A used picture frame (with glass intact) makes a great oil pallette, and the frame keeps you from cutting your fingers. I use a neutral 50% grey spray paint on the under-side the glass to help me mix correct colors and values. Just scrape the glass to clean it. Mine has been going strong for 10 years :)
My only caution is that pictures frame glass can shatter and splinter if dropped. i suggest tempered glass (basically we had a small fridge that knocked out and I used one of the glass shelves). Just a little safer!
I use a piece of used PF glass for one of my mixing surfaces as well, usually for printmaking inks, but put duct tape along the edges instead of keeping it in the frame. It's easy to clean and nice and lightweight. The tape also keeps it from sliding around. I also bought a tempered glass cutting board for a more dedicated oil mixing palette; they're pretty affordable, and, of course, much safer if accidentally dropped.
Different art realm, but if you are a beginner costumer/sewist wanting to do corsetry, go to hardware stores and buy the big industrial size zipties for your boning.
Another money-saver is using tackle boxes to store my art supplies as opposed to ArtBin boxes. SO MUCH CHEAPER and they're probably made in the same factories! Once they put a specialty use for it (ART) the cost goes way up.
I've never heard of Fels-Naptha soap before, but I see it's carried at my local Walmart; I usually use dish soap and clean the brushes on my palm, but I like this idea better. Also, not sure if you've mentioned this in previous videos, but good old Murphy's oil soap can get dried oil paint out of brushes (a tip from oil painter Carol Marine). Place the brush end in a small container of undiluted Murphy's and let it sit for a day or so; it works well to salvage brushes. Another cheap, commonplace cleaner that I originally bought to clean up shellac (I use to seal collagraph plates) is ammonia. It obviously needs to be used in a well-ventilated area, but it's not toxic to either the CNS or the environment like petroleum distillates are, and small amounts of it are found naturally in the environment. i've found it is effective on dried acrylic paint in brushes (limited experience). I keep a small jar of it in my garage and soak whatever I need cleaned in the container for maybe an hour or so. It is considered corrosive, but a cheap butter knife that had dried shellac on it cleaned up as good as new. Once the container gets filled with dirt/grime, you can just set it outside and the residual ammonia will quickly evaporate, as will the water. The dry paint particulates can then be scraped out and thrown in the trash. Anyway, I'm like you: I'm a DIY'er for art products I can make or improvise myself to save money, and I spend money on tools and supplies that I cannot make. This video just showed up in my feed, and I enjoyed watching it. I make my own soft pastels, watercolors, and fountain pen/drawing inks, for example. Most artists aren't interested in investing the time to make their own supplies, but for me, it's part of the enjoyment. I was driven to make my own soft pastels after the frustration of not being able to find the exact color(s) I wanted, or wanting to duplicate a particular color that I loved (T. Ludwig Eggplant, for any pastelists reading this) that I used a lot and that was $$ to replace. Cheers!
@sonyaj66 Personally, I'd say not everything should be DIY'd, especially when it comes to the media itself like pastels, paints, etc. While it's possible, it's rarely cost effective to do so without risking lightfastness/longevitiy of the work. Also while I've certainly heard of people using Murphy's for cleaning brushes, the oil content in the soap can damage synthetics a bit. For a much cheaper and more effective cleaner of dried paint, try isopropl alcohol.
@@cinderblockstudios Actually, if you're using artist-grade pigments, like I do, to make pastels and watercolors, you know what the lightfastness of the pigment is. Both gum arabic and gum tragacanth (binder used in pastels) are inexpensive when purchased as a powder, and absurdly $$ when purchased as solutions for artists, The biggest issue when using natural gum binders is the possibility of the paint or finished painting molding, but I use a couple of drops of a preservative used for cosmetics called Germaben, and the solutions haven't grown mold even when not refrigerated. Some talc and/or kaolin clay for a filler, and a few other inexpensive ingredients (CaC03 powder, titanium white) and equipment (piece of thrift store frame glass with duct-taped edges for mixing), a mortar/pestle, and palette knives, and you can make hundreds of pastels in custom colors and gradients for less than the price of a set of 15 Terry Ludwigs (don't get me wrong...those are FANTASTIC pastels). So, for me, it has *absolutely* been cost-effective to make my own. I've been making them for several years now, and the only commercial pastels I'd ever buy again are the hard Nupastels, since I can't actually make those. To be clear, pastels are both easy and inexpensive to make, but not necessarily FAST. But, like I said, I enjoy the process of making my own art materials when I can, and it becomes an integrated part of the painting and creation process (same with refurbishing frames from the thrift store - another thing I really enjoy doing). Obviously, YMMV. One art material I'll NEVER make at home, though, are oil paints. Way too messy, and even though I have the pigments, linseed oil, and muller to do them, it's not worth my time or effort. Maybe a small batch single-use special color, nothing more. I didn't know that about isopropyl alcohol; good to know!
@@cinderblockstudios @sonyaj66 . Found it ⬇️ Thanx. The only thing is there are no quantities. How much gum Arabic to pigment, etc.? How to shape them ? etc.
Pack of three plastic Bondo spreaders, great for spreading modeling paste, acrylic mediums, paint etc. Like four or fives bucks at Walmart or the auto parts store. Old plastic gift cards or expired credit cards for spreading thin films of mediums or paint.
I use homemade goat milk soap or Murphey's Il soap to wash my brushes and sometimes some hair conditioner to shape and store my brushes. I also cut up old credit cards, hotel room keys to make clay scrapers, and can cut fancy edges.
Thank you for reminding people that there are alternatives. 🌷 I buy plywood for painting on from the hardware store, along with large paintbrushes and small paint rollers. I also use household sponges that I cut to size, makeup sponges, brushes and applicators, old plastic cards - e.g. credit cards, wooden skewers, cotton swabs, my fingers, that white paper for wrapping sandwiches - instead of tracing paper and so much more. It's just so much fun. 😁🌞
Hey - I use deli paper instead of tracing paper as well! I originally bought it for using on Gelli plates, but discovered it's great for transferring images out of my sketchbook I later want to use in paintings or in printmaking.
So hard to generalize on these subjects but…some of us make work destined for the thrift shop & landfill, others hope it may survive for centuries in better locations. Common plywood comes in many different grades & materials made by multiple manufacturers; some are better & worse than others, like all man made things. It’s known to *delaminate & decompose more rapidly than solid boards made of hardier wood spp. Some plywood contains arsenic, copper & other heavy metals (don’t breathe in that dust!). Dark tannins within knots & grain may show through your coatings down the rd. *Try to delay it’s self destruction by coating all 6 sides & by filling vacancies often seen in the laminated layers visible on the sides of the board. Learn how & why plywood warps under different environmental circumstances. Or...just go to town & have a blast like Mose Tolliver did & leave all those concerns to the collectors & conservators!
I try to support my locally-owned art shop as much as possible, as I appreciate their 40+ years of expertise and free samples of new products. That being said, there's something to be said for keeping an eye out for ways to cut costs, especially if one burns through supplies! Your framing wire tip was top notch. As for me: estate sales and supply swaps with other artists have been a great way to get quality supplies at a bargain -- if not for free. Best wishes for the New Year, L.
Nice video, thanks! I buy hardware store solvents by the gallon, (pure gum turpentine, odorless paint thinner, etc.), my palettes are thrift store dinner plates, (plastic or ceramic), my canvass, (for big paintings), is walmart duck cloth, (about 5 bucks a yard), my 'gesso' is a five gallon bucket of Kilz primer, and I make my stretchers from found, repurposed wood. Dollar tree has all kinds of brushes and some basic, cheap clay tools, and I'm always discovering additional useful stuff there.
Great ideas. My only concern is the fumes from the hardware store mineral spirits. I splurged on Gamsol but it’s practically infinitely recyclable you just let the solids form on the bottom and pour the clean stuff off into a different jar. I remember almost fainting when college kids were using cheap stuff from the hardware store in the studio in college.
David/Rachel while I definitely buy my odorless mineral spirits at the hardware store, I want 100% understand the reservations for traditional gum turps. There is no circumstance where I feel regular turpentine belongs anywhere near an artist's studio. Gamsol, is a great alternative, as is Utrecht's NooD alternative. I know there's a lot of artists that have suggestions for solvent free oil painting as well but I am not qualified to chime in on that
the problem with masking fluid is it actually wont last very long, especially in this container - its going to dry out within 2-3 years so the actual high volume doesnt mean its necesssarly better in this one case. thanks for the video!
Thank you for the reminder. Another art supply is jute, string, or twine. Anyone working with alcohol inks can use the reverse side of a decent photo paper versus the suggested synthetic papers.
What a great name and your intro is AWESOME! So glad you popped up in my feed. I did a vid a few years ago on Dollar Tree non-arty art supplies, before they expanded into craft supplies. My best tip is make-up brushes. The brushes I've tried from the craft aisle pale in comparison to the make-up brushes there: different sizes, tight bristles that don't shed or fall out in clumps. 🙂
I would highly recommend a new artist stop in the dollar store before going anywhere else to buy supplies. There are probably a lot of clay tools hanging around your house, garage , junk drawer kitchen , backyard.
Garage sales, I always find something at garage sales. Those old wicker wood tables with the glass in them. Bought it keep the glass, throw out the wicker, used the glass as a paint palette or use it to sculpt on.
Thanks for this video! I've started to only use Murphy's Oil soap for cleaning my brushes. They've never looked better! Leaves them soft unlike Dawn, and smells nice. I still use Dawn sometimes but follow up with Murphy's for conditioning.
I've heard of this before but would be concerned of its effects on synthetic bristles long term and/or having residual oil in the brush if using acrylics
I've used Murphy's on my synthetic brushes for almost 2 years and haven't had an issue or seen a change in them at all. You do have to rinse them well and not use a lot in the first place. I do watercolor so I can't speak about how it might affect acrylic though
Saving on buying paint mixing pallets use instead pie and cake containers with lid that’s fixed to the cake or pie well. Paint in well lid perfect pallet for each colour. Good to have you around with fresh better and cheaper ideas. So useful when good money does not get wasted. 🌟🌟🌟
I'm not convinced by large tubs of latex considering how quickly it cures. I still have a tiny bottle of masking fluid that I bought almost 10 years ago. About half of it has hardened by now. The larger the surface area exposed to the air (even inside an airtight container), the quicker it dries. Buying a large container is NOT saving money if we end up throwing most of it away. (Not to mention the environmental impact.) The only way I can get behind it if a group of artists buy and divide it up into small bottles 😉
I store my masking fluid upside down and seal the lid with scotch tape each time after I opened it. This way you minimize the surface area of the fluid that is in contact with air and it will be usable for much longer. 😊
@@annika8877 I do that too. But as the fluid level decreases, I'm still finding that more and more of it cures, even though the bottle has been closed for a long time!
Wire tools can easily be made with metal coat hangers or bailing wire and a decent set of pliers. You can even mount them onto a bit of dowel with the hanging wire if you want to.
BAMBOO!!! I cannot say enough about this amazing plant. I have made/replaced tools: all my caligraphy pens are now bamboo. various shaping tools for scuplting. Armatures. holders for brushes & pens & paint. several paint brushes whose cheap handles were replaced, shaping mallets all handles are bamboo. All this came about when my storage unit I was using between moves was broken into & most of my art tools were stolen. Collectively $1200, renters insurance minus deductible paid out 500. So I started thinking outside the box, my neighbor who has a bamboo grove as median dividing the property line, gave me permission to take as many as I like as long as I help him clean & maintain the area. the labor involved in that is minimal, most of that is clearing away dead bamboo, most of which I use anyway. Harbor frieght is also a good alternative. I have a friend who teaches intro sculpture classes, recommends Harbor frieght, to get the $6 shaping tools. I bought a set 4 years ago, still use them to this day
Masking fluid? Nah, rubber cement. After 30 years of buying my own art supplies I will go to the supply store for basically: brushes, paints, inks, pencils the odd French curve or drafting item. Dollar tree is a great resource for containers, palettes, mixing knifes etc…otherwise hardware store was the original art supply store 😅
Do you dilute or thin the rubber cement with any type of solvent? I have some, but it's sooo tacky and difficult to work with that I hadn't considered trying to use it as masking fluid.
I am very curious about this because every experience I've had with rubber cement has been it being very tacky. While I am all for this being an alternative to latex products for those who have allergies, my issue is how it performs in the long term. I wonder if a petroleum solvent such as mineral spirits would keep the rubber cement viable as a masking medium?
Ok! So…I just found your YT! Your videos are very helpful to me and I too have ADD! I TOTALLY RELATE! I’m an encaustic artist. Keep these great videos coming! 👏🏼👍🏼
Thanks! This is so helpful, I knew the “hobby tax” was a thing but didn’t know what some of the alternatives are: for the liquid latex, do you find the larger jugs have a noticeable shelf life after opening them, or know how to compensate for it? I don’t have consistent time to paint, so my supplies tend to dry out even when they’re capped
Buy bulk is ok if one does or uses a lot and often. For hobbyists, buy only when needed may be better. I sometimes go to Daiso to buy something when I need just a bit for crafting, jewelry making, or stationary supplies.
Yeah for sure! Discretion of buying is always up to the consumer. I only suggest bulk buying for people using materials often enough for it to be justified
I'm curious what the need for French curves were. Granted I have never taken a dedicated College design course, but I can't think of any reason why the French curve tool is needed. I'm very curious to hear what it was used for
@@cinderblockstudios When doing precision drawings, such as cars, the French curves help when drawing the various curves of the body since free-hand is not doable.
I lost track of a number of channels years ago, including yours. My nephew was doing some drawings a couple of years ago and I thought of you as they looked a little like the black sci fi looking figures you used to draw. Do you have a playlist I might those in?
When it comes to paint and brushes, it makes sense to pay an appropriate amount, but some items like furniture are ridiculously over-priced. I remember seeing a taboret for about $500 at an Utrecht store. It's just a cabinet with wheels on it! It's going to get dirty with paint anyway. Get some second-hand piece of furniture, put wheels on it and a piece of tempered glass on top. Boom! You've got an artists taboret.
@@cinderblockstudios interesting - I do know some artists use DIY store primer or vinyl matt emulsion - gessoe seems so expensive for such a small amount. I do wonder when you see tradesmen priming wood/plaster from huge cans you do wonder how different the content is.
@@wte5041 I’ve made my own gesso using marble dust from Fredrix and trust me, it’s a pain in the a$$ and just not worth it. It’s not as good as store bought and it’s an incredibly tedious process. Gesso is not that expensive if you buy in bulk. You can get a 32 oz tub of store brand gesso from Jerry’s Artarama for under $20. I personally prefer Liquitex gesso, which is around $45 for half a GALLON, which will last a long time. So not that expensive at all.
Replace a metal tool, which is metal for a reason, with a plastic zip tie? Really? Have you seriously worked with clay? Like professionally as a potter? Those wire loop tools are edged, they need to cut the clay, not drag around and tear, or lose shape, which is exactly what a zip tie will do. Try trimming a thrown pot with it, or hollowing out a solid clay sculpture. I had expected you to suggest band saw blades, which, with the use of a vice, can be bent into whatever shape you need and the two ends wrapped together super tight to make the handle (this is great for trimming, not so much for hollowing). There's a reason serious throwers are seeking out tungsten carbide trimming tools. The silicone spatula idea is cute, and might be handy if a very specific shape is needed for a very specific purpose, but the shape and flexibility is very limiting, which is why the Mudtool kidneys are so good. They are a sound investment for anyone that wants to do more than just beginner taster days. I'm not being snobbish, I've been using them for almost 20yrs, the shapes available are specifically designed to perform over literally any curved surface. Spatulas are designed for wiping out bowls. Clay wires can be made from fishing line tied around twigs if need be. However, there's different cutters for different needs, and you really DON'T want them longer than 50cm, you really don't. If you've thrown a 45cm wide pot, but your wire is over 50cm, you won't be able to keep it tight enough to stop it rising in the middle and possibly cutting a hole in the base of the pot. Plaster, sculptors can use any old plaster, potters shouldn't if they're making slip casting moulds. There's a specialist plaster for it that's more resistant to the deflocculant added to the slip to keep it in suspension, which is bad for plaster. I watched this video just in case you had some novel suggestions, and for some, new to art, they could be helpful. However, please don't suggest clay tools. Potters by nature are super resourceful and happily source what we need wherever we find it. We tend to hoard pretty much anything that can be customised for a job, credit cards, corks, we ALWAYS have several dozen wire bag ties which are useful for so many things. I even bodged up a temporary fix for our wheelie bin lid which had lost one of its lid hinge connectors. That lasted over 5 yrs of fortnightly collections. But plastic zip ties in place of wire loop tools! Next time maybe talk to a few potters first for input? And if it was a potter that suggested it, dude, you've been punked!
Ok geez it was just a minor suggestion, calm down. Also, NOT ALL CLAY WORK IS POTTERY. I appreciate your shared experience, but try to consider that your tone needs checked.
Right, what Cinder Block said. This video is clearly aimed at people who are curious about trying the medium but are put off by the cost of entry, not people with 20 years of experience who already have their preferences sorted out. When you make comments like this, do you think you're helping to encourage new artists feel welcome to try something new? Or are you judging people upon entry because you don't think that their toolkit is good enough to even get started? You say you're not being snobbish, but I think that comment speaks for itself.
@@squid24736 something that really puts a person off exploring a new craft is when people suggest 'cheap alternatives to tools that aren't really all that expensive anyway, and they follow that advice only to find the alternative, in this case, a flexible zip tie to do the job of an inflexible wire tool didn't work, but because they are so new to the craft they don't know any better, they think THEY'RE the problem and are put off trying further.know a tool's function if they are going to make alternative suggestions. Tool making is my business, I make the effort to understand the craft I am making for before I design the tool. It's why I am still going strong in my chosen field.
@@silkvelvet2616 once again I get what you're saying and I can tell you are very passionate about what you do. In the grand scheme of things I 1000% agree with where you're coming from. What is the end of the day your comment and reply have been extraordinarily negative, and while on a similar video I would make a similar comment regarding acrylic paint... you need to recognize that your tone and presentation is putting other people off. You are very right to be mad as beginner advice. But your comments are coming across as arrogant and one sided. I noticed you don't have a Channel of your own, and as a result I would say....if you want to present the level of professionalism that you are presenting, you should at least have the common courtesy of it understanding that not everyone is a professional in your field. Once again I am thrilled to see a clay user in my comments, but your delivery of this information has negated whatever you do as a professional. I'm happy you are doing well for yourself, but I imagine if your clients saw your comments on this particular post, they would be ashamed of ordering from you
@ I can’t help it. My mother was a stickler for proper English and it created the grammar police. lol Too many people on social media are making that exact mistake. It’s maddening.
Would assume within two or three minutes you didn't find this useful... the fact that you kept watching is your fault. Honestly, I'm honored you bothered to comment. Your disgust gave me further engagement and recommended this video to people who actually care. But I hope somebody else gave you the entertainment you needed... happy creating aand have a nice day!
A used picture frame (with glass intact) makes a great oil pallette, and the frame keeps you from cutting your fingers. I use a neutral 50% grey spray paint on the under-side the glass to help me mix correct colors and values. Just scrape the glass to clean it. Mine has been going strong for 10 years :)
That's what I use for all my palettes too!
My only caution is that pictures frame glass can shatter and splinter if dropped. i suggest tempered glass (basically we had a small fridge that knocked out and I used one of the glass shelves). Just a little safer!
Microwave turntables are great too. Made of safety glass and do not break into dangerous shards.
I use a piece of used PF glass for one of my mixing surfaces as well, usually for printmaking inks, but put duct tape along the edges instead of keeping it in the frame. It's easy to clean and nice and lightweight. The tape also keeps it from sliding around. I also bought a tempered glass cutting board for a more dedicated oil mixing palette; they're pretty affordable, and, of course, much safer if accidentally dropped.
Don't spend a fortune for a ceramic watercolor palette. Go to a thrift store or garage sale and look for a deviled egg plate.
A soap dish works really well too! I've also found a way to make them from some air dry clay
Dollar tree
I use the plastic trays from buying fruit
I wish thrift stores and garage sales were a thing in my country.
I just use a big white porcelain plate, cost me £1. Wells would be nice, but not crucial!
Different art realm, but if you are a beginner costumer/sewist wanting to do corsetry, go to hardware stores and buy the big industrial size zipties for your boning.
Another money-saver is using tackle boxes to store my art supplies as opposed to ArtBin boxes. SO MUCH CHEAPER and they're probably made in the same factories! Once they put a specialty use for it (ART) the cost goes way up.
I used to have a tackle box for my sewing box.
Murphys Oil soap will clean even dried acrylic paint from brushes
I've had a few people make that suggestion over the years, but rubbing alcohol does a much better job and for less money
I've never heard of Fels-Naptha soap before, but I see it's carried at my local Walmart; I usually use dish soap and clean the brushes on my palm, but I like this idea better.
Also, not sure if you've mentioned this in previous videos, but good old Murphy's oil soap can get dried oil paint out of brushes (a tip from oil painter Carol Marine). Place the brush end in a small container of undiluted Murphy's and let it sit for a day or so; it works well to salvage brushes. Another cheap, commonplace cleaner that I originally bought to clean up shellac (I use to seal collagraph plates) is ammonia. It obviously needs to be used in a well-ventilated area, but it's not toxic to either the CNS or the environment like petroleum distillates are, and small amounts of it are found naturally in the environment. i've found it is effective on dried acrylic paint in brushes (limited experience). I keep a small jar of it in my garage and soak whatever I need cleaned in the container for maybe an hour or so. It is considered corrosive, but a cheap butter knife that had dried shellac on it cleaned up as good as new. Once the container gets filled with dirt/grime, you can just set it outside and the residual ammonia will quickly evaporate, as will the water. The dry paint particulates can then be scraped out and thrown in the trash.
Anyway, I'm like you: I'm a DIY'er for art products I can make or improvise myself to save money, and I spend money on tools and supplies that I cannot make. This video just showed up in my feed, and I enjoyed watching it.
I make my own soft pastels, watercolors, and fountain pen/drawing inks, for example. Most artists aren't interested in investing the time to make their own supplies, but for me, it's part of the enjoyment. I was driven to make my own soft pastels after the frustration of not being able to find the exact color(s) I wanted, or wanting to duplicate a particular color that I loved (T. Ludwig Eggplant, for any pastelists reading this) that I used a lot and that was $$ to replace.
Cheers!
@sonyaj66 Personally, I'd say not everything should be DIY'd, especially when it comes to the media itself like pastels, paints, etc. While it's possible, it's rarely cost effective to do so without risking lightfastness/longevitiy of the work. Also while I've certainly heard of people using Murphy's for cleaning brushes, the oil content in the soap can damage synthetics a bit. For a much cheaper and more effective cleaner of dried paint, try isopropl alcohol.
@@cinderblockstudios Actually, if you're using artist-grade pigments, like I do, to make pastels and watercolors, you know what the lightfastness of the pigment is. Both gum arabic and gum tragacanth (binder used in pastels) are inexpensive when purchased as a powder, and absurdly $$ when purchased as solutions for artists, The biggest issue when using natural gum binders is the possibility of the paint or finished painting molding, but I use a couple of drops of a preservative used for cosmetics called Germaben, and the solutions haven't grown mold even when not refrigerated.
Some talc and/or kaolin clay for a filler, and a few other inexpensive ingredients (CaC03 powder, titanium white) and equipment (piece of thrift store frame glass with duct-taped edges for mixing), a mortar/pestle, and palette knives, and you can make hundreds of pastels in custom colors and gradients for less than the price of a set of 15 Terry Ludwigs (don't get me wrong...those are FANTASTIC pastels). So, for me, it has *absolutely* been cost-effective to make my own. I've been making them for several years now, and the only commercial pastels I'd ever buy again are the hard Nupastels, since I can't actually make those.
To be clear, pastels are both easy and inexpensive to make, but not necessarily FAST. But, like I said, I enjoy the process of making my own art materials when I can, and it becomes an integrated part of the painting and creation process (same with refurbishing frames from the thrift store - another thing I really enjoy doing). Obviously, YMMV.
One art material I'll NEVER make at home, though, are oil paints. Way too messy, and even though I have the pigments, linseed oil, and muller to do them, it's not worth my time or effort. Maybe a small batch single-use special color, nothing more.
I didn't know that about isopropyl alcohol; good to know!
Share some of your recipes please. - like what you use to make your own pastels? 👍🏾
@@cinderblockstudios @sonyaj66 . Found it ⬇️ Thanx. The only thing is there are no quantities. How much gum Arabic to pigment, etc.? How to shape them ? etc.
Pack of three plastic Bondo spreaders, great for spreading modeling paste, acrylic mediums, paint etc. Like four or fives bucks at Walmart or the auto parts store. Old plastic gift cards or expired credit cards for spreading thin films of mediums or paint.
Bish’s Tear Mender is a liquid latex available at Ace Hardware stores among others. It’s my favorite for masking fluid.
I use homemade goat milk soap or Murphey's Il soap to wash my brushes and sometimes some hair conditioner to shape and store my brushes. I also cut up old credit cards, hotel room keys to make clay scrapers, and can cut fancy edges.
Thank you for reminding people that there are alternatives. 🌷
I buy plywood for painting on from the hardware store, along with large paintbrushes and small paint rollers. I also use household sponges that I cut to size, makeup sponges, brushes and applicators, old plastic cards - e.g. credit cards, wooden skewers, cotton swabs, my fingers, that white paper for wrapping sandwiches - instead of tracing paper and so much more. It's just so much fun. 😁🌞
Hey - I use deli paper instead of tracing paper as well! I originally bought it for using on Gelli plates, but discovered it's great for transferring images out of my sketchbook I later want to use in paintings or in printmaking.
So hard to generalize on these subjects but…some of us make work destined for the thrift shop & landfill, others hope it may survive for centuries in better locations. Common plywood comes in many different grades & materials made by multiple manufacturers; some are better & worse than others, like all man made things. It’s known to *delaminate & decompose more rapidly than solid boards made of hardier wood spp. Some plywood contains arsenic, copper & other heavy metals (don’t breathe in that dust!). Dark tannins within knots & grain may show through your coatings down the rd. *Try to delay it’s self destruction by coating all 6 sides & by filling vacancies often seen in the laminated layers visible on the sides of the board. Learn how & why plywood warps under different environmental circumstances. Or...just go to town & have a blast like Mose Tolliver did & leave all those concerns to the collectors & conservators!
Dental tools ,for clay work, are cheap too. Find em online.
I try to support my locally-owned art shop as much as possible, as I appreciate their 40+ years of expertise and free samples of new products. That being said, there's something to be said for keeping an eye out for ways to cut costs, especially if one burns through supplies! Your framing wire tip was top notch. As for me: estate sales and supply swaps with other artists have been a great way to get quality supplies at a bargain -- if not for free.
Best wishes for the New Year,
L.
Nice video, thanks! I buy hardware store solvents by the gallon, (pure gum turpentine, odorless paint thinner, etc.), my palettes are thrift store dinner plates, (plastic or ceramic), my canvass, (for big paintings), is walmart duck cloth, (about 5 bucks a yard), my 'gesso' is a five gallon bucket of Kilz primer, and I make my stretchers from found, repurposed wood. Dollar tree has all kinds of brushes and some basic, cheap clay tools, and I'm always discovering additional useful stuff there.
Thanks for the info on duck cloth from Walmart.
@@AskPiaAkashic You're very welcome!
Great ideas. My only concern is the fumes from the hardware store mineral spirits. I splurged on Gamsol but it’s practically infinitely recyclable you just let the solids form on the bottom and pour the clean stuff off into a different jar. I remember almost fainting when college kids were using cheap stuff from the hardware store in the studio in college.
David/Rachel while I definitely buy my odorless mineral spirits at the hardware store, I want 100% understand the reservations for traditional gum turps. There is no circumstance where I feel regular turpentine belongs anywhere near an artist's studio. Gamsol, is a great alternative, as is Utrecht's NooD alternative. I know there's a lot of artists that have suggestions for solvent free oil painting as well but I am not qualified to chime in on that
Never heard of Duck- Cloth before.
Have fun creating!!!!.... 😊.
the problem with masking fluid is it actually wont last very long, especially in this container - its going to dry out within 2-3 years so the actual high volume doesnt mean its necesssarly better in this one case. thanks for the video!
My local electrician suppliers usually have the best wire and prices. Beat home department/box stores by 50%+
I love the fell’s soap. I just bought the one you showed for watercolor and acrylic brushes. Fell’s soap is gonna be my goto. Thank you 🫶🌟
Glad to know someone has found use in it! I have been recommending it to artists for years
Thank you for the reminder. Another art supply is jute, string, or twine. Anyone working with alcohol inks can use the reverse side of a decent photo paper versus the suggested synthetic papers.
Thanks!
What a great name and your intro is AWESOME! So glad you popped up in my feed. I did a vid a few years ago on Dollar Tree non-arty art supplies, before they expanded into craft supplies. My best tip is make-up brushes. The brushes I've tried from the craft aisle pale in comparison to the make-up brushes there: different sizes, tight bristles that don't shed or fall out in clumps. 🙂
I would highly recommend a new artist stop in the dollar store before going anywhere else to buy supplies.
There are probably a lot of clay tools hanging around your house, garage , junk drawer kitchen , backyard.
Cringe. Our dollar store is understaffed and nothing on selves most of the time. But boxes stacked everywhere Sadly. 😕🥺
Sorry to hear that. There are other discount stores around I'm sure though
Caran D'Ache sells a palette board to use with watercolor pencils for around $8. I use a dollar store cutting board instead and it works great.
Garage sales, I always find something at garage sales. Those old wicker wood tables with the glass in them. Bought it keep the glass, throw out the wicker, used the glass as a paint palette or use it to sculpt on.
Thanks for this video! I've started to only use Murphy's Oil soap for cleaning my brushes. They've never looked better! Leaves them soft unlike Dawn, and smells nice. I still use Dawn sometimes but follow up with Murphy's for conditioning.
I've heard of this before but would be concerned of its effects on synthetic bristles long term and/or having residual oil in the brush if using acrylics
@@cinderblockstudios good insight!
I've used Murphy's on my synthetic brushes for almost 2 years and haven't had an issue or seen a change in them at all. You do have to rinse them well and not use a lot in the first place. I do watercolor so I can't speak about how it might affect acrylic though
Saving on buying paint mixing pallets use instead pie and cake containers with lid that’s fixed to the cake or pie well. Paint in well lid perfect pallet for each colour. Good to have you around with fresh better and cheaper ideas. So useful when good money does not get wasted. 🌟🌟🌟
I'm not convinced by large tubs of latex considering how quickly it cures. I still have a tiny bottle of masking fluid that I bought almost 10 years ago. About half of it has hardened by now. The larger the surface area exposed to the air (even inside an airtight container), the quicker it dries. Buying a large container is NOT saving money if we end up throwing most of it away. (Not to mention the environmental impact.)
The only way I can get behind it if a group of artists buy and divide it up into small bottles 😉
@@NelaDunato totally fair! I'd say it depends a lot on how much an artist needs, and where they have to shop
Ammonia is a solvent for masking fluid. When mine gets thick, I add a couple drops of ammonia, shake up the bottle, and it's good to go.
@vermiliongamboge155 Fair warning Ammonia DESTROYS synthetic brushes and their ferrules. Drops or not, I don't recommend it for long term use.
I store my masking fluid upside down and seal the lid with scotch tape each time after I opened it. This way you minimize the surface area of the fluid that is in contact with air and it will be usable for much longer. 😊
@@annika8877 I do that too. But as the fluid level decreases, I'm still finding that more and more of it cures, even though the bottle has been closed for a long time!
Make your own stencils and molding paste too!
I gave a diy paste a try and it's not even remotely worth it. ua-cam.com/video/FUINejvaYNo/v-deo.html
Wire tools can easily be made with metal coat hangers or bailing wire and a decent set of pliers. You can even mount them onto a bit of dowel with the hanging wire if you want to.
Gerda Lipski yt acrylic german painter uses housekeeping supplies : sponges, utensils, toothbrush , saran wrap , bubble plastic sheet , paper plates etc.
BAMBOO!!! I cannot say enough about this amazing plant. I have made/replaced tools: all my caligraphy pens are now bamboo. various shaping tools for scuplting. Armatures. holders for brushes & pens & paint. several paint brushes whose cheap handles were replaced, shaping mallets all handles are bamboo. All this came about when my storage unit I was using between moves was broken into & most of my art tools were stolen. Collectively $1200, renters insurance minus deductible paid out 500. So I started thinking outside the box, my neighbor who has a bamboo grove as median dividing the property line, gave me permission to take as many as I like as long as I help him clean & maintain the area. the labor involved in that is minimal, most of that is clearing away dead bamboo, most of which I use anyway. Harbor frieght is also a good alternative. I have a friend who teaches intro sculpture classes, recommends Harbor frieght, to get the $6 shaping tools. I bought a set 4 years ago, still use them to this day
WOW! So sorry to hear about your tools. I think I'd have a conniption if my tools were stolen.
Masking fluid? Nah, rubber cement.
After 30 years of buying my own art supplies I will go to the supply store for basically: brushes, paints, inks, pencils the odd French curve or drafting item.
Dollar tree is a great resource for containers, palettes, mixing knifes etc…otherwise hardware store was the original art supply store 😅
Do you dilute or thin the rubber cement with any type of solvent? I have some, but it's sooo tacky and difficult to work with that I hadn't considered trying to use it as masking fluid.
@ no. Though when a jar gets older and less fluid it would probably be difficult.
I am very curious about this because every experience I've had with rubber cement has been it being very tacky. While I am all for this being an alternative to latex products for those who have allergies, my issue is how it performs in the long term. I wonder if a petroleum solvent such as mineral spirits would keep the rubber cement viable as a masking medium?
Walmart - kitchen utensil section - great studio tool options!
Ok! So…I just found your YT! Your videos are very helpful to me and I too have ADD! I TOTALLY RELATE! I’m an encaustic artist. Keep these great videos coming! 👏🏼👍🏼
Ooooh, I've always wanted to play with encaustic
Harbor Freight has cheap packs of Bondo spreaders.
Thanks! This is so helpful, I knew the “hobby tax” was a thing but didn’t know what some of the alternatives are: for the liquid latex, do you find the larger jugs have a noticeable shelf life after opening them, or know how to compensate for it? I don’t have consistent time to paint, so my supplies tend to dry out even when they’re capped
Never bought a jug, but I imagine keeping the bottle in a zip lock bag would help prevent moisture loss from humidity changes
You can use large jars of molding latex for masking fluid instead
Replace loop tool… part of a paperclip in the end of an old paint brush or dowel rod with a hole drilled in the end of an
Ps you can colour the latex with h2o based colours😊😊
Oh man never thought of that! That's super cool, I'll keep it in mind for next time I use it!
These are brilliant tips - thank you!
Buy bulk is ok if one does or uses a lot and often. For hobbyists, buy only when needed may be better. I sometimes go to Daiso to buy something when I need just a bit for crafting, jewelry making, or stationary supplies.
Yeah for sure! Discretion of buying is always up to the consumer. I only suggest bulk buying for people using materials often enough for it to be justified
I needed French curves for a project and bought some made by Crayola at Target.
I'm curious what the need for French curves were. Granted I have never taken a dedicated College design course, but I can't think of any reason why the French curve tool is needed. I'm very curious to hear what it was used for
@@cinderblockstudios When doing precision drawings, such as cars, the French curves help when drawing the various curves of the body since free-hand is not doable.
Excellent idea!
@devilman2465 Interesting and great to know, thanks!
I've bought paint brushes instead of makeup brushes. And where did all the ceramics go?? I miss AC Moore.
Excellent tips. Thank you for sharing!
Fels naptha is my go to laundry soap so i may need to try it elsewhere haha!
I lost track of a number of channels years ago, including yours. My nephew was doing some drawings a couple of years ago and I thought of you as they looked a little like the black sci fi looking figures you used to draw. Do you have a playlist I might those in?
Sure do! Thanks for circling back ua-cam.com/play/PLXlCu9yh8xJlWP_T1u0mA9Y_RIENjOSMi.html&si=bdO816-DCz9fgcvC
@cinderblockstudios Thank-you. UA-cam's to thank - you came up in my feed yesterday.
Good ideas, thanks for sharing.
When it comes to paint and brushes, it makes sense to pay an appropriate amount, but some items like furniture are ridiculously over-priced. I remember seeing a taboret for about $500 at an Utrecht store. It's just a cabinet with wheels on it! It's going to get dirty with paint anyway. Get some second-hand piece of furniture, put wheels on it and a piece of tempered glass on top. Boom! You've got an artists taboret.
Oh studio furniture is overpriced by a LARGE MARGIN. My studio is built around second-hand Family furniture and I wouldn't have it any other way
Thank you !😁
Best alternative for acrylic gesso for priming boards/canvases - any thoughts?
Gesso is the best bet honestly. Not everything needs an alternative ua-cam.com/video/oeSy8zoSgWY/v-deo.html
@@cinderblockstudios interesting - I do know some artists use DIY store primer or vinyl matt emulsion - gessoe seems so expensive for such a small amount. I do wonder when you see tradesmen priming wood/plaster from huge cans you do wonder how different the content is.
Depends on where you're buying your gesso I'd say. I bulk buy mine in gallons, but it lasts a long time compared to house paint
@@cinderblockstudios thankyou - are you able to recommend?
@@wte5041
I’ve made my own gesso using marble dust from Fredrix and trust me, it’s a pain in the a$$ and just not worth it. It’s not as good as store bought and it’s an incredibly tedious process. Gesso is not that expensive if you buy in bulk. You can get a 32 oz tub of store brand gesso from Jerry’s Artarama for under $20. I personally prefer Liquitex gesso, which is around $45 for half a GALLON, which will last a long time. So not that expensive at all.
Great tips!
i got some of that brush cleaner for Christmas it works better than I thought
Replace a metal tool, which is metal for a reason, with a plastic zip tie? Really? Have you seriously worked with clay? Like professionally as a potter? Those wire loop tools are edged, they need to cut the clay, not drag around and tear, or lose shape, which is exactly what a zip tie will do. Try trimming a thrown pot with it, or hollowing out a solid clay sculpture. I had expected you to suggest band saw blades, which, with the use of a vice, can be bent into whatever shape you need and the two ends wrapped together super tight to make the handle (this is great for trimming, not so much for hollowing). There's a reason serious throwers are seeking out tungsten carbide trimming tools.
The silicone spatula idea is cute, and might be handy if a very specific shape is needed for a very specific purpose, but the shape and flexibility is very limiting, which is why the Mudtool kidneys are so good. They are a sound investment for anyone that wants to do more than just beginner taster days. I'm not being snobbish, I've been using them for almost 20yrs, the shapes available are specifically designed to perform over literally any curved surface. Spatulas are designed for wiping out bowls.
Clay wires can be made from fishing line tied around twigs if need be. However, there's different cutters for different needs, and you really DON'T want them longer than 50cm, you really don't. If you've thrown a 45cm wide pot, but your wire is over 50cm, you won't be able to keep it tight enough to stop it rising in the middle and possibly cutting a hole in the base of the pot.
Plaster, sculptors can use any old plaster, potters shouldn't if they're making slip casting moulds. There's a specialist plaster for it that's more resistant to the deflocculant added to the slip to keep it in suspension, which is bad for plaster.
I watched this video just in case you had some novel suggestions, and for some, new to art, they could be helpful. However, please don't suggest clay tools. Potters by nature are super resourceful and happily source what we need wherever we find it. We tend to hoard pretty much anything that can be customised for a job, credit cards, corks, we ALWAYS have several dozen wire bag ties which are useful for so many things. I even bodged up a temporary fix for our wheelie bin lid which had lost one of its lid hinge connectors. That lasted over 5 yrs of fortnightly collections.
But plastic zip ties in place of wire loop tools! Next time maybe talk to a few potters first for input? And if it was a potter that suggested it, dude, you've been punked!
Ok geez it was just a minor suggestion, calm down. Also, NOT ALL CLAY WORK IS POTTERY. I appreciate your shared experience, but try to consider that your tone needs checked.
Right, what Cinder Block said. This video is clearly aimed at people who are curious about trying the medium but are put off by the cost of entry, not people with 20 years of experience who already have their preferences sorted out. When you make comments like this, do you think you're helping to encourage new artists feel welcome to try something new? Or are you judging people upon entry because you don't think that their toolkit is good enough to even get started? You say you're not being snobbish, but I think that comment speaks for itself.
@@squid24736 something that really puts a person off exploring a new craft is when people suggest 'cheap alternatives to tools that aren't really all that expensive anyway, and they follow that advice only to find the alternative, in this case, a flexible zip tie to do the job of an inflexible wire tool didn't work, but because they are so new to the craft they don't know any better, they think THEY'RE the problem and are put off trying further.know a tool's function if they are going to make alternative suggestions.
Tool making is my business, I make the effort to understand the craft I am making for before I design the tool. It's why I am still going strong in my chosen field.
@@silkvelvet2616 once again I get what you're saying and I can tell you are very passionate about what you do. In the grand scheme of things I 1000% agree with where you're coming from. What is the end of the day your comment and reply have been extraordinarily negative, and while on a similar video I would make a similar comment regarding acrylic paint... you need to recognize that your tone and presentation is putting other people off.
You are very right to be mad as beginner advice. But your comments are coming across as arrogant and one sided. I noticed you don't have a Channel of your own, and as a result I would say....if you want to present the level of professionalism that you are presenting, you should at least have the common courtesy of it understanding that not everyone is a professional in your field.
Once again I am thrilled to see a clay user in my comments, but your delivery of this information has negated whatever you do as a professional. I'm happy you are doing well for yourself, but I imagine if your clients saw your comments on this particular post, they would be ashamed of ordering from you
@cinderblockstudios it's a shame you've chosen to be offended. I was merely trying to be helpful.
Thanks for the info😊
I swear, Pearl Paint used to sell larger, better priced supplies.
Was thinking about them just the other day….missing that place 🤔 6 floors of art supply heaven.
Isnt naptha carcinogenic?
Quick googling says it hasn't contained it since 1964
Bravo !!! Thanx for sharing 🙌🏾🙌🏾⭐️🫶🏾
buying da vinci cleaning soap was the biggest scam i fell for. its literally just soap. it smells nice, but so does any soap.
This was useful. Thank you.
I make all of my art tools . It’s super easy to do and cheaper!
I just need a replacement for Matte medium in a jug
Not everything needs replaced
Dollar store fabric softener is great for cleaning paint brushes.
I'd be VERY skeptical of this, especially for cleaning synthetic bristles
thanks!
Get your stuff from an industrial supply store.
Your clay tool is too flexible.But some of the other ideas are good.
Why to buy wire a huge amount if you don’t know you really need it a huge amount at all?
Like with anything...if you don't have the need don't buy it
....."Lowz", not "Lowzez".
🙂 I caught that too. Signed The Grammar Police 😂
@ I can’t help it. My mother was a stickler for proper English and it created the grammar police. lol Too many people on social media are making that exact mistake. It’s maddening.
@judilynn9569 weird hill to die on 😆
I would avoid all those alcohol markers
Stammering drunk
Shame on you ! Go away.
Most useless vid I’ve ever wasted 9 minutes of my life viewing.
OK, I fast forwarded thru a lot of it, but you get it.
Weird and rude to say, i thought it was very good to show artist that tools dont have to limit creativity
I bet you’re amazing at parties
Would assume within two or three minutes you didn't find this useful... the fact that you kept watching is your fault. Honestly, I'm honored you bothered to comment. Your disgust gave me further engagement and recommended this video to people who actually care. But I hope somebody else gave you the entertainment you needed... happy creating aand have a nice day!