Category: Art Supplies

Why Buy Canvas Art Supplies in Bulk?

shipping-blank-canvasesAs a struggling artist, you are always in the lookout on how to get canvas art supplies at less costs but without sacrificing quality of the items. One advice that you can consider is buying in bulk. Carefully choose which art supplies you want to buy in bulk to avoid having too much of an item which would just collect dust in your studio. You may be put off by the upfront cost but here are the advantages of buying wholesale:

1. Less cost per unit. Bulk buying is economical in the long run. If you compute the price of an item bought in wholesale, you will see that it is cheaper than when you buy the same item per piece. Bulk buying means you are not paying for each item’s individual packaging, labels, advertising, etc. This savings adds up money to your wallet and you can get cheaper deals when buying in bulk.

2. Environmentally-friendly. In line with number 1, bulk items lessen the impact on the environment. Manufacturing every piece of art supply takes enormous energy and resources, from packaging to storing. The Environmental Protection Agency revealed that we generate about 80 million tons of waste every year. All the boxes, containers, and cans which we throw end up in landfills, and you can help Mother Nature by buying in bulk since you reduce waste from getting to these landfills.

3. Save time. Bulk buying also means fewer trips to the art store. It can be annoying when inspiration strikes but you can’t start painting because you don’t have all the supplies you need in your studio. You’ll have most of what you need at hand so you not only save your time, you also save gas money and wear on your car. Instead of spending your time in the store, you spend it in engaging in your artistic and creative pursuits.

Tips for buying in bulk:

  • Organize your inventory. List the art supplies which you frequently use (canvas, paints, turpentine, etc.). You can also use this task to free some space in your studio for the items which you will be buying in bulk.
  • Check out art supply stores about their wholesale policies. Inspect the items which you can buy in bulk and see at which store you can get the most savings.
  • If your local art store offers a membership card since you’re buying in wholesale, you might want to consider getting one. This card can give you future discounts and incentives.

Tips on Saving Money on Art Supplies

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Painting can be an expensive hobby and profession. Art supplies may come at exorbitant prices so you have to be smart about purchasing the things you need so you won’t go broke in the process of doing what you love.

Here are some tips that I use so I can save some money when buying my supplies:

Tip No.1 – Stock most commonly used art supplies. As much as possible, when I go to the art store, I buy all the things I need now and in the near future. For example, I don’t wait until I ran out of paint. If I go to the store at the last minute, I will most likely buy other supplies which I had no intention of buying in the first place. I go to the store buying paint and I go out with bags full of other stuff. Sounds familiar?

Tip No.2 – Keep art supplies in good condition. It’s hard to keep my studio and tools clean after painting but it’s wise to take care of the things I use in my art. I clean my paintbrushes and other utensils after use and I make sure they are dry before putting it in storage. There are trash bins inside my studio so waste materials have their own place, too. Art supplies cost money and throwing them away because of mishandling and carelessness also means throwing away money.

Tip No.3 – Buy online. I get great deals shopping at online art stores. Bigger art retailers offer their extensive range of supplies online and it’s fun to browse through them. The websites also have a Sale section so I can see discounted art materials. ebay and Craigslist are also great in finding deals on art supplies, you just have to be patient and check these sites regularly.

Tip No.4 – Subscribe to mailing lists. Art shops offer great deals and incentives through their mailing lists. They send discount coupons and sale announcements to members so join every mailing list of art retailers near you.

You can also consider getting a membership card from the art shop which you frequent. Store members can get discounts and other incentives and these little savings can add up.

Tip No.5 – Buy in bulk to get wholesale prices. Buying one piece of an item costs more than buying it in bulk. Art stores offer wholesale discount prices when you buy in bulk. You may think that it will cost you a lot of money but if you compute the price per piece, you’ll realize that buying wholesale is still cheaper than buying retail.

Image source: http://www.guidetooilpainting.com/

Choosing the Right Canvas Size for your Painting

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Untitled 1937 4 By Pablo Picasso

“The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.”
– Pablo Picasso

Local art suppliers offer a wide range of sizes for canvases. This may intimidate amateur artists and overwhelm them with the variety of choices in a store. You can paint on any size of canvas but you need to know the canvas sizes available. One advantage of using standard canvas size is that its frame is readily available in a store. You don’t have to pay extra to get a custom-sized frame.

To be able to select the perfect canvas size for your painting, here are some information about canvas sizes. Artists use the height x width measurements when specifying the dimensions of a canvas or frame.

Here are the common canvas sizes (in inches):
Small sizes
5 x 7
8 x1 0
9 x 12
11 x 14
12 x 16

Middle sizes
16 x 20
18 x2 4
20 x2 4

Large sizes
24 x 30
24 x 36
30 x 40

If you’re just starting to paint, try using the 18 x 24 canvas size. It has the right size and proportion for a beginner. Experienced artists may opt to use the 30 x 40 size since it is large enough for a professional painting.

Landscape painter Stapleton Kearns suggests using six stock sizes when painting. You can choose two sizes from each category and you can buy premade frames from your art retailer. It’s easy to purchase and store these frames in your home so whenever you’ve finished with a painting, a frame is readily available for it.

If you want to use a different size of canvas, custom-sized canvas is also available. There is no stopping you from creating your art beyond the limits of standard canvas sizes. Your art supplier can provide you the canvas you need based on your requirements.

Aside from standard size canvases, CanvasLot provides custom-built and hand-stretched canvas at an affordable cost. If you need a huge canvas, whatever your specific needs, they can provide it. A custom-made canvas does not need to cost you an arm and leg. Many art students and children buy their art supplies from CanvasLot since they offer an excellent range of products at a discount.

Image source: Picasso Paintings