To skip my chit-chat, click here: 6:33 to get right into the *Biggest Mistakes when Buying Art Supplies*. Also, if you click the "SHOW MORE" above, you'll find _time stamps_ to each of my 11 mistakes, individually. Or, you can just let it play and enjoy the gripping discussion that I know you'll enjoy - or your money back! lol! Thanks for checking this out! :)
I worked at Target for 10 years, and got some INCREDIBLE deals on clearance merchandise that never hit the sales floor, but did in the stockroom. CLEARANCE TIP: when shopping for the telltale bright orange clearance tag at Target, remember this: if the price ends in a "4", it IS the very last price before being donated to charity. So if something is $7.58 on an orange tag, it's not the last price. However, if it ends in "$1.54," scoop it up, because that's THE last price on an item. Hope this helps! And thanks MD for a thoughtful shopping trip. I actually exhaled at the end having been well-informed. Fanna Turano Denver, CO
That's some fabulous insight and advice, Frances Turano! I love Target and always look for those deals. Now, knowing about the "4," I feel like I'm in on a secret! lol! Thank you for sharing, but also for your kind feedback and time watching! Be well! ~ Mark
You're welcome, MD! Btw, my sweet hubby went to Michal's to get your SUPER deal on that wc bucket! Was still $26, they refused to offer a discount. SOOOOOO...he whipped out the screen shot I'd taken from your post. Instant sale price he got! He's thrilled AND he doesn't paint! LOL. That 2nd Target tip (or any retail joint): if you see a steady stream or fast walking employees running towards the stock room? FOLLOW THEM! There's something in there we ALL want that's ending in that secret "4" orange price tag! Force them to tell you! They must--it's the law! I also have tag info for breads, muffins, etc., in the grocery stores. Bread's the bigger deal. Let me peruse one of my 10 tiny spiral notebooks for that little edible nugget! :)
Have you been videoing me in secret to come up with this list?! Sheesh! Guilty on so many counts. I'm pretty good about not using the credit card but I'm terrible at just going in an art store with ABSOLUTELY NO NEEDS. Sell me! Go ahead, take my money! So guilty. Thanks for the link up Mark!
The Mind of Watercolor yep....one of my FAV pastimes...cruising the aisles of my local fine art supply store. But I have learned to control myself...most of the time. I know, however, I won’t, on impulse, be sinking $200 -$300 or more into a dream set of Sennelier watercolors or the largest set of Caran d’Ache color pencils or Neocolor2 (love, love, love ❤️ these) or even my beloved Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils. My local fine art supply store has individual colors of all of the great brands. I have been able to build small sets or build from starter sets. I believe this is the most economical way to go.
The Mind of Watercolor indeed... i'm the same... got brushes and paper and paint to open a store yet there's always that one or ten tubes you want and buy... bought 9 blocks of arches hp/cp/rough in 3 sizes and a few pads as well plus kolinsky sable brushes and paints from Jackson's Art during their recent watercolor sale...
Everyone knows you never go grocery shopping when you are hungry, right ? So, you eat before you shop. Seems to me , then, before hitting the art store you should put in some time arting hard with your preferred medium. Release some of that craving before you subject yourself to all that wonderful temptation. 👩🎨🎨🖌🖍✒🖊🤗
I totally agree and would also add to never go art shopping when you're hungry, too, because some of those products... they're good enough to eat! I mean, Schmincke Blue Violet paint... mmmm!
omg. I'm right there with you. I literally have to stop going into the bigger stores, because I always see a brand I want to try or revisit. Sennelier, Holbein, QoR, and others... they just taunt me from the shelf!!! They know I'm an easy target! lol! Thanks for watching, macgurrl! Your comment gave me a good smile! :)
as an art student for many years, I always thought that the people at michaels had the best deals and that people actually knew what you meant. I was wrong, without coupons, their items are around 2-3 dollars more than if you go to joanns. And I prefer blicks. Their deals are great, their prices are great, and if you hate going out, do it online, just reevaluate. Another thing is I like how the whole "use what you got" or donate mantra because it is so true. As a student you collect items and then when you graduate you slowly learn which media you actually like. For me, we had to use many different media (except watercolor and oils) But I found out that I'm more of a marker person and a watercolor person, but I'm still a beginner when it comes to watercolor.
I totally agree D W especially in your point about learning different mediums in school and finding that one that makes you happy. I was _big_ into pastels when I was younger, but haven't really used them in years. I have a small bucket with hundreds of small, broken pieces of pastels, which I hold onto but don't use. Every year or so, I pull them out, but it's not the same. My interest isn't there. I always consider donating, yet I still hold onto them. Anyhow, thank you so much for watching and I am grateful for your thoughtful feedback! Be well! :)
I have an innate fear of credit cards, so despite having several, I never use them. Other people in my household... well... let's not go there! LOL!!! Thank you, Lisa!
It's conscience btw. Just for future reference And I feel you! Lol I'll go in and my family members will be like "do you really need that? You're just starting calligraphy, do you need every color of ink? Why don't you see if you'll keep up with it first?..." Happens all the time
Mind of Watercolor sent me. I am a beginner Watercolor Painter, i am guilty of ALL these mistakes. Also, i think because i struggle with my paintings & they don't turn out like what i had in mind, i fear the actual painting processes! Go figure? So i buy art supplies instead! Ugh! Frustrated! I look at the paper of my paintings & it's definitely NOT what i had hoped! I am 82 & painting for the first time with Watercolors. This stuff does have a mind of it's own. This is a wonderful video & i will work on applying these great ideas re:purchasing art supplies. Thank you!😊😊😊
Hi there @sandicampbell8626 and thank you for checking this one out. But, more so for sharing your thoughts and experiences. My only suggestion is not to be so worried about the outcome of your work. We all set out to paint a masterpiece, but then realize our limitations quickly. Veteran artists make it look easy, but trust me, even veteran artists look at their own work and say "ugh," with the same frustrations. You're right, the medium has a mind of its own; however, if you're able to just guide it onto the page and let it happen, you'll find that over time you'll develop a unique relationship with it and worry less about the final piece and embrace the process. I hope this makes sense. Stay fabulous and thank you again! ~ Mark
I know Michaels is the only option for many people, but honestly I very much dislike it for art supplies. They have poor selection and their prices are awful. And I just don't think that 40% coupon (which has a lot of restrictions) is worth it. :/
I hate to admit, Jess Tolley, but you're absolutely right. I also don't like stores, whether it's grocery chains, Kohls, or AC Moore/Michaels, where you have to have the rewards membership, scannable card, special "bucks" or "cash," or need to download ridiculous coupon codes just to buy items at a reasonable price. Forgive my rant, but you're right. They feed off naive, uninformed consumers who don't understand how it works, especially when it comes to young people. I wish they'd just sell items at a realistic mark-up that's affordable, and stop playing hoop games with cards, cashes, and coupons. Okay, rant over. Back to fun stuff! :)
when you use the 40%-50% off coupons thats just the price items are regular price if u were to shop online or in a self respecting art store, u never actually get a good deal at Michael's. they're the worst!!
With the 50 and 60 percent off coupons, some art items are a great deal. But you really have to pay attention to the inventory, which is tedious and would not be worth it at all if I didn't see every item for 20-30 hours per week because I work there. I totally agree with shopping around, and the best place for that is online. But some people just crave the gratification of sales, and coupons, and especially clearance, I had one person chew me out because everything she wanted was already 40% off and she couldn't use her 40% off coupon instead. Capitalism really brings out the ugly in people, and that's how corporations make their money. Just remember sales associates aren't responsible for these decisions, please don't take that out on them in any store chain
I don't see a lot of restrictions on the coupons for core art supplies. It's all Cricut and frames that are excluded. We have a great local chain called Currys, they sell at reasonably prices for Canada. When I was stocking up on oils, Michael's was half the price of Currys, and you can put the 45% on top of that. I use a limited pallet, and was buying 200 ml tubes for around 10 bucks at Michaels. I go by the store often, it is in my neighbourhood. Otherwise, travel would not work out, but they have a lot of stores. Then they put the small tubes for sale for 1.00 to 3.00 dollars. So I bought a ton of those. My wife and kids would go, and we would all buy a large 200 ml tube on a 45% coupon. They have also been marking down tons of items, like Faber watercollor pencils, I got a set of 24 for about 7 bucks, they are regularly 60 Can. On and on. They don't sell the top brands, though the artist grade stuff like the Series 2 Winsor Newton is OK. It is one of those brands where any snob can think of a fancier brand, but people do 100K portraits with the stuff. Brushes are not good. Though James Gurney was using a flat one from one of their sample sets (12 brushes for like 6 bucks), in a lot of his videos. Currently they are selling cans of removable varnish for about 3.50 If it is local for you, and you are disciplined about it, the deals are great. When I get better, the key thing will be the right items, but at this stage I am learning a lot with reasonable quality stuff, and the prices are great.
Glad you commented on this major portion of watercolor mistakes. I did the same thing with alcohol inks, took a class & loved it, came home & ordered several more colors, pretty much no homework, bought air cans, etc. But I never stopped to consider that the art work has to have a finishing spray on ceramic tile & yupo. It's more messy, disgustedly smelly & you need proper outdoor " clean area". That can have overspray! Pretty much have over $100 of supplys I doubt I'll get around to using. So sad. My watercolor mistakes are equally a problem, trying to find the " right colors" & buying paints colors I don't love. Even with the help of dot cards. Learning, but its taken 70 years. You summed up what Guidelines to go by & the frugal crafter has a saying I love, let the store, store it for you!
Thank you for your time watching Dena Heck and yes, I totally agree! Finishing spray can be a big chore for me! Glad you enjoyed this one and thank you for your generous feedback!
Thank you so much, Mona! I really appreciate that feedback! I would typically color a piece like this, but I'm saving that for another video. Of course, after watching, I realized I spelled "supplies" wrong on the drawing... "Art Supples List." LOL!! I'll have to Photoshop that, later! Thank you again and so happy we were able to do this venture! Stay well!
Another winner, Mark (though I was sorry not to see you painting your art as you usually do). I have a small notebook that I always take along to the store. In it I have listed (with samples) all of colored pencils, ink pads, paints, markers, etc that I own. It also had samples of punches and decorative edge scissors, embossing powders, and similar items in it, but I no longer use those things. I keep it updated, so I always know what I have and what I need whenever I make a (rare) trip to the art store.
That is such a brilliant idea, Amy, and I wish I had the foresight to do that, too. The closest I come to is a spreadsheet I have with a full list of all my "inventory." I haven't updated it since my last run to Blick, but I haven't picked up much lately, either! So happy you enjoyed this one. As always, thank you so much for your feedback and support. It means the world!
M.D. Campbell I make maybe two trips a year to the art store, so it became clear early on that I needed to be organized. I like to include samples or color swatches along with the names and numbers of the colors, but it can be a hassle to keep it updated. I always enjoy your videos, Mark - and they always make me think! Thank you for taking the time and the trouble to make them.
My biggest nugget of advice for managing not only shopping but many aspects of creating art is this: examine the list of mediums you work with, and bunch them unto the following. 1. Skills you want to maintain at a professional level. 2. Skills you want to maintain at a hobby level 3. Skills you like but just want to fiddle with now and then, and the last 4. The art skills that altho they are fun, you will not let yourself do them. This priority will guide your shopping, your sketchbook work, your doodling, and even your daydreaming. I am not discounting exploring new mediums now and then, but do you need that $500 full set of to try it out? Maybe you do, if it's going into your pro skill list, or maybe not since you promised yourself you will leave that alone.
That could be both good _and_ bad, Cindy Horton! lol! My fear is that I would go there every single day if I lived that close! For me, I'm happy they're an hour or so away... makes me anticipate the adventure more! Thank you for checking this one out! Cheers! :)
The Mijello bucket is great, I have had one for about 3 yrs now and love it, you got a very good deal there! I think regarding art supplies it can reach a stage where collecting art supplies becomes more of a primary habit than the habit of creating art. I have a paper fetish and I need to stop buying more and use what I have.
Thank you for checking this out, Kyomii and for your thoughtful feedback! I totally agree and know quite a few people who are obsessed with buying supplies, yet never use them. Brushes, paints, canvases that all sit on shelves, with the "I'm going to use those when I have more time" thinking, which to me is a shame, because there's no time like the present and we have to make that time to capture the joy it brings. And paper fetishes are different. Those are okay. I know, because I have one, too. LOL!! :)
I went through that when I started painting after a long hiatus. I realized that I was collecting paints & brushes as a way to avoid the fear I had of not creating *good* art. It’s taken a lot of discipline for me to stop doing that & just paint!
@@pamelaspooner8335 The bucket was a gift ( just to be clear. ) I I have since been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer so other people will be able to “use what I have” including said bucket which is still going strong and that nothing will be wasted makes me content.
me: I’m just going to buy canvas, just canvas. *leaves store with 3 bags of art supplies* also me: I need canvas, some copics, carchoal,watercolor paper, ink aaaand masking fluid. *leaves store with one bottle of ink*
omg! that is SO me, too! in both scenarios! lol! Thank you for watching this one, Ana S. and sharing that all-too familiar experience in shopping! It's like you know me too well! LOL!! :)
Shopping alone. Yes! My hubby is an enabler. He is so supportive of my art hobby that he'll encourage me to buy more than I planned. I must travel over 100 miles for a good art store & I do go prepared to look at items I can't buy confidently on line.
Gotta love those enablers, right? LOL!! Luckily, I've become my own best anti-enabler, always telling myself "it's want, not a need," to keep me from spending too much. Thank you for watching, Regina Rooks, and for your insight on this one! :)
Great advise, Mark! You are so fortunate to have art stores so close to you, I'm glad you realize that. For me, it's 30 min just to get to Michael's. I have yet to visit a real art store in person. I hope young people listen to your advise, especially about rule #3! I use credit cards, but we pay it off in full every month...then I get the rewards to buy more "free art supplies". I don't think young people have the self control to do this. I fell hard for watercolors about two years ago, and sold a ton on eBay to buy tons of new art supplies. I do a lot of volunteer work with special needs children, and love donating to my local schools any supplies I don't use. They get as almost as excited as I do with new supplies! I've probably broke most of your rules, so they are great food for thought for me!
Thank you so much for your time watching and your kind feedback, Stephanie Davis! Credit cards are so dangerous for people who don't manage them properly. It happened to me in my 20's and it took a LONG time to get out of that debt. Now, I'm wiser and only use credit cards when buying large ticket household items or on vacations. And like you, I pay them off in full and never worry about interest penalties and such. And yes, like I said, I've unfortunately made all these mistakes in the past, which is why I'm happy to pass them along to hopefully motivate others to take heed in their experiences! lol!
@@MDCampbell Ha, I think it's a right of passage to be stupid in your 20's! Yes, we discovered Dave Ramsey and never looked back! I hope everyone listens to your advise! ;)
compulsive art supply buyer here. All this advice is very valuable and I will learn to keep all these traps for myself in mind next time I go shopping. Most important of all is to have this art supply money jar going. Brilliant.
Thank you, Vera! Sadly, I exhausted my money jar going into the holidays! I'm looking forward to starting up again in the New Year! Happy holidays to you! ~ Mark
All great advice Mark! I have made these mistakes countless times buying craft supplies for beading, knitting, and crochet so your list applies to crafters too. Now that I’m getting back into colored pencils hopefully I’ll have learned my lessons and stop repeating these mistakes. Wish me luck and thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much, Rita Muller! And I'm sincerely happy to hear you're exploring colored pencils, but to be honest, even if you keep making "mistakes," if you're happy at the end of the day, then that's really what's most important. Cheers and best wishes! ~ Mark
Wish that I had heard a rendition of this when I used to be into scrapbooking. LOL. I find it much easier to be in control when I purchase art supplies....but when I was a scrapbooker....I had to have it all....and we ladies all shopped together...and there was peer pressure. Live and learn!
lol! I think, Izzaboutchu!, scrapbooking may be among the most addicting and, by nature, expensive artistic pursuits out there. Between the huge range of products on the market and the fact that folks usually get together in groups, there's so much to explore and learn! Your point about that peer pressure is so accurate!! Well said! Thanks for checking into this video and I've definitely heard from many others that they wish my videos were around when they first started, so I appreciate that feedback more than you know! Stay well!
This is what I do not just for art but for everything. I try not to buy anything immediately. If I see something I think I want I put it on a list. Ditto for anything I'm close to running out of. When I add something new I glance over the rest of the list, there is almost always one or two things I don't care about anymore and they get taken off. When I'm ready to actually make an order or go to a store I go over it all again and decide if I REALLY need it. Then I look up reviews for anything that is not replacement item for something I already own and use, and check for sales/lower prices/sets that are a better value. If I'm on a site or in a store and see something I think I want 90% of the time it goes on the list for next time.... if I actually needed it, it would already be there. If I absolutely have to have it I look it up on my computer or phone first to check reviews and sales. I use coupons if I have them (typically for Hobby Lobby which is unfortunately my only local art supply), and take advantage of sales if they match my list.. but I NEVER allow a sale to make up my mind on a purchase. If I was not willing to buy it at full price I don't need it. It's too easy to confuse want with need.... and to buy too much on a whim or fall victim to advertising (including YT videos). You save more money by not buying it at all than you do from any sale. Many people spend a lot more than they realize on inferior or unnecessary products, when they could invest in the highest quality of what they actually need for less.... I know I did in the past. One other tip: if at all possible do not buy a set or package of a new item to you if there is a single available. Buy one and try it first.... if you love it go get that set or pack, if you hate it you just saved yourself a lot of money.
Thank you, waymire01, for such a thoughtful reply! There is a fine line between want, need, and REALLY NEED! lol! But, it sound to me like, you keep a good head on your shoulders when you're shopping. I recently spent almost three hours at an art supply store, yet, only walked out with just a few basics. It was exactly that "want / need / REALLY need" thing. And yes, I love that tip: Try one and get to know it. If you love it, get the set! lol! Sounds like me! Cheers t o you
Great advice Mark. For me as new artist who live in a country with limited art stores I try not go in excess with and buy supplies that I will use and not to spent on the latest art trends unless it something I can use repeatedly
Thank you, Made by Dawn! I'm thrilled to hear you're a new artist and hope you are thoroughly enjoying the start of your creative journey! A couple of years ago, the big trend among UA-cam artists were Asian watercolors like Sakura Koi, Gansai Tambi, and Prima Marketing paints. I bought into the Sakura and Prima, and really enjoyed both, as they were not expensive and fit my needs and budget, plus they came in really useful cases. I didn't buy into the Gansai, because even though they looked great, they weren't what I was looking for. Now, I rarely see any UA-camrs using _any_ of those products. I still use the Sakura and Prima, regularly, along with my higher end products, but it goes right to your point about spending money on the latest trends and only on something we can use, over and over. I'm grateful for your time and your feedback! Have a great day! ~ Mark
Good tip on knowing what you are buying. I bought a Cotman set recently, then realized it wasn't professional grade. It was a good price, but I'm returning it. Woodworking has taught me this, buy the best to start with. You will have it for a lifetime. Well, that's true with tools, not paints ;), since you use them up. But the paintings on good paper with good paint could last a lifetime. So I did lots of research after a few early mistakes. There's a lot to learn, but this builds confidence. UA-cam is a great teacher. Thanks for your video. Cute way of drawing while you talk. Makes it interesting.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate that. As for the Cotman set, well, they are good to learn with and practice, but as I have told students in the past, I prefer to purchase a professional tool and work with that to get better, so I know. For example, I decided to go cheap in buying an electric guitar when I was young. It made for an awful experience and I ended up getting rid of it. I then saved up and purchased a much nicer guitar and it made a huge difference in my learning, performance, and in sticking with it. Just my thoughts, of course! Cheers and again, thank you K.B. for your time and feedback! ~ Mark
This is what I tell myself before I go shopping for art supplies. "You will never find a supply that is a substitute for practice or a supply that makes practice easier" For some reason I always hope I'll find that "magic" product that makes art effortless. Lol
Often, the most sage advice comes from that place between our head and our gut: our heart. Because it listens closely to the other two. And yes, I think your self-advice is wise and I, too, am always keeping an eye open for that perfect brush or pencil, that will make it all so much easier. It just doesn't exist! lol! :)
thanks for another useful video!! for me, shopping with someone else can actually be a good thing because then i dont browse forever, thus only getting what i came for ^^ another tip i would add is if you cant afford to get new stuff atm, dont even go inside. just dont. you gotta eat, and you can use whatever you already have! on that note, i appreciate this kind of video because even though all art youtubers i watch are good about /saying/ that you dont need a ton of stuff, theres a lot of art video content focused on different products that make you wanna buy things, regardless of the intention of video creators. trying new supplies is super fun but i really like finding content that is less product-centric! i hope that makes sense. take care! xx
Pixie with pens it definitely makes sense and you’re right. I actually do not like “haul” videos because it always feels like the person is often just showing off how much they spent, what cool stuff they got, and yet, rarely show how to use any of it. And there’s a ton of haul videos out there. Good for folks who run out of ideas, too. Don’t get me wrong tho, I love seeing someone using a product and talking about it, but just emptying s bag full of goodies in front of me. I get a little jealous, I suppose. LOL. ANYHOW, thank you so much, Pixie with Pens, for both watching and your thoughtful reply. Who knows, maybe I’ll do a haul video someday. lol!!
Your video reminds me of a class I was in that explained how much research and "psychology" goes into designing the aisles of a store, any store. Walk into a convenience store to pay for gas and the impulse buys, chips, candy bars, assorted junk candy ... or, for some folks, beer (especially during superbowl) are the first temptations that you see. At the counter are often additional items targeting children, and it works (because we allow it ... but it also helps the store stay in business and that boosts the economy, etc). What's the first thing you see in art stores when you walk in? Mine is the novelty items, single item "cheaply priced" stuff and "on sale" items. Some on sale items are actually the same regular price, or close to it, after they first mark it up to the highest retail price before "marking down" the prices. A few online stores are bad about this - raising the prices $2 to $3 above what they normally are then placing them "on sale" - you might save a $1 or none at all - it's a gimmick. The music that a store plays is very important, as well, to create a "happy relaxed shopping experience". Believe it or not, there is a study about malls in wealthier neighborhoods - they used a high frequency sound that only young folks can hear, it's unpleasant and drives them away because in those wealthier neighbors they do not want teens "hanging out" at the mall. I think you gave good, practical and common sense advice; the best, in my opinion, is to make a list, be prepared before shopping.
Omg, Cassie's Creations, that has been a big part of my corporate life. As a designer, I would go out into the field with a couple of marketing reps, and we would create aisle layout plans of how products would be placed on shelves and how POP (point of purchase) advertising would be placed. Companies pay a lot of money for endcap displays and sometimes customers don't even know when they're looking at an ad right on the shelf because it blends so well into the view. We even did floor stickers and aisle spanners (signs that go overhead). We didn't have control over the music, of course, but yes - stores know what works and what doesn't. Funny, I was in Whole Foods yesterday and they were playing very loud 90's alternative music. I think one of the younger employees must've put it on. It went on for quite a while, but I assume someone complained, because all of a sudden, it just turned off. lol! Anyhow, I ramble! Thank you so much for your time watching this one and especially for your thoughtful feedback. Really got me thinking! :)
@@MDCampbell Ew, schematics and endcaps - dirty words. I'm originally from an area filled with small and poor farming communities. I worked at many of the local stores and I worked 12 hard years for all the local farmers, until I couldn't. A store manager, at best, makes $10/hr, in that area, and I worked for minimum wage. The lone managers, already working 7 days a week and very long hours, needed help with managerial duties. I also reworked shelves, pulled products when new schematics/ subsequent products were delivered and I kept those endcaps filled with many of those impulse buys! I guess since I worked for the farmers, I kind of planted my feet on the bottom rung of this so called "revolutionary organic" market ladder. I was organic before it became a "thing". I learned all I cared for about business, not caring much for it at all. Nice chat! We've had a couple of chats, perhaps on other channels, you probably don't remember because you have so many. By the way, I do watch many of your videos! I thank you for sharing your cooperate story with me (I was on the other side😊). Hold your precious family close and have a great week ahead!
@@cassiescreations9828 I certainly do remember... you always remember the folks you engage more than others. And I appreciate that. My problem is that I often forget that I've told a story before, as my kids remind me constantly, "Yes, Dad. We know. You told us that before." lol! I had to laugh at your "dirty words" comment. lol! Crazy that as a store manager, the pay is not commensurate with the job tasks. It's like that in the corporate design world, too. A job that used to pay $100k a year now only pays about $60k. Designers are a dime a dozen, unless you're tenacious and hungry, willing to live alone in a 2x2 apartment in New York City. Then you have a chance to make $70k. lol! Cheers and thank you, again! :)
I just bought a set of 48 Arteza Watercolor pens online because they were having a 50% off sale. I was SO EXCITED!! They came today. I went to put them with my other paints and realized I had another brand new box, apparently from the last time they had a 50% off sale. I love Arteza and I know I have not wasted money. I will use them. But I would have preferred to have another Arteza product that I had not already had in house. Tuesday Morning is another store which encourages impulse purchases. I have bought 3 or 4 of the same item and had to gift them to friends because the price was so great at Tuesday morning and I didn't realize I had already bought that stamp set, or that marker set, or that ink set more than once.
I've done the exact same thing, Barbara Parker, so please don't feel alone on this one! LOL! Fortunately, I inherited my mom's inclination to purge stuff, so I have no problem donating the extra supplies to my teacher friends who can put them to good use! Thank you for your time watching this one and your thoughtful feedback! Cheers! :)
Great video, although I disagree about credit cards. I use my credit cards for all purchases, collect cash back or free nights at hotels, and simply pay my balances in full at the end of every month to avoid fees. None of my cards carries an annual fee. It's a total win for me, as I don't make impulse purchases. Also, I would not feel safe carrying or being seen using large amounts of cash.
Hi Sharon! Thank you for watching this one! I definitely agree that credit cards are great - if they work for you, right? Still, for mom n' pop shops, credit cards can cost them a significant amount which hurts their intake, especially like American Express. But, I have Discover, which I've used for larger purchases when I don't have the cash to cover it, but I'm probably like you and really good about getting them paid off quick. There are SO many people, especially artists, who are not good with money management and get into trouble. Definitely pros and cons! I hope you're well and being creative! :)
Sorry for so many commntes, BUT! When I go to the store I take a binder with swatch sheets of the supplies l own so I can avoid repeat colors and supplies, and I can keep a running list of supplies I need. I got the tip to keep a binder from CeeCee at creations by cee cee here on youtube. THANK YOU for another great, logical, a d informative video. 👏👏👏
Well, thank you, 1 23, for your kind and generous feedback and time watching. The binder is a fabulous idea and I can see so many benefits for it. I'll have to check out CeeCee's channel based on your recommendation! Thank you for that! Stay well! :)
Great video, great tips !! I worked in a well known online UK art supplier who had a large store for 18 years, I was passionate about the products, passionate about testing and trying all the products we sold , and my ethos was always to help and give good advice for any level of artist. Regardless of how big a sale it was , I never tried to sell things they didn't need, but I also could help with suggestions if asked. I guess artists make better art sales people,!
Funny, Karen moody, but I think that's so absolutely true! I get frustrated going into a music store and some kid starts telling me all the great things about a cheap guitar, but when I ask the really hard questions, they get a blank look on their face, revealing that they really don't know much. I respect they're learning, but I expect respect that I'm a knowledgable consumer who needs answers, not just catch phrases and lots of "so fun" or "so cool!" lol! I wish there were more like you in the Blick stores, because the young people that work there, again - I am patient and know they're learning - don't often know much of what they're selling. Cheers and thank you so much for watching and leaving your thoughtful feedback! I appreciate it! :)
I've been working part time in a store selling house paints, wall paper and such for going on 10 years now, and we work in a similar way. Its a smallish store, so we catch our customers right when they enter. No one gets happy when the customer walks in, grabs what they think is right, and then gets told they need somethimg else. Some come in, go "I need some white paint", and then we play 20 questions until we narrow it down. Some get a bit annoyed, but sure, put ceiling paint on the kitchen table, just don't say I didn't warn you. We also try not to push stuff on people they don't need. Actually got a note on that in one of them secret shopper thingys. But, if a customer comes in, says they're just looking, I'm not about to push brush kits on them just cos they're cheap. A bit of a men's dominated field too, so always amusing to be able to show customers that, yeah, this chick actually knows what's what. Or at the very least, is capable of asking someone when I don't. No shop should want the customer to walk out with more than they need or with the wrong thing.
I love watching you draw and ink! Watching this made me want to get out my sketchbook, so thank you! I live in Portland, OR, and we have tons of art stores. Just going in and swatching some items is a favorite way to spend a day off, but you’re right. I always end up spending too much. Time to go shopping in my stash! And... stay away from the Jerry’s Artarama online sales. 😂
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this one, Krystin Sawyer - thank you for taking your time to watch and for your feedback! I hope it motivated you to get out that sketchbook! It's funny, but I told a student last year that when I want to go art supply shopping, the best place I can start is in my own bins and drawers. I'm often blown away at the great deals I get on stuff in my own studio! lol! But seriously, it's so easy to forget what you have on hand, before going out and buying more. And yes, Jerry's can be a dangerous place! 😂
I could have bought a house with all the money I've spent on art and craft supplies didn't need or no longer wanted to use! Thankfully, I live two hours away from the closest art supply store. Thank you for the wonderful tips and sharing your art!
LOL Karen Elaine! It's funny because it's so true! When I was at the peak of my career, making ridiculous money in the 1990s, I bought everything I could ever want. I look at that now and think, "where is it all?" So much time and money spent, yet nothing to really show for it now, especially in that I'm still buying stuff! lol! Thank you so much for taking your time to watch and your generous feedback! Cheers! :)
@@MDCampbell Yeah, I admit I'm secretly buying art supplies on Amazon! The funny thing is I work in the art supply industry so I kind of feel like an alky who works at a bar. ;-)
I do the same thing with the change! I also loan my kids $ here and there throughout the year... then all loans are due near Mother’s Day. During the year I’ll think I “need” an art supply and put it into my Amazon cart. And let it sit there. When I think I need something else I’ll compare the need to what else is in my cart. By the time I get to the art store I have a comprehensive and careful shopping list. I go once a year for a big and fun shopping trip around Mother’s Day. It encourages my kids to give me cash and not a last minute something from the local dollar store lol! 😊
That's awesome, K Gibson! The dollar store! LOL!! That's my kids, too! Funny, my Amazon cart gets filled when I have time to sit and load it up with wishlist items. But then, a month later, I'll look it over and think, "I don't need that" or "why'd I put that in there?" and start removing things. It's a little game I play! lol! Thank you for watching and great to hear your thoughts! Best wishes! ~ Mark
Great video. I enjoyed it because I just got a 150 set of prismacolor pencils in the mail. Did I NEED them no. It was a I WANT THEM purchase. Ah well. I am just now into colored pencil drawing so I will enjoy them but didn't need them. Another tip don't go into an art supply store if you are stressed out or down about something as you are guaranteed to make an impulse purchase. Lol. So many things to remember.
Colored pencils are one of those mediums where it really helps to have a good color range, because they are not as easy to mix as paints. I originally got a 72 set of Prismacolors, but later I had to buy some additional colors open stock, and those cost a lot more per pencil.
I can totally relate to this, Karen Johnson! I've made plenty of "want" purchases in my life, which is why it made it to the list! lol! I once bought a very expensive airbrush that was new to the market. I thought it would change the way I airbrushed. But, it didn't and I rarely used it, but I had to have it. It was a big expense for something I didn't need, after all. My old, dirty Iwata airbrush was still far more effective and useful. As for shopping when stressed, I can only agree with you - and not just with art supplies: food, clothing, music, etc. Our emotions can be a terrible enabler to coax us into buying things for a false or momentary sense of gratification and relief. But, in contrast, it can also be extremely good therapy, too, if we can afford it and we're aware of the reason behind our purchase. When I'm dealing with anxiety or depression, I go to book stores. It's a place where there's always people around and so much to look at, touch, and experience to get myself out of my own head. Thank you so much for watching this one, but also for such a wonderful comment. Be well! ~ Mark
@@MDCampbell you know, I think the best realization I had was that I derive more enjoyment, and moreover, tend to use more freely high grade student grade than expensive professional stuff. There's no point in paying 50+ dollars for the good stuff if it sits in the box forever because it's too precious to use.
@@ThunderStruck15 that's such a great point. I often suggest to students not to spend money they don't have on top line products, and to buy the lesser grade products to practice with until they are more proficient AND have the money for premium. Especially if it's going to sit in a box, too precious to use (I am SO guilty of this!). Thank you for sharing that! :)
I’m curious why you used an oblique pen for your drawing. They’re great for getting the he right slant in calligraphy, but for drawing I’d be inclined to reach for a straight dip pen. Does the oblique give you an advantage when drawing?
That's a great question, Anita Weiler. I have several standard dip pens which I use for my work, but I adore my custom oblique because it allows me to see what I'm drawing much, much better than the standard pens, especially since my eyesight is not what it was when I was younger. It gives me a good advantage, and I really like the "bounce" I get from the extension or the nib. Also, it's fantastic when recording a drawing video, as it lets me keeps the nib in camera view and not hidden by my Whopper-like hands! lol! Thanks for watching and for asking! I hope that answered it. ~ Mark
Dear Mark, I love how smart and clever your videos are. With this one you really nailed it. It's so true, that impulsive purchases might not make as happy as the ones, where you research first and get a good price for the things you really want and need. I also agree on the bigger vs. family owned stores. Living in a very tiny town, there are no art stores close, so I have to order a lot from online. But when buying other things and stationary, I love to support the smaller shops. Thank you for the insights on how you shop for art supplies. May I also ask, what ink you've used today? It has such a nice and deep purple color and I wondered whether it is waterproof, as you spoke about coloring this piece too. :) Have a wonderful evening!
Thank you so much for your generous, kind words. I appreciate that so much! I agree with you and where I grew up, we only had a tiny store that was about 30 minutes away. They only carried Windsor & Newton, so I never knew about other brands until I was in my 20's. As for the ink, it is Windsor & Newton violet ink and is such a beautiful color. Typically, it's waterproof enough that I can paint with watercolors over it, but I would recommend painting first, then inking over it to prevent any kind of interference. I think too much water might begin to activate the ink, as it can be diluted with water. I'll probably color this one digitally in an upcoming video. Of course, after I did the drawing, I spilled the entire bottle all over my desk, a whole block of Arches paper, and my sketchbook. LOL!!! Such a clutz!! Nothing is ruined too badly and I'll be able to salvage what I can. Anyhow, thank you again and I sincerely hope you are doing well! ~ Mark
I usually go to the store with a set list of what I need and a little extra for the novelty items. I found that some of the novelty items are actually pretty useful while others are just cute to have around. Like the little paint pucks. I found those really useful for cleaning my brushes they extend the life of my brushes and they were originally in the novelty section. I bought two for the specific reason that I do acrylics and watercolor and I use two different sets of brushes for the paints. But I do plan for those ahead of time and how much I can actually save money-wise to buy those novelty products.
Victoria Blanchard I think going in and having a good grasp is the way to go. I come across parents with their young art students shopping with a list their teacher gave them and I hear, “it says you need a full set of drawing pencils” or something, and I want to interrupt and say, “let me see that list... you only need a 2B and a 2H pencil. And you don’t need this, this, or this.” But I end up just minding my business. I’ve seen those lists and some teachers put such unnecessary items on them. It’s just wasteful sometimes. Thank you for checking this video out! Glad to know I’m not alone in this shopping habit!! lol!
So true, I’ve gone in needing a certain color watercolor, see another I like, just to get home and find out I already had that color, and it’s not worth returning it, because like a lot of others the art store is 30 miles away.
Lindsay, The Frugal Crafter, is one of the first crafter-artist instructors that I watched and subscribed to & watched on a regular basis when I began watching arts & crafts videos. She’s definitely one of the top You-Tuber arts/crafts instructors out there & consistently produces very helpful, relevant and fun content. I’ve since discovered other great YT arts/crafts instructors, (like you Mark) but Lindsay will always be in my top 5 favs.
Thank you for sharing this, Nancy Loomis. Lindsay has incredible knowledge and experience that spans across multiple mediums. But with her, it's her intuitive and natural ability to communicate in such an energetic, fun, and positive way that draws viewers in. Myself and others are very different, of course, but like you said, she's set the bar for which others look to! :)
Great ideas in this video! Thanks for posting. Here's my process: 1. Make a list. 2. Read customer reviews. Don't buy any product with more than 7% negative reviews. Search for a better alternative. 3. Compare prices on several online sites. Factor in shipping costs when comparing prices. 4. Add the items you want or need to your art supply shopping list. 5. Wait at least 2 days before buying items on your list, a couple of weeks is even better. Waiting even longer for high ticket items is really good because items often go on sale and you might save a lot. For items like scanners, drawing tablets or light boxes and printers, consider refurbished products. 6. During your waiting period, check your stash and reflect if the items you want are actually what you need or will use. Don't buy duplicates of items you already have unless it's a really great price and you know you'll use them. 7. Keep checking prices online and in person. Watch to see if your item goes on sale. If your community has a "creative reuse" store where people can donate art and craft materials, shop there regularly and immediately snatch those cheap like new and barely used items you know you want. Shop your local art supply stores and compare their prices to online prices. Online prices are often way more expensive than brick and mortar shops, especially when the local shop offers a 40% discount coupon. Also check your local dollar store, thrift shops, Ross and DD's to see if you can find inexpensive and satisfactory versions of the products you're looking for. Shop for pens at Walmart. 8. When you're ready to buy, buy only those things on your list, and check prices again. Prices sometimes change and you may be able to get a much better deal from another vendor. 9. If buying online, use the cheapest shipping option. 10. Update your art supply shopping list to remove items you've purchased and to delete the items you realize you no longer want or need.
I admit, I'm that guy that actually does run! lol! But, I know what you mean - so many times, while I _am_ running to the register, I'll see customers just sauntering through the aisles, like they had all the time in the world!
So fun to listen and watch! Your style is so assured. Thanks for the tips. I have so many supplies that I rarely shop now. I’m starting to do classes so you reminded me of a teacher’s discount. Yay! That row of bins at the Michaels checkout is rarely tempting except for one thing; I get my cheap shopping lists there. My local Michaels doesn’t have them so when I visited one I used to go to an hour away I was so happy to find them. This is a fun idea y’all had and I’m off to check out the other videos. Thank you!
Really glad you enjoyed this one, DreamingCatStudio! Funny, I have so many supplies that I should probably take them all out, line them up, and go shopping in my own home with stuff I already have! I'll save a ton! LOL!! Good luck with your classes! Sounds very exciting! Thank you so much for your support to all these channels, but especially for your time watching this one and your kind feedback! Very grateful! ~ Mark
I no longer step foot into art or craft stores, in fact the only brick and mortar stores I go in regularly are Tractor Supply for our farm supplies and the grocery store. Being a frugal farmwife means hoarding and waste does not fit into our lifestyle or values. On line, most purchases are from Amazon with Prime and free return options and unless I am replacing a product I wait a full day or more before I complete the purchase. My husband does most of the grocery shopping since he does the cooking ( he is an amazing cook) so I simply stay away from stores. On line shopping is fun for me and I can easily compare products and prices, then check reviews and videos related to things before I actually buy something. I only shop on sites that accept Paypal as their policies favor the buyer with quick resolution of any problems as well as refunds. I have a nice supply of art supplies and what I do not use due to changing interest or skills, my adult daughter will, in fact she started using watercolors by taking a couple small palettes that over time I found I didn't use. She told me her budget doesn't have room for art supplies but she loves "shopping" in my craft/sewing room.
I used to work for a startup company that sold products specifically geared to farmers, tractor owners, and cattle purveyors. It was a very big eye opener for me to understand the mindset and buying habits of that rural lifestyle. And I can totally see how there's no place for hoarding or watering anything. I admit, I am more inclined to shop online these days that at retail stores, mainly because of the price variants. It's when I need something _right now_ that I make that desperate drive to the store, which sometimes is disappointing when you get there and they don't have what you need. Anyhow, thank you so much for spending your time with this one, Farmwife, and for you feedback, as well. Sounds like your husband is a lucky guy, as are you in that he's such a great cook! lol!! We have a similar set up on my end, too! hehe!! Stay well! ~ Mark
I live about ten minutes away from both a Michaels and a JoAnns. So I have constant access to art supplies. But! I don't usually go in unless I have a 50% or 60% off coupon because I know with that I can often get supplies cheaper even than online. And since I have both of their apps on my phone I will always check when I go to town. "Hey...can I stop at the art store?" I will occasionally get something new to try. But usually I will add to an art supply I know I use; Copics, watercolor, acrylic.....just getting a new color.
So enjoyed watching you draw. Tips are sooo true. I buy something with a project in mind; stencil paint etc. Then when I get home the new stuff gets lost in the shuffle. Drat. Will have to be more mindful. Thank you for inspiration.
Glad you enjoyed this one, Gracie Norton, and glad you enjoyed it! I understand about that "lost in the shuffle." I have supplies i bought for a project that end up in "that bin" full of supplies I use once and never use again. Those are the one's I end up donating. :)
I used to fall victim to buying what I already have because I didn't take inventory before I went.. so that is a really good piece of advice. One would think it would be easy to remember that I have 4,972 Mars Lumograph 6Bs pencils... but noooooooo.
Awesome video. A month ago I began purging my art supplies. So far I've sold $2,430 but then reinvested this money back into new/vintage supplies I resonate with more, I'm at $2,900 so far lol ah the life of an artist 😂 but at least now I've basically just traded up from "impulse", craft and student supplies, as well as professional supplies I just don't gravitate towards anymore. Now everything I have I use and I value. So sometimes going through everything and having a huge sell off can be so liberating, feels much better than having crates of supplies in my closet stacked to the ceiling, then buying supplies with that money I know I'll use and be inspired by
LOL! That's funny! I came across that oblique pen years ago and felt the same way. "I need that!" But, when I first got it, I thought I'd made a big mistake as it had a learning curve to it. Once I got past that, though, it was love... true, sweet love! lol! Cheers, mario rossi and thank you! ~ Mark
Mark, I love watching you do your thing. I especially like when you wrote, "Art Supply List" upside down. Great topic and good advice, now to take the suggestions and do it...another story.
LOL! Thank you Helen Schaefer! I appreciate that so much! Of course, I was rushing when I wrote the "Art Supplies List" and it came out "Supples," not "Supplies." LOL!! It's an easy fix, but still a little embarrassing, nonetheless! lol! I'm happy you enjoyed this one and always grateful for your kind feedback! Cheers! :)
I made a folder with swatches from every paint medium I own, if available I included pigment information. This helps me prevent double purchases, especially since I tend to gravitate towards the same colors. I can check if I already own a color I like, even if by another name yet with the same pigment. I never by new art supplies if I don't have my folder with me.
Blick is only mail order for me. Probably good thing. Thanks for all your information. Love to watch your drawings (illustrations) you make it look so easy. Lots and lots of practice.
I appreciate your kind words, Linda Hale, and your time watching this one. I've been doing this for a long time, so it's good to know I've got it down enough to make it look easy! Trust me, I still struggle at times! lol! :)
As far as knowing your supplies, I have two items in particular it was easy to duplicate (for me, it is seed beads and watercolor tube paints.) I wound up creating a Google Sheet (which is free online and accessible from most internet devices) spreadsheet for each, with a complete inventory of what I own. It includes colors, part numbers, brands, size even date purchased and price paid. An added bonus is it is easy to add items I might like, creating a shopping/wish list. Now, when I am shopping for either of these art supplies, I shop and choose my colors, then I pull up my list and put back any that I already have, but first, I snap a photo of all the colors I chose for the project, so I remember what my creative idea was.
Yes, Suzy Scholar! That Google sheet is what saves me from myself! lol! I did a complete inventory last year and was stunned at how much I actually have (especially unfinished sketchbooks). I'm glad you mentioned this and hope others follow your lead, as well! It's a great idea! Thank you for taking your time to watch and for sharing such valuable feedback! Be well! ~ Mark
Thanks for teaching high school students. In my city, there are midlle and high school art teachers who do a lot of crafts, and then there are art teachers who teach on a college level. It seems like there is no standard curriculum. Also, there are wealthy districts and poor districts. I used to shop at our family owned art store. However, they are a lot more expensive. It's frustrating because I've been going there for about 50 years. Serious artists work there!
Thanks for such a great video. I do already follow a number of your tips (thanks for the validation) but learned so many more. It's nice to know there is someone else out there that approaches art supply buying in a similar way.
That's so awesome, Rebecca Beedy! And yes, it's nice to know that me going on about these things is so well received by others who "get it." lol!! Stay well and thank you so much for your time checking this out, and your thoughtful feedback! ~ Mark
I really appreciate your time watching and that you chose to leave feedback, shazia rafat. Thank you for that. I'm very happy you enjoyed this one! Stay well! ~ Mark
I worked at my art school's bookstore, which was better than most art supply stores. Not only did I get the discount on my books, but it also allowed me to buy things for a little less money than other stores. Of course, back then, Amazon and Blick didn't exist, so it was all luck of the draw for what the stores had! Thank you for checking this one out, Liz Gridley - Artist, and for your thoughtful comment! :)
Well done young man, from this old timer. Those young minds were lucky to benefit from your kindness and talent. I called it a day in spring 2009 after a 38year career in teaching. I spent the majority of that time at the elementary school level teaching either grades 6 and 7. The last 23 years before I retired I had grade 8s. Initially planning to retire i was called into action in the fall of 2006 to fill in until a permanent art teacher was found. 1 semester ended up into 3 more years at the high school level. I found myself in the middle, I replaced a long time teacher like myself and then my immediate predecessor the students had loathed, so I had some very difficult and big shows to fill. By spring 2009, it was time to go, it was my age getting to me. But I throughly enjoyed my victory lap in those final 3 school years. Well done young man as art teachers we afford the students an opportunity to look at the world through creative eyes.
When I worked at ac Moore, I always asked customers what they were going to make with their supplies I was mostly a stocker, and stockers usually stock one section as their main. For me it was baking. So I had to learn about lots of other stuff from the people shopping. I'd always see things they'd buy that I had no idea we carried.
This is SO true and glad to have your inside perspective, Lucifer Faust! I've actually heard cashiers say, "oh wow, I didn't we had these!" which makes me laugh and I say, "You should check out what this store carries... something for everyone!" They usually give me a "look." lol! Thank you for watching and your feedback! Much appreciated! :)
My five year old has that the same style of having one eye out of the face floating, I'm sure his teachers will question him doing that but me, I'm just proud he draws as one of my favourite youtube artists
I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this. I have got better at not buying so many supplies that I don't need but I have to admit I still get drawn in by things that sit unused for a long time.
Thank you so much for checking this one out, Diane! I've gotten SO much better, myself, but there are times when I go in and forget to leave the store. lol! I still recall your holiday vlog showcasing Daniel Smith products - I literally went out the next day and bought new paints! lol! I hope all is well with you and you're feeling fabulous! Thank you again! ~ Mark
Wow, thank you so much for your generous words, C L Aldridge Art! That's really kind of you. Thank you for taking time to watch and especially for those words. Made my day! :)
I pay with a credit card to get the cash back and pay off the balance at the end of the month. That being said, I'm a sucker for a sale, a sucker for paper, and a sucker for art supplies in general. Blick is a 15 to 20 minute drive from my office and I only go there on special occassions. I also travel for work and I've been known to hit up the hobby stores, especially if it's a store not in the area where I live. The struggle is real.
Thanks for checking this one out, 1 23! I think people who can responsibly manage credit cards are fine, but even I got into trouble when i was young buying too much and trying to pay it off, getting hit with large penalties that just exacerbated the whole thing. Now, I'm wiser and tell my own kids to watch out for credit cards. And yes, "the struggle is real" for sure! lol! :)
Enjoyed your vid and had to laugh a few times :) I live near a Dick Blick (which is a good and bad thing)! I have been a full time artist for over 45 yrs. now and have experienced ALL the things you talked about. I know that I have kept the brush companies in business for many years:) Nothing feels better than buying art supplies!! It is definitely like going into a candy store. I have a small budget so (although I could go to the store every day) I only allow myself to go when absolutely necessary. I definitely make a list and attempt to stay on it :) There are some things that are, for me, a must to go into a store,especially if I want to try something new; like buying brushes. Really helps when you can actually hold it and feel what it is like.... Paper is another one, I want to feel it and look at the texture. But I purchase a lot of my supplies online because, sometimes a better deal but the main reason is that: I have more control over what I purchase :) P.S. I saw you write Supples and thought: oops, wonder when he will see that :) I know that's a mistake I have done :) LOL... Instagram: lindaappleartist
Linda Apple ah yes, the art “supples!” Is like to say it was intentional, but truth be known, I was rushing and goofed up! LOL! It’s okay, an easy fix! I’m grateful for your time watching and happy this resonated with you. I’m exactly the same way in experiencing the tactile feel of my supples. (lol!) If I lived near a Blick store, I’d surely go broke! Thank you again and especially for your wonderful reply! Love to hear about others experiences!!
Oh dear, I'm that person who is last at the till when store is closing! I rarely go to an Art supply shop, so when I do, I'm overwhelmed with all the new goodies. Spend so much time browsing and admiring, then ... it's closing and I can't go home with nothing, can I? Buy something, go home, it's late, tired, hungry and then have a good look at what I bought ... hmm, another rash/rush purchase! Got to stop doing that
Thanks for the feedback, Mo M, and I completely relate. We have no really good art supply stores close by, so when I do make that journey to the city or out of state, I plan to be there for a long time! lol! As for the pen, it's oblique pen, more commonly used in calligraphy. I just love the way it feels. Cheers!!! ~ Mark
I actually work at a Michaels. And a lot of these points are very true. Even Though i can tell the customer about most of the stuff in fine arts, my managers had no idea we sold gauche and it’s probably why our small location is clearencing it out. But on that same note while I've learned a lot customer will still get angry with me that I don’t know how to cross stitch or how the cricket works. It’s extremely important to do research and hold out for coupons. Another point to add Why it’s important to have a set plan is if you ask an employee like me who likes talking about the products I know about you might get caught up in it and get to the counter with a large bill. A costumer came in during holiday season and was looking for just a pack of copics, paper, and maybe a pencil case. I showed them all the specials, coupons, sales we had and also showed them other options liked the chameleon markers, pigma pens, tombows. They bought almost $300 dollars worth of stuff. It’s not my intention to do this, I just want people to know there’s lots of options and coupons make all the difference. That time I think the coupons got them, there’s was 30% or 40% off all individual markers and they went haywire with the copic cage. P.s. in the search for great art deals if make a lot of art purchases(big or small) and you have a Michael’s rewards memberships check your email now and then. Sometimes they send me a 50% off all regular price art supplies. And they let you know about the extremely rare case of the entire fine art department being buy one get one free. I know more emails are annoying but I think it’s worth it, plus it’s free. P.s.s. Idk if anyone is interested but derwent watercolor pencils were on clearance at few locations near me and there was no advertisement for them. 24 pack for I think $25.
Just wow! Such incredible insight, Nixiell! Thank you so much for sharing all that. You are clearly the rarity at that particular store. Most times I go Michael's or AC Moore, it's a struggle to find someone to help me, let alone know what I'm talking about! And thank you for the info on the emails. I have the rewards, but never see them come in m inbox, so I forget about them. Thank you again! So great! ~ Mark
M.D. Campbell you’re welcome! It’s hard to keep people that actually keep people that know the stuff on the floor. If there were an actual art store nearby I’d swap in a heartbeat to work with all of the fancier products but I guess then I’d want to buy them. A while ago Michael’s was have issues where people weren’t getting the emails but they fix that. So if your still not getting them I’d check to see if the information is correct. Big coupons like those have to do with the frequency of purchases. Like one week there was a 50% one item and since I’m there most of the week so I’d just pick one or two things up each day. It also seems to be mostly the paints that triggered. But you have to log your phone number in with each purchase. Also check for competitors coupons, Joanne’s usually has the best ones.
ha!! that drawing turned out great - love how you made the dad look a little clueless and in a shopping bubble of happiness while all that chaos is around him. You had some great tips. I, for one, don't worry about the store closing because, honestly - I have been known to be in Michael's for HOURS. I mean, I might get there at 2pm and I look at EVERYTHING. The next thing I know - someone is on the loud speaker saying "The store will be closing in XYZ minutes, please bring your purchases to the register." I never "impulse" buy - I buy the things I know I will use. It might not be right away, but I think and plan ahead. I bought a die cutting machine, a Big Shot, long before I every had a reason to use it because I KNEW one day, I would have a need and use for it. I also bought other tools and paper stacks and materials - even though I had no plans to use them at the time. I was working and had the cash. But then I lost my job and that foresight has paid off BIG TIME. Because now I craft and I use the supplies I bought all those years ago. And if I had waited til now - I wouldn't have the money to buy those things. So, I say - don't be afraid of thinking ahead when it's a tool or product that you want. What I hate, and what I see an awful lot of on you tube, is crafters who seem to get the bulk of their pleasure from just doing hauls. I mean - it's a haul here and there and everywhere like every month and you NEVER see them using the things they haul. Its impossible to use all that stuff - yet they keep bringing it in en masse and making videos about it and something about that seems not quite right. It seems compulsive, indulgent, excessive, undisciplined, and screams lack of stewardship. And then they will turn around and do a destash sale. It's crazy. I say buy whatever you want, whenever you want, and pay for it however you want - JUST USE IT! Don't buy it just to fill some emotional void or to keep up with the joneses or to be trendy or to just throw it in a box or bin somewhere. USE IT. Justify spending that money which is the numeric equivalent of someone's sweat or tears working for it. If I had $500 dollars for crafting - I would spend exactly what I wanted to of it whether $50 or the whole $500 because I do look things up, I do have a list of essential tools and products I know would enhance my art, I do know what I am willing to spend on something, I do use coupons, and I shop online as well as in store to find the best deal for me. The only real big mistake anyone can make it to be thoughtless/careless in what they purchase and why. PS - and I laughed at the "Art Supples List" - did you do that on purpose?
Thank you so much for your time spent watching, Today's Special Minis, and your wonderful feedback! That's an amazing story about the die machine and having the unplanned foresight to buy what you did. We never know when job changes or income sources will change. It recently happened to me, too, when I lost a large client of mine. You make so many valid points, here. And no, I didn't mean to write "art supples!" lol! Good eye! I caught it after, and luckily, it's an easy fix. Thank you again, especially for sharing your experience! Cheers! ~ Mark
Great tips. Also "garage sales" sponsored by small craft stores can be a good place to get items others are destashing. Or it can be dangerous if you're not focused and don't know what you have in your own stash. I keep track of -everything- in Evernote and that helps me a lot in avoiding doubles and even picking up a good buy on something I don't have in my stash but have been wanting. Another good tip for me is to lower my 'impulse point'. Most of us have that "oh it was only" dollar amount for picking up something that catches our eye. If your impulse point is $10 and you see some cute brushes, you might think 'oh that's only $10' and pick it up to regret it later. If your impulse point for the unknown, not on sale, brushes was $5, you wouldn't get it. The impulse point is especially important at garage sales where there is often only one of that item available. I've gotten some great im[ulse items at $3 Canadian and walked away from some $15 items that I later thought I probably should have gotten.
Hey Tim K! Thank you for coming by! Steve Mitchell has become a good friend and someone whom I trust and look up to as both a UA-cam mentor and as a fellow artist and designer. He's amazing and his personality really shines in his work. Glad you're here and grateful for your time! Cheers! :)
I have a strathmore mixed media book with swatches of all my art supplies and a table of contents. If I’m browsing in an art store I bring it along so I don’t accidentally buy the same color twice. Anything I have a complete set of has its own swatch chart and I already know I own every color so I don’t need to bring those along.
That's a brilliant idea, April Brown! I just don't trust those little printed swatch samples they have on the display cases in art supply stores. I've bought paint based on those tiny swatches, got them home, and they looked much different than in the store. Daniel Smith's Potter's Pink is a prime example. Maybe I got a bad batch, but it performs horribly and I was so disappointed with it (feels more painting with jelly and the color is so thin, I rarely use it). Anyhow, thank you for watching and especially for sharing your insight! :)
I learned from my RPG supplies that if I could write it down on a list in my google drive, I did. I've saved myself from buying "Bestiary 6" several times because I keep that list up to date. From that, I started keeping a google drive entry for my supplies as well (usually just sheets lists with what colors/number codes I own) so I could pull it up on my phone and have a pretty good idea of what I already have, or write down exactly what I'm looking for.
Thank you, IceMutt, and it's definitely a great idea and advice to put a supply list on Google to have it on the go! I will probably adopt that myself! :)
@@MDCampbell of course! It only works with some supplies though! I mostly use it on supplies that would actually annoy me to buy duplicates of (looking at those PearlEx pigments).
I'm pretty disciplined. When I go in I have an agenda of getting what I need and that's all!! I do engage with staff and explain issues I'm having and most of the time they are experienced artists who have given me the exact advice/solution I need. I typically shop at specialty art stores for specific things I can't find online or stuff that can't be shipped (chemicals). Craft/Art Chain-stores seem to never have what I need or the staff is not knowledgeable.
I think that's the key to being a successful consumer in any regard: discipline! And yes, engaging an _experienced_ staff member is always beneficial and I always recommend that; however, in most stores I go to, the staff are often students and try to answer questions that they should be deferring to someone else. I don't blame them, of course, I've just learned to be more discerning with whom I engage, now. Respect to everyone, but mostly to myself. Thanks for checking this one out and for your great feedback! I really appreciate that! ~ Mark
Great idea with the big mistakes series! The best part of this video, which falls under the "information" category and is usually watching someone talk and me falling asleep, but you soooo solved that problem, something to watch, other than another talking head! I would have stayed even if you had been talking about cleaning your bathroom. How brilliant - just watching you draw - loved it! Thanks!
lol! Best comment ever, Lc Mann! Thank you! It really was a lot of fun doing the "mistake" video. And yeah, I'll be doing a bathroom cleaning demo in an upcoming video, for sure... kidding!! Thank you so much for check this one out and your thoughtful comments! Made my day! :)
Loved the mistakes (made them all, more than once!!!) and loved the way you presented it!! Very entertaining watching you creating that drawing!! Regards from Argentina!!
Where I live, the “mom and pop” shops actually charge less than the the big retailers. E.g the small shop sells Prismacolor pencils for $1.99 each. The big department store, Michaels, sells them for $2.99!
Great tips! I have bought so many things twice! Those things that I can’t return I like to see if a friend can use it, or since I have a two story house, I have paper crafting (huge supply/ die cutting, rubber stamping, inks, handmade books, mixed media stuff, and some jewelry making things) upstairs, and more fine art supplies (huge volume here, too!), better jewelry making supplies, and sewing and quilting supplies downstairs. So, having two of the same things can be a real time saver! (Rationalizing?! Lol!) I also try to keep an inventory of things (rubber stamps, cutting dies, watercolor brands and colors I have / plus a wish list) in my phone - has helped tremendously from buying duplicates things.
I love the rationalizing, Paula! lol! But, yes, for many years I kept boxes in my garage of art supplies. To the point where I didn't know what was in many of them. About five years ago, we had a massive yard sale and I opened all those boxes up and found a treasure trove of supplies, that I ended up selling at the yard sale. I figured, "if I haven't used them after this long, maybe someone else can benefit from them." So, that's what I did. Anything that didn't sell, I tossed away as it was too old and not conducive for donating. Anyhow, thank you for checking this one out and grateful, as always, for your thoughts. Hoping all is well on your end! :) ~ Mark
Great tips. Our only option for buying art supplies in person is Michael's, so I'll go there about once a year in order to get a feel for/try out new things. Sometimes the price is worth it for the experience of being able to hold and test out the art supply. If I'm there and find a new marker, pen, brush, etc. that I like, I'll buy one at their higher price as a courtesy since I got to try and discover the new supply there. Then I'll come home and order online if I want more, or when I need a replacement later. I always go in with a strict budget, knowing I'll be paying a premium.
Thanks for your feedback and for watching this one, Kelli Shaver! That's actually a good idea - shop _for ideas at the store_ and come home to order. I need to start doing that! Good idea! ~ Mark
I price things all the time, online, of course, but at my local stores too. I love to go to my my local fine arts supply store as much or often more than the big national arts/crafts chain stores. One advantage is that the local fine art stores have a lot more products to choose from that can be purchased individually, such as high quality color pencils and markers and even small introductory sets of higher quality brands of paint. Sets of any art supply will only take you so far, and it is wasteful to by another set only to need a couple of colors. I recently purchased a Qor High Chroma (gorgeous colors) introductory WC set at my local fine arts store for about $22.00 but can purchase individual colors as I need. And Michaels has started carrying some Daniel Smith watercolor intro sets and I bought the Mineral Mixing set there for $20 something (can’t remember exactly but it was a nice discount) after using a 40% coupon. I’m really glad that Daniel Smith and other quality paint producers are widely marketing “introduction” WC sets. This is a fabulous way for people to try out quality products without overspending. And then it’s usually easy to find individual colors of quality brands at your local fine art supply store or online as needed.
That's awesome, Nancy Loomis and I totally agree with you about the Daniel Smith marketing. However, I saw they were selling a palette set of colors for about $75 dollars and was SO disappointed to find that the palette/case they came in was terrible. For that kind of money, they should be taking lessons from Prima Marketing, whose paints are wonderful to play with and come in fantastic, quality level tins... for $20 bucks! lol!
I go in and Ohh that is a pretty color, and there is another and hey, a new brand! Then I MUST go buy a super cool expensive brush! I now have as many brushes as I have fishing poles and that is a lot! I can’t stop!
Steve Abbott lol! I know this too well! At one point, my number of expensive brushes rivaled my expensive guitars. Music and art can be the most expensive indoor hobbies. Glad I didn’t get into Formula One racing! Yikes!! ;)
Ironically enough I found this video right after I came back from art supplies shopping. I did well though! The only impulse purchase was a tube of paint and the only reason it even happened was that the store has "buy one, get one 50% off" on these paints, but my shopping list had an odd number of colors. So I just HAD to get myself some Dioxazine Purple.
Ooooooooh!!! I loves me some Dioxazine Purple!! And yes, those Buy One/Get One deals can be really sweet - and usually worth the trip just because of them. We have shoe stores that do that here, and I take advantage of those, as well. I wish grocery stores did them, too. Enjoy that purple paint, Places I've Been and thank you for all your feedback and time with this video. Cheers!! :)
@@MDCampbell How do you use DIoxazine Purple? I bought to use in florals and I can see how it can be useful to add interest to shadows, but I'm sure there are other uses.
@@PlacesWeveBeen it's in my M. Graham set and I use it like any other watercolor, diluting and layering as needed. It's such a beautiful, vibrant color that sometimes, I have to keep myself from using it too much! lol! :)
I was just buying art supplies today, hahhaha. I would love to see you vlogging in Michaels and buying your supplies with all those coins you’ve saved up. I totally shop with my friends and they do convince me to buy things I don’t need. However, I do keep a list on my phone of my supplies. I’m pretty good at keeping an inventory of my supplies. You also have a really nice pen nib in this video ;) Side note: I was going to read all these comments, but there are so many.
Thank you, so much for checking this one out! I started to record this video in Michael's, but there were people in the aisle and I felt silly trying to talk with people looking at me. lol! As for the pen, it's an oblique pen used primarily for calligraphy, but which works well here because it allows me to record the drawing without my quarter pounder hands getting in the way! lol! :)
My closest art supplies store is about 15 to 20 minute away with bicycle but that's not the cheapest and there is another one but I consider my self lucky that I found it anyway
My nearest store is with car....about 10 minutes? And it is a BIG place. 3 floors full with everything about art, crafting etc. Watercolor, knitting things, decorations, oil, working with cement, acryl, ink, copic marker etc. They have a huge display of german brands (store is in germany), so expensive schmincke, tons of faber castell but they also have white night. They do not have much with resin but I love going there to buy things. They have for example amazing soap to clean pencils and everything with arcyl, watercolor etc. It saved a pencil full of acryl I forgot to clean.
I would probably never leave a store like that. They'd have to call the authorities to come get me out, because I'd say, "But, they have White Nights!" to which the authorities would say, "Really?" and then they'd never leave, either. Oh, it would not be good, I tell you! lol!!! Thanks for sharing, 6Kubik, and you are fortunate to have such a store nearby! Seriously! :)
To skip my chit-chat, click here: 6:33 to get right into the *Biggest Mistakes when Buying Art Supplies*. Also, if you click the "SHOW MORE" above, you'll find _time stamps_ to each of my 11 mistakes, individually. Or, you can just let it play and enjoy the gripping discussion that I know you'll enjoy - or your money back! lol! Thanks for checking this out! :)
Those are very useful tips, some similiar to what I do, some new to look out for. Thank you for sharing.
@@fynthecat Thank you so much! I'm glad you found this familiar. I wish it weren't, for me, but... well. lol!! :)
I worked at Target for 10 years, and got some INCREDIBLE deals on clearance merchandise that never hit the sales floor, but did in the stockroom. CLEARANCE TIP: when shopping for the telltale bright orange clearance tag at Target, remember this: if the price ends in a "4", it IS the very last price before being donated to charity. So if something is $7.58 on an orange tag, it's not the last price. However, if it ends in "$1.54," scoop it up, because that's THE last price on an item. Hope this helps! And thanks MD for a thoughtful shopping trip. I actually exhaled at the end having been well-informed.
Fanna Turano
Denver, CO
That's some fabulous insight and advice, Frances Turano! I love Target and always look for those deals. Now, knowing about the "4," I feel like I'm in on a secret! lol! Thank you for sharing, but also for your kind feedback and time watching! Be well! ~ Mark
You're welcome, MD! Btw, my sweet hubby went to Michal's to get your SUPER deal on that wc bucket! Was still $26, they refused to offer a discount. SOOOOOO...he whipped out the screen shot I'd taken from your post. Instant sale price he got! He's thrilled AND he doesn't paint! LOL.
That 2nd Target tip (or any retail joint): if you see a steady stream or fast walking employees running towards the stock room? FOLLOW THEM! There's something in there we ALL want that's ending in that secret "4" orange price tag! Force them to tell you! They must--it's the law!
I also have tag info for breads, muffins, etc., in the grocery stores. Bread's the bigger deal. Let me peruse one of my 10 tiny spiral notebooks for that little edible nugget! :)
Have you been videoing me in secret to come up with this list?! Sheesh! Guilty on so many counts. I'm pretty good about not using the credit card but I'm terrible at just going in an art store with ABSOLUTELY NO NEEDS. Sell me! Go ahead, take my money! So guilty. Thanks for the link up Mark!
The Mind of Watercolor yep....one of my FAV pastimes...cruising the aisles of my local fine art supply store. But I have learned to control myself...most of the time. I know, however, I won’t, on impulse, be sinking $200 -$300 or more into a dream set of Sennelier watercolors or the largest set of Caran d’Ache color pencils or Neocolor2 (love, love, love ❤️ these) or even my beloved Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils. My local fine art supply store has individual colors of all of the great brands. I have been able to build small sets or build from starter sets. I believe this is the most economical way to go.
The Mind of Watercolor indeed... i'm the same... got brushes and paper and paint to open a store yet there's always that one or ten tubes you want and buy... bought 9 blocks of arches hp/cp/rough in 3 sizes and a few pads as well plus kolinsky sable brushes and paints from Jackson's Art during their recent watercolor sale...
Everyone knows you never go grocery shopping when you are hungry, right ? So, you eat before you shop. Seems to me , then, before hitting the art store you should put in some time arting hard with your preferred medium. Release some of that craving before you subject yourself to all that wonderful temptation. 👩🎨🎨🖌🖍✒🖊🤗
I totally agree and would also add to never go art shopping when you're hungry, too, because some of those products... they're good enough to eat! I mean, Schmincke Blue Violet paint... mmmm!
@@MDCampbell That's funny!
True I agree ❤️❤️❤️
@@MDCampbell You just had to say the BV word! Now I want blue violet paint! lol
@@karenrichardson6767 LOL!! I was just using it yesterday, too! :)
I think I need a 12 step program, I can't stop buying watercolors.
omg. I'm right there with you. I literally have to stop going into the bigger stores, because I always see a brand I want to try or revisit. Sennelier, Holbein, QoR, and others... they just taunt me from the shelf!!! They know I'm an easy target! lol! Thanks for watching, macgurrl! Your comment gave me a good smile! :)
Wait... you mean you’re supposed to STOP buying watercolors? Oh, man! Why didn’t somebody tell me sooner?
@Nan Schifris No way! If they make you happy, and you can afford them...buy ALL the colors! ;D
.......guilty as charged. =>.>=
Make your own!! Then I'm sure you'll develop a pigment addiction !! ;-) OK, I have a color pencil addiction.... :-D
“You go in, buy what you need and go out...right?” .......🤣NOPE. Never happens. 😂
lol! Exactly! Thanks, Vani!
Same! 😂 With me it's brushes and paper. I have to be so strict with myself.
“not always” - I think you pronounce “never” different from how I would pronounce it ;-)
Never. Ever. Ever. Ever, ever, ever, ever.......... damnit.
Only time that happened was when I went on a lunch break with coworkers and had a list. Had a coworker that was great about going "nope, let's go!"
Great tips, I am a sucker for the cute novelty supplies LOL!
I admit it. I am too. A sucker, that is. For many things! LOL!!! Thank you, Lindsay! :)
Lindsay and her $1 store shopping sprees...
thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich same ! I once was watching your video on JDMM while I was at Michaels buying JDMM.
as an art student for many years, I always thought that the people at michaels had the best deals and that people actually knew what you meant. I was wrong, without coupons, their items are around 2-3 dollars more than if you go to joanns. And I prefer blicks. Their deals are great, their prices are great, and if you hate going out, do it online, just reevaluate. Another thing is I like how the whole "use what you got" or donate mantra because it is so true. As a student you collect items and then when you graduate you slowly learn which media you actually like. For me, we had to use many different media (except watercolor and oils) But I found out that I'm more of a marker person and a watercolor person, but I'm still a beginner when it comes to watercolor.
I totally agree D W especially in your point about learning different mediums in school and finding that one that makes you happy. I was _big_ into pastels when I was younger, but haven't really used them in years. I have a small bucket with hundreds of small, broken pieces of pastels, which I hold onto but don't use. Every year or so, I pull them out, but it's not the same. My interest isn't there. I always consider donating, yet I still hold onto them. Anyhow, thank you so much for watching and I am grateful for your thoughtful feedback! Be well! :)
# 3 is the best tip ever!! I made this mistake and got myself into trouble with debt when I was younger.
I have an innate fear of credit cards, so despite having several, I never use them. Other people in my household... well... let's not go there! LOL!!! Thank you, Lisa!
That art supply change jar is definitely a great idea! Tfs
Thank you! I still use it and currently it is overflowing. I need to get some paper rolls to collect it all. lol! :)
“Don’t shop with friends or family” they’re my conscious lmaooo
I can completely understand this! lol!
It's conscience btw. Just for future reference
And I feel you! Lol I'll go in and my family members will be like "do you really need that? You're just starting calligraphy, do you need every color of ink? Why don't you see if you'll keep up with it first?..." Happens all the time
Practice is the most needed art supply😄. I think I spent money to buy some items which looks very good on youtube videos or more webpages.
Yes, practice and time are the most precious art supplies! Thank you, Lu Mi! :)
soo true, but sometimes is also about everyone preferences. After years I found out that What I like use some people may even hate.
Mind of Watercolor sent me. I am a beginner Watercolor Painter, i am guilty of ALL these mistakes. Also, i think because i struggle with my paintings & they don't turn out like what i had in mind, i fear the actual painting processes! Go figure? So i buy art supplies instead! Ugh! Frustrated! I look at the paper of my paintings & it's definitely NOT what i had hoped! I am 82 & painting for the first time with Watercolors. This stuff does have a mind of it's own. This is a wonderful video & i will work on applying these great ideas re:purchasing art supplies. Thank you!😊😊😊
Hi there @sandicampbell8626 and thank you for checking this one out. But, more so for sharing your thoughts and experiences. My only suggestion is not to be so worried about the outcome of your work. We all set out to paint a masterpiece, but then realize our limitations quickly. Veteran artists make it look easy, but trust me, even veteran artists look at their own work and say "ugh," with the same frustrations. You're right, the medium has a mind of its own; however, if you're able to just guide it onto the page and let it happen, you'll find that over time you'll develop a unique relationship with it and worry less about the final piece and embrace the process. I hope this makes sense. Stay fabulous and thank you again! ~ Mark
Thank you for taking the time to reply & the compassion & Encouragement. I appreciate it very Much! @MDCampbell
I know Michaels is the only option for many people, but honestly I very much dislike it for art supplies. They have poor selection and their prices are awful. And I just don't think that 40% coupon (which has a lot of restrictions) is worth it. :/
I hate to admit, Jess Tolley, but you're absolutely right. I also don't like stores, whether it's grocery chains, Kohls, or AC Moore/Michaels, where you have to have the rewards membership, scannable card, special "bucks" or "cash," or need to download ridiculous coupon codes just to buy items at a reasonable price. Forgive my rant, but you're right. They feed off naive, uninformed consumers who don't understand how it works, especially when it comes to young people. I wish they'd just sell items at a realistic mark-up that's affordable, and stop playing hoop games with cards, cashes, and coupons. Okay, rant over. Back to fun stuff! :)
when you use the 40%-50% off coupons thats just the price items are regular price if u were to shop online or in a self respecting art store, u never actually get a good deal at Michael's. they're the worst!!
With the 50 and 60 percent off coupons, some art items are a great deal. But you really have to pay attention to the inventory, which is tedious and would not be worth it at all if I didn't see every item for 20-30 hours per week because I work there. I totally agree with shopping around, and the best place for that is online. But some people just crave the gratification of sales, and coupons, and especially clearance, I had one person chew me out because everything she wanted was already 40% off and she couldn't use her 40% off coupon instead. Capitalism really brings out the ugly in people, and that's how corporations make their money. Just remember sales associates aren't responsible for these decisions, please don't take that out on them in any store chain
‘
I don't see a lot of restrictions on the coupons for core art supplies. It's all Cricut and frames that are excluded. We have a great local chain called Currys, they sell at reasonably prices for Canada. When I was stocking up on oils, Michael's was half the price of Currys, and you can put the 45% on top of that. I use a limited pallet, and was buying 200 ml tubes for around 10 bucks at Michaels. I go by the store often, it is in my neighbourhood. Otherwise, travel would not work out, but they have a lot of stores. Then they put the small tubes for sale for 1.00 to 3.00 dollars. So I bought a ton of those. My wife and kids would go, and we would all buy a large 200 ml tube on a 45% coupon.
They have also been marking down tons of items, like Faber watercollor pencils, I got a set of 24 for about 7 bucks, they are regularly 60 Can. On and on.
They don't sell the top brands, though the artist grade stuff like the Series 2 Winsor Newton is OK. It is one of those brands where any snob can think of a fancier brand, but people do 100K portraits with the stuff.
Brushes are not good. Though James Gurney was using a flat one from one of their sample sets (12 brushes for like 6 bucks), in a lot of his videos.
Currently they are selling cans of removable varnish for about 3.50
If it is local for you, and you are disciplined about it, the deals are great.
When I get better, the key thing will be the right items, but at this stage I am learning a lot with reasonable quality stuff, and the prices are great.
Glad you commented on this major portion of watercolor mistakes. I did the same thing with alcohol inks, took a class & loved it, came home & ordered several more colors, pretty much no homework, bought air cans, etc. But I never stopped to consider that the art work has to have a finishing spray on ceramic tile & yupo. It's more messy, disgustedly smelly & you need proper outdoor " clean area". That can have overspray! Pretty much have over $100 of supplys I doubt I'll get around to using. So sad. My watercolor mistakes are equally a problem, trying to find the " right colors" & buying paints colors I don't love. Even with the help of dot cards. Learning, but its taken 70 years. You summed up what Guidelines to go by & the frugal crafter has a saying I love, let the store, store it for you!
Thank you for your time watching Dena Heck and yes, I totally agree! Finishing spray can be a big chore for me! Glad you enjoyed this one and thank you for your generous feedback!
That was a great video! Great advice, but I was entranced watching you...just when I thought you were done...you kept making it better!! ❤️
Thank you so much, Mona! I really appreciate that feedback! I would typically color a piece like this, but I'm saving that for another video. Of course, after watching, I realized I spelled "supplies" wrong on the drawing... "Art Supples List." LOL!! I'll have to Photoshop that, later! Thank you again and so happy we were able to do this venture! Stay well!
Another winner, Mark (though I was sorry not to see you painting your art as you usually do). I have a small notebook that I always take along to the store. In it I have listed (with samples) all of colored pencils, ink pads, paints, markers, etc that I own. It also had samples of punches and decorative edge scissors, embossing powders, and similar items in it, but I no longer use those things. I keep it updated, so I always know what I have and what I need whenever I make a (rare) trip to the art store.
That is such a brilliant idea, Amy, and I wish I had the foresight to do that, too. The closest I come to is a spreadsheet I have with a full list of all my "inventory." I haven't updated it since my last run to Blick, but I haven't picked up much lately, either! So happy you enjoyed this one. As always, thank you so much for your feedback and support. It means the world!
M.D. Campbell I make maybe two trips a year to the art store, so it became clear early on that I needed to be organized. I like to include samples or color swatches along with the names and numbers of the colors, but it can be a hassle to keep it updated. I always enjoy your videos, Mark - and they always make me think! Thank you for taking the time and the trouble to make them.
The lining (inking) was so satisfying! Good tips and overall great video!
Thank you so much, LeiliMana! Glad you enjoyed this one! :)
My biggest nugget of advice for managing not only shopping but many aspects of creating art is this: examine the list of mediums you work with, and bunch them unto the following. 1. Skills you want to maintain at a professional level. 2. Skills you want to maintain at a hobby level 3. Skills you like but just want to fiddle with now and then, and the last 4. The art skills that altho they are fun, you will not let yourself do them. This priority will guide your shopping, your sketchbook work, your doodling, and even your daydreaming. I am not discounting exploring new mediums now and then, but do you need that $500 full set of to try it out? Maybe you do, if it's going into your pro skill list, or maybe not since you promised yourself you will leave that alone.
Excellent points - er, nuggets - of advice, Allan Fink! Thank you for sharing!
I live 10 minutes away from BLICK!!!!! You said it all !!!!! Thank you for reminding me!!!!!!😂
That could be both good _and_ bad, Cindy Horton! lol! My fear is that I would go there every single day if I lived that close! For me, I'm happy they're an hour or so away... makes me anticipate the adventure more! Thank you for checking this one out! Cheers! :)
The Mijello bucket is great, I have had one for about 3 yrs now and love it, you got a very good deal there! I think regarding art supplies it can reach a stage where collecting art supplies becomes more of a primary habit than the habit of creating art. I have a paper fetish and I need to stop buying more and use what I have.
Thank you for checking this out, Kyomii and for your thoughtful feedback! I totally agree and know quite a few people who are obsessed with buying supplies, yet never use them. Brushes, paints, canvases that all sit on shelves, with the "I'm going to use those when I have more time" thinking, which to me is a shame, because there's no time like the present and we have to make that time to capture the joy it brings. And paper fetishes are different. Those are okay. I know, because I have one, too. LOL!! :)
I went through that when I started painting after a long hiatus. I realized that I was collecting paints & brushes as a way to avoid the fear I had of not creating *good* art. It’s taken a lot of discipline for me to stop doing that & just paint!
Yes, use what you have...like 4 empty jam jars instead of buying a divided plastic bucket. Save that money for something else.
@@pamelaspooner8335 The bucket was a gift ( just to be clear. ) I I have since been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer so other people will be able to “use what I have” including said bucket which is still going strong and that nothing will be wasted makes me content.
i sure can relate to your comment. Me too! @@nanschifris8734
me: I’m just going to buy canvas, just canvas. *leaves store with 3 bags of art supplies*
also me: I need canvas, some copics, carchoal,watercolor paper, ink aaaand masking fluid. *leaves store with one bottle of ink*
omg! that is SO me, too! in both scenarios! lol! Thank you for watching this one, Ana S. and sharing that all-too familiar experience in shopping! It's like you know me too well! LOL!! :)
VERY. relatable
Shopping alone. Yes! My hubby is an enabler. He is so supportive of my art hobby that he'll encourage me to buy more than I planned. I must travel over 100 miles for a good art store & I do go prepared to look at items I can't buy confidently on line.
Gotta love those enablers, right? LOL!! Luckily, I've become my own best anti-enabler, always telling myself "it's want, not a need," to keep me from spending too much. Thank you for watching, Regina Rooks, and for your insight on this one! :)
Great advise, Mark! You are so fortunate to have art stores so close to you, I'm glad you realize that. For me, it's 30 min just to get to Michael's. I have yet to visit a real art store in person. I hope young people listen to your advise, especially about rule #3! I use credit cards, but we pay it off in full every month...then I get the rewards to buy more "free art supplies". I don't think young people have the self control to do this. I fell hard for watercolors about two years ago, and sold a ton on eBay to buy tons of new art supplies. I do a lot of volunteer work with special needs children, and love donating to my local schools any supplies I don't use. They get as almost as excited as I do with new supplies! I've probably broke most of your rules, so they are great food for thought for me!
Thank you so much for your time watching and your kind feedback, Stephanie Davis! Credit cards are so dangerous for people who don't manage them properly. It happened to me in my 20's and it took a LONG time to get out of that debt. Now, I'm wiser and only use credit cards when buying large ticket household items or on vacations. And like you, I pay them off in full and never worry about interest penalties and such. And yes, like I said, I've unfortunately made all these mistakes in the past, which is why I'm happy to pass them along to hopefully motivate others to take heed in their experiences! lol!
@@MDCampbell Ha, I think it's a right of passage to be stupid in your 20's! Yes, we discovered Dave Ramsey and never looked back! I hope everyone listens to your advise! ;)
compulsive art supply buyer here. All this advice is very valuable and I will learn to keep all these traps for myself in mind next time I go shopping. Most important of all is to have this art supply money jar going. Brilliant.
Thank you, Vera! Sadly, I exhausted my money jar going into the holidays! I'm looking forward to starting up again in the New Year! Happy holidays to you! ~ Mark
All great advice Mark! I have made these mistakes countless times buying craft supplies for beading, knitting, and crochet so your list applies to crafters too. Now that I’m getting back into colored pencils hopefully I’ll have learned my lessons and stop repeating these mistakes. Wish me luck and thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much, Rita Muller! And I'm sincerely happy to hear you're exploring colored pencils, but to be honest, even if you keep making "mistakes," if you're happy at the end of the day, then that's really what's most important. Cheers and best wishes! ~ Mark
Wish that I had heard a rendition of this when I used to be into scrapbooking. LOL. I find it much easier to be in control when I purchase art supplies....but when I was a scrapbooker....I had to have it all....and we ladies all shopped together...and there was peer pressure. Live and learn!
lol! I think, Izzaboutchu!, scrapbooking may be among the most addicting and, by nature, expensive artistic pursuits out there. Between the huge range of products on the market and the fact that folks usually get together in groups, there's so much to explore and learn! Your point about that peer pressure is so accurate!! Well said! Thanks for checking into this video and I've definitely heard from many others that they wish my videos were around when they first started, so I appreciate that feedback more than you know! Stay well!
This is what I do not just for art but for everything. I try not to buy anything immediately. If I see something I think I want I put it on a list. Ditto for anything I'm close to running out of. When I add something new I glance over the rest of the list, there is almost always one or two things I don't care about anymore and they get taken off. When I'm ready to actually make an order or go to a store I go over it all again and decide if I REALLY need it. Then I look up reviews for anything that is not replacement item for something I already own and use, and check for sales/lower prices/sets that are a better value. If I'm on a site or in a store and see something I think I want 90% of the time it goes on the list for next time.... if I actually needed it, it would already be there. If I absolutely have to have it I look it up on my computer or phone first to check reviews and sales. I use coupons if I have them (typically for Hobby Lobby which is unfortunately my only local art supply), and take advantage of sales if they match my list.. but I NEVER allow a sale to make up my mind on a purchase. If I was not willing to buy it at full price I don't need it. It's too easy to confuse want with need.... and to buy too much on a whim or fall victim to advertising (including YT videos). You save more money by not buying it at all than you do from any sale. Many people spend a lot more than they realize on inferior or unnecessary products, when they could invest in the highest quality of what they actually need for less.... I know I did in the past. One other tip: if at all possible do not buy a set or package of a new item to you if there is a single available. Buy one and try it first.... if you love it go get that set or pack, if you hate it you just saved yourself a lot of money.
Thank you, waymire01, for such a thoughtful reply! There is a fine line between want, need, and REALLY NEED! lol! But, it sound to me like, you keep a good head on your shoulders when you're shopping. I recently spent almost three hours at an art supply store, yet, only walked out with just a few basics. It was exactly that "want / need / REALLY need" thing. And yes, I love that tip: Try one and get to know it. If you love it, get the set! lol! Sounds like me! Cheers t o you
Great advice Mark. For me as new artist who live in a country with limited art stores I try not go in excess with and buy supplies that I will use and not to spent on the latest art trends unless it something I can use repeatedly
Thank you, Made by Dawn! I'm thrilled to hear you're a new artist and hope you are thoroughly enjoying the start of your creative journey! A couple of years ago, the big trend among UA-cam artists were Asian watercolors like Sakura Koi, Gansai Tambi, and Prima Marketing paints. I bought into the Sakura and Prima, and really enjoyed both, as they were not expensive and fit my needs and budget, plus they came in really useful cases. I didn't buy into the Gansai, because even though they looked great, they weren't what I was looking for. Now, I rarely see any UA-camrs using _any_ of those products. I still use the Sakura and Prima, regularly, along with my higher end products, but it goes right to your point about spending money on the latest trends and only on something we can use, over and over. I'm grateful for your time and your feedback! Have a great day! ~ Mark
Good tip on knowing what you are buying. I bought a Cotman set recently, then realized it wasn't professional grade. It was a good price, but I'm returning it. Woodworking has taught me this, buy the best to start with. You will have it for a lifetime. Well, that's true with tools, not paints ;), since you use them up. But the paintings on good paper with good paint could last a lifetime. So I did lots of research after a few early mistakes. There's a lot to learn, but this builds confidence. UA-cam is a great teacher. Thanks for your video. Cute way of drawing while you talk. Makes it interesting.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate that. As for the Cotman set, well, they are good to learn with and practice, but as I have told students in the past, I prefer to purchase a professional tool and work with that to get better, so I know. For example, I decided to go cheap in buying an electric guitar when I was young. It made for an awful experience and I ended up getting rid of it. I then saved up and purchased a much nicer guitar and it made a huge difference in my learning, performance, and in sticking with it. Just my thoughts, of course! Cheers and again, thank you K.B. for your time and feedback! ~ Mark
This is what I tell myself before I go shopping for art supplies.
"You will never find a supply that is a substitute for practice or a supply that makes practice easier"
For some reason I always hope I'll find that "magic" product that makes art effortless. Lol
Often, the most sage advice comes from that place between our head and our gut: our heart. Because it listens closely to the other two. And yes, I think your self-advice is wise and I, too, am always keeping an eye open for that perfect brush or pencil, that will make it all so much easier. It just doesn't exist! lol! :)
Chuck Nine it is comforting to know I’m not alone feeling that way!
thanks for another useful video!! for me, shopping with someone else can actually be a good thing because then i dont browse forever, thus only getting what i came for ^^ another tip i would add is if you cant afford to get new stuff atm, dont even go inside. just dont. you gotta eat, and you can use whatever you already have! on that note, i appreciate this kind of video because even though all art youtubers i watch are good about /saying/ that you dont need a ton of stuff, theres a lot of art video content focused on different products that make you wanna buy things, regardless of the intention of video creators. trying new supplies is super fun but i really like finding content that is less product-centric! i hope that makes sense. take care! xx
Pixie with pens it definitely makes sense and you’re right. I actually do not like “haul” videos because it always feels like the person is often just showing off how much they spent, what cool stuff they got, and yet, rarely show how to use any of it. And there’s a ton of haul videos out there. Good for folks who run out of ideas, too. Don’t get me wrong tho, I love seeing someone using a product and talking about it, but just emptying s bag full of goodies in front of me. I get a little jealous, I suppose. LOL. ANYHOW, thank you so much, Pixie with Pens, for both watching and your thoughtful reply. Who knows, maybe I’ll do a haul video someday. lol!!
I am watching this for your inking technique. There are surprisingly few videos that are this easy to follow.
Thank you for that feedback, Schwarzer Ritter! I'm grateful you took the time to share your thoughts. I hope it was helpful. Cheers! ~ Mark
Your video reminds me of a class I was in that explained how much research and "psychology" goes into designing the aisles of a store, any store. Walk into a convenience store to pay for gas and the impulse buys, chips, candy bars, assorted junk candy ... or, for some folks, beer (especially during superbowl) are the first temptations that you see. At the counter are often additional items targeting children, and it works (because we allow it ... but it also helps the store stay in business and that boosts the economy, etc). What's the first thing you see in art stores when you walk in? Mine is the novelty items, single item "cheaply priced" stuff and "on sale" items. Some on sale items are actually the same regular price, or close to it, after they first mark it up to the highest retail price before "marking down" the prices. A few online stores are bad about this - raising the prices $2 to $3 above what they normally are then placing them "on sale" - you might save a $1 or none at all - it's a gimmick. The music that a store plays is very important, as well, to create a "happy relaxed shopping experience". Believe it or not, there is a study about malls in wealthier neighborhoods - they used a high frequency sound that only young folks can hear, it's unpleasant and drives them away because in those wealthier neighbors they do not want teens "hanging out" at the mall. I think you gave good, practical and common sense advice; the best, in my opinion, is to make a list, be prepared before shopping.
Omg, Cassie's Creations, that has been a big part of my corporate life. As a designer, I would go out into the field with a couple of marketing reps, and we would create aisle layout plans of how products would be placed on shelves and how POP (point of purchase) advertising would be placed. Companies pay a lot of money for endcap displays and sometimes customers don't even know when they're looking at an ad right on the shelf because it blends so well into the view. We even did floor stickers and aisle spanners (signs that go overhead). We didn't have control over the music, of course, but yes - stores know what works and what doesn't. Funny, I was in Whole Foods yesterday and they were playing very loud 90's alternative music. I think one of the younger employees must've put it on. It went on for quite a while, but I assume someone complained, because all of a sudden, it just turned off. lol! Anyhow, I ramble! Thank you so much for your time watching this one and especially for your thoughtful feedback. Really got me thinking! :)
@@MDCampbell Ew, schematics and endcaps - dirty words. I'm originally from an area filled with small and poor farming communities. I worked at many of the local stores and I worked 12 hard years for all the local farmers, until I couldn't. A store manager, at best, makes $10/hr, in that area, and I worked for minimum wage. The lone managers, already working 7 days a week and very long hours, needed help with managerial duties. I also reworked shelves, pulled products when new schematics/ subsequent products were delivered and I kept those endcaps filled with many of those impulse buys! I guess since I worked for the farmers, I kind of planted my feet on the bottom rung of this so called "revolutionary organic" market ladder. I was organic before it became a "thing". I learned all I cared for about business, not caring much for it at all. Nice chat! We've had a couple of chats, perhaps on other channels, you probably don't remember because you have so many. By the way, I do watch many of your videos! I thank you for sharing your cooperate story with me (I was on the other side😊). Hold your precious family close and have a great week ahead!
@@cassiescreations9828 I certainly do remember... you always remember the folks you engage more than others. And I appreciate that. My problem is that I often forget that I've told a story before, as my kids remind me constantly, "Yes, Dad. We know. You told us that before." lol! I had to laugh at your "dirty words" comment. lol! Crazy that as a store manager, the pay is not commensurate with the job tasks. It's like that in the corporate design world, too. A job that used to pay $100k a year now only pays about $60k. Designers are a dime a dozen, unless you're tenacious and hungry, willing to live alone in a 2x2 apartment in New York City. Then you have a chance to make $70k. lol! Cheers and thank you, again! :)
I just bought a set of 48 Arteza Watercolor pens online because they were having a 50% off sale. I was SO EXCITED!! They came today. I went to put them with my other paints and realized I had another brand new box, apparently from the last time they had a 50% off sale. I love Arteza and I know I have not wasted money. I will use them. But I would have preferred to have another Arteza product that I had not already had in house. Tuesday Morning is another store which encourages impulse purchases. I have bought 3 or 4 of the same item and had to gift them to friends because the price was so great at Tuesday morning and I didn't realize I had already bought that stamp set, or that marker set, or that ink set more than once.
I've done the exact same thing, Barbara Parker, so please don't feel alone on this one! LOL! Fortunately, I inherited my mom's inclination to purge stuff, so I have no problem donating the extra supplies to my teacher friends who can put them to good use! Thank you for your time watching this one and your thoughtful feedback! Cheers! :)
Great video, although I disagree about credit cards. I use my credit cards for all purchases, collect cash back or free nights at hotels, and simply pay my balances in full at the end of every month to avoid fees. None of my cards carries an annual fee. It's a total win for me, as I don't make impulse purchases. Also, I would not feel safe carrying or being seen using large amounts of cash.
Hi Sharon! Thank you for watching this one! I definitely agree that credit cards are great - if they work for you, right? Still, for mom n' pop shops, credit cards can cost them a significant amount which hurts their intake, especially like American Express. But, I have Discover, which I've used for larger purchases when I don't have the cash to cover it, but I'm probably like you and really good about getting them paid off quick. There are SO many people, especially artists, who are not good with money management and get into trouble. Definitely pros and cons! I hope you're well and being creative! :)
I wrote a comment saying almost the same info before I read your comment.
I just use my debit card for the cash problem. I don't trust my ability to not overspend!
Sorry for so many commntes, BUT! When I go to the store I take a binder with swatch sheets of the supplies l own so I can avoid repeat colors and supplies, and I can keep a running list of supplies I need. I got the tip to keep a binder from CeeCee at creations by cee cee here on youtube. THANK YOU for another great, logical, a d informative video. 👏👏👏
Well, thank you, 1 23, for your kind and generous feedback and time watching. The binder is a fabulous idea and I can see so many benefits for it. I'll have to check out CeeCee's channel based on your recommendation! Thank you for that! Stay well! :)
1 23 : wow, hats off to you for being so very well organised! Due to my brain injury I can't sadly...
Great video, great tips !! I worked in a well known online UK art supplier who had a large store for 18 years, I was passionate about the products, passionate about testing and trying all the products we sold , and my ethos was always to help and give good advice for any level of artist. Regardless of how big a sale it was , I never tried to sell things they didn't need, but I also could help with suggestions if asked. I guess artists make better art sales people,!
Funny, Karen moody, but I think that's so absolutely true! I get frustrated going into a music store and some kid starts telling me all the great things about a cheap guitar, but when I ask the really hard questions, they get a blank look on their face, revealing that they really don't know much. I respect they're learning, but I expect respect that I'm a knowledgable consumer who needs answers, not just catch phrases and lots of "so fun" or "so cool!" lol! I wish there were more like you in the Blick stores, because the young people that work there, again - I am patient and know they're learning - don't often know much of what they're selling. Cheers and thank you so much for watching and leaving your thoughtful feedback! I appreciate it! :)
I've been working part time in a store selling house paints, wall paper and such for going on 10 years now, and we work in a similar way. Its a smallish store, so we catch our customers right when they enter. No one gets happy when the customer walks in, grabs what they think is right, and then gets told they need somethimg else. Some come in, go "I need some white paint", and then we play 20 questions until we narrow it down. Some get a bit annoyed, but sure, put ceiling paint on the kitchen table, just don't say I didn't warn you.
We also try not to push stuff on people they don't need. Actually got a note on that in one of them secret shopper thingys. But, if a customer comes in, says they're just looking, I'm not about to push brush kits on them just cos they're cheap.
A bit of a men's dominated field too, so always amusing to be able to show customers that, yeah, this chick actually knows what's what. Or at the very least, is capable of asking someone when I don't.
No shop should want the customer to walk out with more than they need or with the wrong thing.
So many things you said were self-evident, but we all still tend to forget them. Thanks for reminding!
I know for me, self-evidence is often best viewed in hindsight. lol! :)
I love watching you draw and ink! Watching this made me want to get out my sketchbook, so thank you!
I live in Portland, OR, and we have tons of art stores. Just going in and swatching some items is a favorite way to spend a day off, but you’re right. I always end up spending too much. Time to go shopping in my stash! And... stay away from the Jerry’s Artarama online sales. 😂
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this one, Krystin Sawyer - thank you for taking your time to watch and for your feedback! I hope it motivated you to get out that sketchbook! It's funny, but I told a student last year that when I want to go art supply shopping, the best place I can start is in my own bins and drawers. I'm often blown away at the great deals I get on stuff in my own studio! lol! But seriously, it's so easy to forget what you have on hand, before going out and buying more. And yes, Jerry's can be a dangerous place! 😂
I could have bought a house with all the money I've spent on art and craft supplies didn't need or no longer wanted to use! Thankfully, I live two hours away from the closest art supply store. Thank you for the wonderful tips and sharing your art!
LOL Karen Elaine! It's funny because it's so true! When I was at the peak of my career, making ridiculous money in the 1990s, I bought everything I could ever want. I look at that now and think, "where is it all?" So much time and money spent, yet nothing to really show for it now, especially in that I'm still buying stuff! lol! Thank you so much for taking your time to watch and your generous feedback! Cheers! :)
@@MDCampbell Yeah, I admit I'm secretly buying art supplies on Amazon! The funny thing is I work in the art supply industry so I kind of feel like an alky who works at a bar. ;-)
@@KarenElaine lol!!!
I do the same thing with the change! I also loan my kids $ here and there throughout the year... then all loans are due near Mother’s Day. During the year I’ll think I “need” an art supply and put it into my Amazon cart. And let it sit there. When I think I need something else I’ll compare the need to what else is in my cart. By the time I get to the art store I have a comprehensive and careful shopping list. I go once a year for a big and fun shopping trip around Mother’s Day. It encourages my kids to give me cash and not a last minute something from the local dollar store lol! 😊
That's awesome, K Gibson! The dollar store! LOL!! That's my kids, too! Funny, my Amazon cart gets filled when I have time to sit and load it up with wishlist items. But then, a month later, I'll look it over and think, "I don't need that" or "why'd I put that in there?" and start removing things. It's a little game I play! lol! Thank you for watching and great to hear your thoughts! Best wishes! ~ Mark
Great video. I enjoyed it because I just got a 150 set of prismacolor pencils in the mail. Did I NEED them no. It was a I WANT THEM purchase. Ah well. I am just now into colored pencil drawing so I will enjoy them but didn't need them. Another tip don't go into an art supply store if you are stressed out or down about something as you are guaranteed to make an impulse purchase. Lol. So many things to remember.
Colored pencils are one of those mediums where it really helps to have a good color range, because they are not as easy to mix as paints. I originally got a 72 set of Prismacolors, but later I had to buy some additional colors open stock, and those cost a lot more per pencil.
Well there you go. It had to happen then. Lol thanks Places We've Been
I can totally relate to this, Karen Johnson! I've made plenty of "want" purchases in my life, which is why it made it to the list! lol! I once bought a very expensive airbrush that was new to the market. I thought it would change the way I airbrushed. But, it didn't and I rarely used it, but I had to have it. It was a big expense for something I didn't need, after all. My old, dirty Iwata airbrush was still far more effective and useful. As for shopping when stressed, I can only agree with you - and not just with art supplies: food, clothing, music, etc. Our emotions can be a terrible enabler to coax us into buying things for a false or momentary sense of gratification and relief. But, in contrast, it can also be extremely good therapy, too, if we can afford it and we're aware of the reason behind our purchase. When I'm dealing with anxiety or depression, I go to book stores. It's a place where there's always people around and so much to look at, touch, and experience to get myself out of my own head. Thank you so much for watching this one, but also for such a wonderful comment. Be well! ~ Mark
@@MDCampbell you know, I think the best realization I had was that I derive more enjoyment, and moreover, tend to use more freely high grade student grade than expensive professional stuff. There's no point in paying 50+ dollars for the good stuff if it sits in the box forever because it's too precious to use.
@@ThunderStruck15 that's such a great point. I often suggest to students not to spend money they don't have on top line products, and to buy the lesser grade products to practice with until they are more proficient AND have the money for premium. Especially if it's going to sit in a box, too precious to use (I am SO guilty of this!). Thank you for sharing that! :)
I’m curious why you used an oblique pen for your drawing. They’re great for getting the he right slant in calligraphy, but for drawing I’d be inclined to reach for a straight dip pen. Does the oblique give you an advantage when drawing?
That's a great question, Anita Weiler. I have several standard dip pens which I use for my work, but I adore my custom oblique because it allows me to see what I'm drawing much, much better than the standard pens, especially since my eyesight is not what it was when I was younger. It gives me a good advantage, and I really like the "bounce" I get from the extension or the nib. Also, it's fantastic when recording a drawing video, as it lets me keeps the nib in camera view and not hidden by my Whopper-like hands! lol! Thanks for watching and for asking! I hope that answered it. ~ Mark
Dear Mark, I love how smart and clever your videos are. With this one you really nailed it. It's so true, that impulsive purchases might not make as happy as the ones, where you research first and get a good price for the things you really want and need. I also agree on the bigger vs. family owned stores. Living in a very tiny town, there are no art stores close, so I have to order a lot from online. But when buying other things and stationary, I love to support the smaller shops. Thank you for the insights on how you shop for art supplies.
May I also ask, what ink you've used today? It has such a nice and deep purple color and I wondered whether it is waterproof, as you spoke about coloring this piece too. :)
Have a wonderful evening!
Thank you so much for your generous, kind words. I appreciate that so much! I agree with you and where I grew up, we only had a tiny store that was about 30 minutes away. They only carried Windsor & Newton, so I never knew about other brands until I was in my 20's. As for the ink, it is Windsor & Newton violet ink and is such a beautiful color. Typically, it's waterproof enough that I can paint with watercolors over it, but I would recommend painting first, then inking over it to prevent any kind of interference. I think too much water might begin to activate the ink, as it can be diluted with water. I'll probably color this one digitally in an upcoming video. Of course, after I did the drawing, I spilled the entire bottle all over my desk, a whole block of Arches paper, and my sketchbook. LOL!!! Such a clutz!! Nothing is ruined too badly and I'll be able to salvage what I can. Anyhow, thank you again and I sincerely hope you are doing well! ~ Mark
I usually go to the store with a set list of what I need and a little extra for the novelty items. I found that some of the novelty items are actually pretty useful while others are just cute to have around. Like the little paint pucks. I found those really useful for cleaning my brushes they extend the life of my brushes and they were originally in the novelty section. I bought two for the specific reason that I do acrylics and watercolor and I use two different sets of brushes for the paints. But I do plan for those ahead of time and how much I can actually save money-wise to buy those novelty products.
Victoria Blanchard I think going in and having a good grasp is the way to go. I come across parents with their young art students shopping with a list their teacher gave them and I hear, “it says you need a full set of drawing pencils” or something, and I want to interrupt and say, “let me see that list... you only need a 2B and a 2H pencil. And you don’t need this, this, or this.” But I end up just minding my business. I’ve seen those lists and some teachers put such unnecessary items on them. It’s just wasteful sometimes. Thank you for checking this video out! Glad to know I’m not alone in this shopping habit!! lol!
So true, I’ve gone in needing a certain color watercolor, see another I like, just to get home and find out I already had that color, and it’s not worth returning it, because like a lot of others the art store is 30 miles away.
Yes! Been there, too, Priscella Rivera! Stuck with something I didn't need because it was too much of a hassle to bring it back! ugh! lol! :)
Lindsay, The Frugal Crafter, is one of the first crafter-artist instructors that I watched and subscribed to & watched on a regular basis when I began watching arts & crafts videos. She’s definitely one of the top You-Tuber arts/crafts instructors out there & consistently produces very helpful, relevant and fun content. I’ve since discovered other great YT arts/crafts instructors, (like you Mark) but Lindsay will always be in my top 5 favs.
Thank you for sharing this, Nancy Loomis. Lindsay has incredible knowledge and experience that spans across multiple mediums. But with her, it's her intuitive and natural ability to communicate in such an energetic, fun, and positive way that draws viewers in. Myself and others are very different, of course, but like you said, she's set the bar for which others look to! :)
Great ideas in this video! Thanks for posting. Here's my process:
1. Make a list.
2. Read customer reviews. Don't buy any product with more than 7% negative reviews. Search for a better alternative.
3. Compare prices on several online sites. Factor in shipping costs when comparing prices.
4. Add the items you want or need to your art supply shopping list.
5. Wait at least 2 days before buying items on your list, a couple of weeks is even better. Waiting even longer for high ticket items is really good because items often go on sale and you might save a lot. For items like scanners, drawing tablets or light boxes and printers, consider refurbished products.
6. During your waiting period, check your stash and reflect if the items you want are actually what you need or will use. Don't buy duplicates of items you already have unless it's a really great price and you know you'll use them.
7. Keep checking prices online and in person. Watch to see if your item goes on sale. If your community has a "creative reuse" store where people can donate art and craft materials, shop there regularly and immediately snatch those cheap like new and barely used items you know you want. Shop your local art supply stores and compare their prices to online prices. Online prices are often way more expensive than brick and mortar shops, especially when the local shop offers a 40% discount coupon. Also check your local dollar store, thrift shops, Ross and DD's to see if you can find inexpensive and satisfactory versions of the products you're looking for. Shop for pens at Walmart.
8. When you're ready to buy, buy only those things on your list, and check prices again. Prices sometimes change and you may be able to get a much better deal from another vendor.
9. If buying online, use the cheapest shipping option.
10. Update your art supply shopping list to remove items you've purchased and to delete the items you realize you no longer want or need.
Never in my life gave I seen a customer run to the cash register at closing time. They. Couldn't. Care. Less. But the sentiment is appreciated.
I admit, I'm that guy that actually does run! lol! But, I know what you mean - so many times, while I _am_ running to the register, I'll see customers just sauntering through the aisles, like they had all the time in the world!
So fun to listen and watch! Your style is so assured. Thanks for the tips. I have so many supplies that I rarely shop now. I’m starting to do classes so you reminded me of a teacher’s discount. Yay! That row of bins at the Michaels checkout is rarely tempting except for one thing; I get my cheap shopping lists there. My local Michaels doesn’t have them so when I visited one I used to go to an hour away I was so happy to find them. This is a fun idea y’all had and I’m off to check out the other videos. Thank you!
Really glad you enjoyed this one, DreamingCatStudio! Funny, I have so many supplies that I should probably take them all out, line them up, and go shopping in my own home with stuff I already have! I'll save a ton! LOL!! Good luck with your classes! Sounds very exciting! Thank you so much for your support to all these channels, but especially for your time watching this one and your kind feedback! Very grateful! ~ Mark
I no longer step foot into art or craft stores, in fact the only brick and mortar stores I go in regularly are Tractor Supply for our farm supplies and the grocery store. Being a frugal farmwife means hoarding and waste does not fit into our lifestyle or values. On line, most purchases are from Amazon with Prime and free return options and unless I am replacing a product I wait a full day or more before I complete the purchase. My husband does most of the grocery shopping since he does the cooking ( he is an amazing cook) so I simply stay away from stores. On line shopping is fun for me and I can easily compare products and prices, then check reviews and videos related to things before I actually buy something. I only shop on sites that accept Paypal as their policies favor the buyer with quick resolution of any problems as well as refunds. I have a nice supply of art supplies and what I do not use due to changing interest or skills, my adult daughter will, in fact she started using watercolors by taking a couple small palettes that over time I found I didn't use. She told me her budget doesn't have room for art supplies but she loves "shopping" in my craft/sewing room.
I used to work for a startup company that sold products specifically geared to farmers, tractor owners, and cattle purveyors. It was a very big eye opener for me to understand the mindset and buying habits of that rural lifestyle. And I can totally see how there's no place for hoarding or watering anything. I admit, I am more inclined to shop online these days that at retail stores, mainly because of the price variants. It's when I need something _right now_ that I make that desperate drive to the store, which sometimes is disappointing when you get there and they don't have what you need. Anyhow, thank you so much for spending your time with this one, Farmwife, and for you feedback, as well. Sounds like your husband is a lucky guy, as are you in that he's such a great cook! lol!! We have a similar set up on my end, too! hehe!! Stay well! ~ Mark
I live about ten minutes away from both a Michaels and a JoAnns. So I have constant access to art supplies. But! I don't usually go in unless I have a 50% or 60% off coupon because I know with that I can often get supplies cheaper even than online. And since I have both of their apps on my phone I will always check when I go to town. "Hey...can I stop at the art store?" I will occasionally get something new to try. But usually I will add to an art supply I know I use; Copics, watercolor, acrylic.....just getting a new color.
I agree, Chilly Studios, going with the coupons is the ONLY way I'll go. Otherwise, I won't. lol! :)
So enjoyed watching you draw. Tips are sooo true.
I buy something with a project in mind; stencil paint etc. Then when I get home the new stuff gets lost in the shuffle. Drat. Will have to be more mindful. Thank you for inspiration.
Glad you enjoyed this one, Gracie Norton, and glad you enjoyed it! I understand about that "lost in the shuffle." I have supplies i bought for a project that end up in "that bin" full of supplies I use once and never use again. Those are the one's I end up donating. :)
Great advice. Thank you for sharing.
I added all your points to my list.
Again, Thank you for sharing- much appreciated!
I used to fall victim to buying what I already have because I didn't take inventory before I went.. so that is a really good piece of advice. One would think it would be easy to remember that I have 4,972 Mars Lumograph 6Bs pencils... but noooooooo.
Love, love, love this drawing! And your list of biggest mistake made me chuckle and nod all the time.
Awesome video. A month ago I began purging my art supplies. So far I've sold $2,430 but then reinvested this money back into new/vintage supplies I resonate with more, I'm at $2,900 so far lol ah the life of an artist 😂 but at least now I've basically just traded up from "impulse", craft and student supplies, as well as professional supplies I just don't gravitate towards anymore. Now everything I have I use and I value. So sometimes going through everything and having a huge sell off can be so liberating, feels much better than having crates of supplies in my closet stacked to the ceiling, then buying supplies with that money I know I'll use and be inspired by
That is absolutely incredible! Wow!! Well done!
Ahhh great video! You just add to the happiness of the art community here on youtube! Thank you so much for putting this together and sharing!
I'm grateful for your generous comments, Joy.Veteran.Artist! Thank you for that and I'm happy you enjoyed this one! Stay well! ~ Mark
great advice but..wait a moment..i absolutely need this oblique dip pen i've never seen before..i need it ..
LOL! That's funny! I came across that oblique pen years ago and felt the same way. "I need that!" But, when I first got it, I thought I'd made a big mistake as it had a learning curve to it. Once I got past that, though, it was love... true, sweet love! lol! Cheers, mario rossi and thank you! ~ Mark
Mark, I love watching you do your thing. I especially like when you wrote, "Art Supply List" upside down. Great topic and good advice, now to take the suggestions and do it...another story.
LOL! Thank you Helen Schaefer! I appreciate that so much! Of course, I was rushing when I wrote the "Art Supplies List" and it came out "Supples," not "Supplies." LOL!! It's an easy fix, but still a little embarrassing, nonetheless! lol! I'm happy you enjoyed this one and always grateful for your kind feedback! Cheers! :)
Funny! Did you notice it came out as “art Supples”?!?! Spelling isn’t easy, spelling upside down is worse!!
I made a folder with swatches from every paint medium I own, if available I included pigment information. This helps me prevent double purchases, especially since I tend to gravitate towards the same colors. I can check if I already own a color I like, even if by another name yet with the same pigment. I never by new art supplies if I don't have my folder with me.
That's a very smart idea and something I should adopt, myself. Thanks for sharing that, Spryral!
Blick is only mail order for me. Probably good thing. Thanks for all your information. Love to watch your drawings (illustrations) you make it look so easy. Lots and lots of practice.
I appreciate your kind words, Linda Hale, and your time watching this one. I've been doing this for a long time, so it's good to know I've got it down enough to make it look easy! Trust me, I still struggle at times! lol! :)
Linda Hale Blick has a website that you can order from. Great prices on SO MUCH.
@@rioreason Thank you. I do order from Blick and they do have great prices. I would go broke if I had a walk in store to go to. lol
Good now I can get to color my art, thanks to this i can now look for what I really needed especially supplies for coloring and painting
As far as knowing your supplies, I have two items in particular it was easy to duplicate (for me, it is seed beads and watercolor tube paints.) I wound up creating a Google Sheet (which is free online and accessible from most internet devices) spreadsheet for each, with a complete inventory of what I own. It includes colors, part numbers, brands, size even date purchased and price paid. An added bonus is it is easy to add items I might like, creating a shopping/wish list.
Now, when I am shopping for either of these art supplies, I shop and choose my colors, then I pull up my list and put back any that I already have, but first, I snap a photo of all the colors I chose for the project, so I remember what my creative idea was.
Yes, Suzy Scholar! That Google sheet is what saves me from myself! lol! I did a complete inventory last year and was stunned at how much I actually have (especially unfinished sketchbooks). I'm glad you mentioned this and hope others follow your lead, as well! It's a great idea! Thank you for taking your time to watch and for sharing such valuable feedback! Be well! ~ Mark
Great tips! Especially making lists and checking what you already have! Thanks for the video.
Thank you, Viyanea! I'm really happy you enjoyed this one! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and especially your feedback! Cheers! :)
Thanks for teaching high school students. In my city, there are midlle and high school art teachers who do a lot of crafts, and then there are art teachers who teach on a college level. It seems like there is no standard curriculum. Also, there are wealthy districts and poor districts.
I used to shop at our family owned art store. However, they are a lot more expensive. It's frustrating because I've been going there for about 50 years. Serious artists work there!
Thanks for such a great video. I do already follow a number of your tips (thanks for the validation) but learned so many more. It's nice to know there is someone else out there that approaches art supply buying in a similar way.
That's so awesome, Rebecca Beedy! And yes, it's nice to know that me going on about these things is so well received by others who "get it." lol!! Stay well and thank you so much for your time checking this out, and your thoughtful feedback! ~ Mark
Brilliant tips ! The most practically useful ones i have heard from anyone !
I really appreciate your time watching and that you chose to leave feedback, shazia rafat. Thank you for that. I'm very happy you enjoyed this one! Stay well! ~ Mark
As someone who works in an art store - its very hard to avoid some of these! But good perspective to focus on and pool my supplies for sure!
I worked at my art school's bookstore, which was better than most art supply stores. Not only did I get the discount on my books, but it also allowed me to buy things for a little less money than other stores. Of course, back then, Amazon and Blick didn't exist, so it was all luck of the draw for what the stores had! Thank you for checking this one out, Liz Gridley - Artist, and for your thoughtful comment! :)
Well done young man, from this old timer. Those young minds were lucky to benefit from your kindness and talent. I called it a day in spring 2009 after a 38year career in teaching. I spent the majority of that time at the elementary school level teaching either grades 6 and 7. The last 23 years before I retired I had grade 8s. Initially planning to retire i was called into action in the fall of 2006 to fill in until a permanent art teacher was found. 1 semester ended up into 3 more years at the high school level. I found myself in the middle, I replaced a long time teacher like myself and then my immediate predecessor the students had loathed, so I had some very difficult and big shows to fill. By spring 2009, it was time to go, it was my age getting to me. But I throughly enjoyed my victory lap in those final 3 school years. Well done young man as art teachers we afford the students an opportunity to look at the world through creative eyes.
When I worked at ac Moore, I always asked customers what they were going to make with their supplies
I was mostly a stocker, and stockers usually stock one section as their main. For me it was baking.
So I had to learn about lots of other stuff from the people shopping. I'd always see things they'd buy that I had no idea we carried.
This is SO true and glad to have your inside perspective, Lucifer Faust! I've actually heard cashiers say, "oh wow, I didn't we had these!" which makes me laugh and I say, "You should check out what this store carries... something for everyone!" They usually give me a "look." lol! Thank you for watching and your feedback! Much appreciated! :)
My five year old has that the same style of having one eye out of the face floating, I'm sure his teachers will question him doing that but me, I'm just proud he draws as one of my favourite youtube artists
I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this. I have got better at not buying so many supplies that I don't need but I have to admit I still get drawn in by things that sit unused for a long time.
Thank you so much for checking this one out, Diane! I've gotten SO much better, myself, but there are times when I go in and forget to leave the store. lol! I still recall your holiday vlog showcasing Daniel Smith products - I literally went out the next day and bought new paints! lol! I hope all is well with you and you're feeling fabulous! Thank you again! ~ Mark
What an absolutely FANTASTIC video! Great advice and thank you so much for sharing your insights!
Wow, thank you so much for your generous words, C L Aldridge Art! That's really kind of you. Thank you for taking time to watch and especially for those words. Made my day! :)
Thank you for bringing me back to the reality, because i almost bought set of Schmincke for a big piece of money. Really. Thanks!
I pay with a credit card to get the cash back and pay off the balance at the end of the month. That being said, I'm a sucker for a sale, a sucker for paper, and a sucker for art supplies in general. Blick is a 15 to 20 minute drive from my office and I only go there on special occassions.
I also travel for work and I've been known to hit up the hobby stores, especially if it's a store not in the area where I live. The struggle is real.
Thanks for checking this one out, 1 23! I think people who can responsibly manage credit cards are fine, but even I got into trouble when i was young buying too much and trying to pay it off, getting hit with large penalties that just exacerbated the whole thing. Now, I'm wiser and tell my own kids to watch out for credit cards. And yes, "the struggle is real" for sure! lol! :)
Enjoyed your vid and had to laugh a few times :) I live near a Dick Blick (which is a good and bad thing)! I have been a full time artist for over 45 yrs. now and have experienced ALL the things you talked about. I know that I have kept the brush companies in business for many years:) Nothing feels better than buying art supplies!! It is definitely like going into a candy store. I have a small budget so (although I could go to the store every day) I only allow myself to go when absolutely necessary. I definitely make a list and attempt to stay on it :) There are some things that are, for me, a must to go into a store,especially if I want to try something new; like buying brushes. Really helps when you can actually hold it and feel what it is like.... Paper is another one, I want to feel it and look at the texture. But I purchase a lot of my supplies online because, sometimes a better deal but the main reason is that: I have more control over what I purchase :) P.S. I saw you write Supples and thought: oops, wonder when he will see that :) I know that's a mistake I have done :) LOL... Instagram: lindaappleartist
Linda Apple ah yes, the art “supples!” Is like to say it was intentional, but truth be known, I was rushing and goofed up! LOL! It’s okay, an easy fix! I’m grateful for your time watching and happy this resonated with you. I’m exactly the same way in experiencing the tactile feel of my supples. (lol!) If I lived near a Blick store, I’d surely go broke! Thank you again and especially for your wonderful reply! Love to hear about others experiences!!
Oh dear, I'm that person who is last at the till when store is closing! I rarely go to an Art supply shop, so when I do, I'm overwhelmed with all the new goodies. Spend so much time browsing and admiring, then ... it's closing and I can't go home with nothing, can I? Buy something, go home, it's late, tired, hungry and then have a good look at what I bought ... hmm, another rash/rush purchase! Got to stop doing that
p.s. I was fascinated by the pen. Have never seen one like that
Thanks for the feedback, Mo M, and I completely relate. We have no really good art supply stores close by, so when I do make that journey to the city or out of state, I plan to be there for a long time! lol! As for the pen, it's oblique pen, more commonly used in calligraphy. I just love the way it feels. Cheers!!! ~ Mark
@@MDCampbell Thanks
I actually work at a Michaels. And a lot of these points are very true. Even Though i can tell the customer about most of the stuff in fine arts, my managers had no idea we sold gauche and it’s probably why our small location is clearencing it out. But on that same note while I've learned a lot customer will still get angry with me that I don’t know how to cross stitch or how the cricket works. It’s extremely important to do research and hold out for coupons. Another point to add Why it’s important to have a set plan is if you ask an employee like me who likes talking about the products I know about you might get caught up in it and get to the counter with a large bill. A costumer came in during holiday season and was looking for just a pack of copics, paper, and maybe a pencil case. I showed them all the specials, coupons, sales we had and also showed them other options liked the chameleon markers, pigma pens, tombows. They bought almost $300 dollars worth of stuff. It’s not my intention to do this, I just want people to know there’s lots of options and coupons make all the difference. That time I think the coupons got them, there’s was 30% or 40% off all individual markers and they went haywire with the copic cage.
P.s. in the search for great art deals if make a lot of art purchases(big or small) and you have a Michael’s rewards memberships check your email now and then. Sometimes they send me a 50% off all regular price art supplies. And they let you know about the extremely rare case of the entire fine art department being buy one get one free. I know more emails are annoying but I think it’s worth it, plus it’s free.
P.s.s. Idk if anyone is interested but derwent watercolor pencils were on clearance at few locations near me and there was no advertisement for them. 24 pack for I think $25.
Just wow! Such incredible insight, Nixiell! Thank you so much for sharing all that. You are clearly the rarity at that particular store. Most times I go Michael's or AC Moore, it's a struggle to find someone to help me, let alone know what I'm talking about! And thank you for the info on the emails. I have the rewards, but never see them come in m inbox, so I forget about them. Thank you again! So great! ~ Mark
M.D. Campbell you’re welcome! It’s hard to keep people that actually keep people that know the stuff on the floor. If there were an actual art store nearby I’d swap in a heartbeat to work with all of the fancier products but I guess then I’d want to buy them.
A while ago Michael’s was have issues where people weren’t getting the emails but they fix that. So if your still not getting them I’d check to see if the information is correct. Big coupons like those have to do with the frequency of purchases. Like one week there was a 50% one item and since I’m there most of the week so I’d just pick one or two things up each day. It also seems to be mostly the paints that triggered. But you have to log your phone number in with each purchase. Also check for competitors coupons, Joanne’s usually has the best ones.
ha!! that drawing turned out great - love how you made the dad look a little clueless and in a shopping bubble of happiness while all that chaos is around him. You had some great tips. I, for one, don't worry about the store closing because, honestly - I have been known to be in Michael's for HOURS. I mean, I might get there at 2pm and I look at EVERYTHING. The next thing I know - someone is on the loud speaker saying "The store will be closing in XYZ minutes, please bring your purchases to the register." I never "impulse" buy - I buy the things I know I will use. It might not be right away, but I think and plan ahead. I bought a die cutting machine, a Big Shot, long before I every had a reason to use it because I KNEW one day, I would have a need and use for it. I also bought other tools and paper stacks and materials - even though I had no plans to use them at the time. I was working and had the cash. But then I lost my job and that foresight has paid off BIG TIME. Because now I craft and I use the supplies I bought all those years ago. And if I had waited til now - I wouldn't have the money to buy those things. So, I say - don't be afraid of thinking ahead when it's a tool or product that you want. What I hate, and what I see an awful lot of on you tube, is crafters who seem to get the bulk of their pleasure from just doing hauls. I mean - it's a haul here and there and everywhere like every month and you NEVER see them using the things they haul. Its impossible to use all that stuff - yet they keep bringing it in en masse and making videos about it and something about that seems not quite right. It seems compulsive, indulgent, excessive, undisciplined, and screams lack of stewardship. And then they will turn around and do a destash sale. It's crazy. I say buy whatever you want, whenever you want, and pay for it however you want - JUST USE IT! Don't buy it just to fill some emotional void or to keep up with the joneses or to be trendy or to just throw it in a box or bin somewhere. USE IT. Justify spending that money which is the numeric equivalent of someone's sweat or tears working for it. If I had $500 dollars for crafting - I would spend exactly what I wanted to of it whether $50 or the whole $500 because I do look things up, I do have a list of essential tools and products I know would enhance my art, I do know what I am willing to spend on something, I do use coupons, and I shop online as well as in store to find the best deal for me. The only real big mistake anyone can make it to be thoughtless/careless in what they purchase and why. PS - and I laughed at the "Art Supples List" - did you do that on purpose?
Thank you so much for your time spent watching, Today's Special Minis, and your wonderful feedback! That's an amazing story about the die machine and having the unplanned foresight to buy what you did. We never know when job changes or income sources will change. It recently happened to me, too, when I lost a large client of mine. You make so many valid points, here. And no, I didn't mean to write "art supples!" lol! Good eye! I caught it after, and luckily, it's an easy fix. Thank you again, especially for sharing your experience! Cheers! ~ Mark
Great tips.
Also "garage sales" sponsored by small craft stores can be a good place to get items others are destashing. Or it can be dangerous if you're not focused and don't know what you have in your own stash. I keep track of -everything- in Evernote and that helps me a lot in avoiding doubles and even picking up a good buy on something I don't have in my stash but have been wanting. Another good tip for me is to lower my 'impulse point'. Most of us have that "oh it was only" dollar amount for picking up something that catches our eye. If your impulse point is $10 and you see some cute brushes, you might think 'oh that's only $10' and pick it up to regret it later. If your impulse point for the unknown, not on sale, brushes was $5, you wouldn't get it. The impulse point is especially important at garage sales where there is often only one of that item available. I've gotten some great im[ulse items at $3 Canadian and walked away from some $15 items that I later thought I probably should have gotten.
The Mind of Water Color sent me. Hi!
Hey Tim K! Thank you for coming by! Steve Mitchell has become a good friend and someone whom I trust and look up to as both a UA-cam mentor and as a fellow artist and designer. He's amazing and his personality really shines in his work. Glad you're here and grateful for your time! Cheers! :)
I have a strathmore mixed media book with swatches of all my art supplies and a table of contents. If I’m browsing in an art store I bring it along so I don’t accidentally buy the same color twice. Anything I have a complete set of has its own swatch chart and I already know I own every color so I don’t need to bring those along.
That's a brilliant idea, April Brown! I just don't trust those little printed swatch samples they have on the display cases in art supply stores. I've bought paint based on those tiny swatches, got them home, and they looked much different than in the store. Daniel Smith's Potter's Pink is a prime example. Maybe I got a bad batch, but it performs horribly and I was so disappointed with it (feels more painting with jelly and the color is so thin, I rarely use it). Anyhow, thank you for watching and especially for sharing your insight! :)
I learned from my RPG supplies that if I could write it down on a list in my google drive, I did. I've saved myself from buying "Bestiary 6" several times because I keep that list up to date. From that, I started keeping a google drive entry for my supplies as well (usually just sheets lists with what colors/number codes I own) so I could pull it up on my phone and have a pretty good idea of what I already have, or write down exactly what I'm looking for.
Thank you, IceMutt, and it's definitely a great idea and advice to put a supply list on Google to have it on the go! I will probably adopt that myself! :)
@@MDCampbell of course! It only works with some supplies though! I mostly use it on supplies that would actually annoy me to buy duplicates of (looking at those PearlEx pigments).
I'm pretty disciplined. When I go in I have an agenda of getting what I need and that's all!! I do engage with staff and explain issues I'm having and most of the time they are experienced artists who have given me the exact advice/solution I need. I typically shop at specialty art stores for specific things I can't find online or stuff that can't be shipped (chemicals). Craft/Art Chain-stores seem to never have what I need or the staff is not knowledgeable.
I think that's the key to being a successful consumer in any regard: discipline! And yes, engaging an _experienced_ staff member is always beneficial and I always recommend that; however, in most stores I go to, the staff are often students and try to answer questions that they should be deferring to someone else. I don't blame them, of course, I've just learned to be more discerning with whom I engage, now. Respect to everyone, but mostly to myself. Thanks for checking this one out and for your great feedback! I really appreciate that! ~ Mark
Great idea with the big mistakes series! The best part of this video, which falls under the "information" category and is usually watching someone talk and me falling asleep, but you soooo solved that problem, something to watch, other than another talking head! I would have stayed even if you had been talking about cleaning your bathroom. How brilliant - just watching you draw - loved it! Thanks!
lol! Best comment ever, Lc Mann! Thank you! It really was a lot of fun doing the "mistake" video. And yeah, I'll be doing a bathroom cleaning demo in an upcoming video, for sure... kidding!! Thank you so much for check this one out and your thoughtful comments! Made my day! :)
Loved the mistakes (made them all, more than once!!!) and loved the way you presented it!! Very entertaining watching you creating that drawing!! Regards from Argentina!!
Thank you, maventin, and I'm very glad you enjoyed this one!
Where I live, the “mom and pop” shops actually charge less than the the big retailers. E.g the small shop sells Prismacolor pencils for $1.99 each. The big department store, Michaels, sells them for $2.99!
That's a win-win for the artists and the store! Really wish that were the case out here! lol! Thank you, Hillary S Art!! :)
Great tips! I have bought so many things twice! Those things that I can’t return I like to see if a friend can use it, or since I have a two story house, I have paper crafting (huge supply/ die cutting, rubber stamping, inks, handmade books, mixed media stuff, and some jewelry making things) upstairs, and more fine art supplies (huge volume here, too!), better jewelry making supplies, and sewing and quilting supplies downstairs. So, having two of the same things can be a real time saver! (Rationalizing?! Lol!)
I also try to keep an inventory of things (rubber stamps, cutting dies,
watercolor brands and colors I have / plus a wish list) in my phone - has helped tremendously from buying duplicates things.
I love the rationalizing, Paula! lol! But, yes, for many years I kept boxes in my garage of art supplies. To the point where I didn't know what was in many of them. About five years ago, we had a massive yard sale and I opened all those boxes up and found a treasure trove of supplies, that I ended up selling at the yard sale. I figured, "if I haven't used them after this long, maybe someone else can benefit from them." So, that's what I did. Anything that didn't sell, I tossed away as it was too old and not conducive for donating. Anyhow, thank you for checking this one out and grateful, as always, for your thoughts. Hoping all is well on your end! :) ~ Mark
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Exactly I always shop after sales! Especially with holiday sales!
Excellent information!
Thank you, MzClementine! After holidays are the best time to shop, for sure! Glad you enjoyed this one! :)
Great tips. Our only option for buying art supplies in person is Michael's, so I'll go there about once a year in order to get a feel for/try out new things. Sometimes the price is worth it for the experience of being able to hold and test out the art supply. If I'm there and find a new marker, pen, brush, etc. that I like, I'll buy one at their higher price as a courtesy since I got to try and discover the new supply there. Then I'll come home and order online if I want more, or when I need a replacement later. I always go in with a strict budget, knowing I'll be paying a premium.
Thanks for your feedback and for watching this one, Kelli Shaver! That's actually a good idea - shop _for ideas at the store_ and come home to order. I need to start doing that! Good idea! ~ Mark
I price things all the time, online, of course, but at my local stores too. I love to go to my my local fine arts supply store as much or often more than the big national arts/crafts chain stores. One advantage is that the local fine art stores have a lot more products to choose from that can be purchased individually, such as high quality color pencils and markers and even small introductory sets of higher quality brands of paint. Sets of any art supply will only take you so far, and it is wasteful to by another set only to need a couple of colors. I recently purchased a Qor High Chroma (gorgeous colors) introductory WC set at my local fine arts store for about $22.00 but can purchase individual colors as I need. And Michaels has started carrying some Daniel Smith watercolor intro sets and I bought the Mineral Mixing set there for $20 something (can’t remember exactly but it was a nice discount) after using a 40% coupon. I’m really glad that Daniel Smith and other quality paint producers are widely marketing “introduction” WC sets. This is a fabulous way for people to try out quality products without overspending. And then it’s usually easy to find individual colors of quality brands at your local fine art supply store or online as needed.
That's awesome, Nancy Loomis and I totally agree with you about the Daniel Smith marketing. However, I saw they were selling a palette set of colors for about $75 dollars and was SO disappointed to find that the palette/case they came in was terrible. For that kind of money, they should be taking lessons from Prima Marketing, whose paints are wonderful to play with and come in fantastic, quality level tins... for $20 bucks! lol!
I go in and Ohh that is a pretty color, and there is another and hey, a new brand! Then I MUST go buy a super cool expensive brush! I now have as many brushes as I have fishing poles and that is a lot! I can’t stop!
Steve Abbott lol! I know this too well! At one point, my number of expensive brushes rivaled my expensive guitars. Music and art can be the most expensive indoor hobbies. Glad I didn’t get into Formula One racing! Yikes!! ;)
Ironically enough I found this video right after I came back from art supplies shopping. I did well though! The only impulse purchase was a tube of paint and the only reason it even happened was that the store has "buy one, get one 50% off" on these paints, but my shopping list had an odd number of colors. So I just HAD to get myself some Dioxazine Purple.
Ooooooooh!!! I loves me some Dioxazine Purple!! And yes, those Buy One/Get One deals can be really sweet - and usually worth the trip just because of them. We have shoe stores that do that here, and I take advantage of those, as well. I wish grocery stores did them, too. Enjoy that purple paint, Places I've Been and thank you for all your feedback and time with this video. Cheers!! :)
@@MDCampbell How do you use DIoxazine Purple? I bought to use in florals and I can see how it can be useful to add interest to shadows, but I'm sure there are other uses.
@@PlacesWeveBeen it's in my M. Graham set and I use it like any other watercolor, diluting and layering as needed. It's such a beautiful, vibrant color that sometimes, I have to keep myself from using it too much! lol! :)
Yeah! Shopping right after back to school is the best time ;)
I was just buying art supplies today, hahhaha. I would love to see you vlogging in Michaels and buying your supplies with all those coins you’ve saved up. I totally shop with my friends and they do convince me to buy things I don’t need. However, I do keep a list on my phone of my supplies. I’m pretty good at keeping an inventory of my supplies. You also have a really nice pen nib in this video ;) Side note: I was going to read all these comments, but there are so many.
Thank you, so much for checking this one out! I started to record this video in Michael's, but there were people in the aisle and I felt silly trying to talk with people looking at me. lol! As for the pen, it's an oblique pen used primarily for calligraphy, but which works well here because it allows me to record the drawing without my quarter pounder hands getting in the way! lol! :)
My closest art supplies store is about 15 to 20 minute away with bicycle but that's not the cheapest and there is another one but I consider my self lucky that I found it anyway
My nearest store is with car....about 10 minutes? And it is a BIG place. 3 floors full with everything about art, crafting etc. Watercolor, knitting things, decorations, oil, working with cement, acryl, ink, copic marker etc. They have a huge display of german brands (store is in germany), so expensive schmincke, tons of faber castell but they also have white night. They do not have much with resin but I love going there to buy things. They have for example amazing soap to clean pencils and everything with arcyl, watercolor etc. It saved a pencil full of acryl I forgot to clean.
I would probably never leave a store like that. They'd have to call the authorities to come get me out, because I'd say, "But, they have White Nights!" to which the authorities would say, "Really?" and then they'd never leave, either. Oh, it would not be good, I tell you! lol!!! Thanks for sharing, 6Kubik, and you are fortunate to have such a store nearby! Seriously! :)
I love these videos! I might make one to tag a long in the community. So cool. Great advice and well done video, as always. :)
Thank you, Jared! Really glad you enjoyed and YES, you should do one!
@@MDCampbell Okay, I did it. hahaha I couldn't help it. I love the idea so much. You guys are all so awesome. :) Uploading now...