more affordable to buy a box of pastels or color pencils as opposed to buying individual colors, conversely if the artist only needs two or three specific shades individual pieces save them from having to buy a whole set that would just supply them with a bunch of duplicate colors. Many artists are content with just the primary colors and a few secondary colors that can be mixed to create almost any shade desired.

Art supplies can be found at discount prices online. Many stores have beginner sets in different forms of art that put together all the fundamentals in one convenient package.  These stores can also be helpful to teachers because they often sell supplies in bulk at wholesale prices. Finding a great deal on quality products takes a little bit of research and some comparison shopping but can yield surprising results. Many physical art supply stores have higher prices just to cover their overhead. Online supply stores have little to no overhead so the savings can be passed on to the buyer.

Continue to browse this site and be sure to visit the learning center for advice on a wide range of topics. Also see the frequently asked questions section to get answers to common questions. The site will be updated often so artists can always find current, unbiased advice on all their art supply needs.

 

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