Ways for Visual Artists to Save Money

Purchase in Bulk

For visual artists, purchasing art supplies in bulk can result in considerable financial savings. This approach not only lowers the cost per item but also ensures that you have a steady supply of necessary materials ready when you are. Time is money! Purchasing canvases, paints, and brushes from suppliers like Blick Art Materials in bulk can prove to be economically advantageous.

Let's take canvases, since they are a staple for many visual artists. Buying these in bulk can secure lower prices while ensuring you always have enough on hand. In the same way, large quantities of paints, whether acrylic, oil, or watercolor, allows you to save money per ounce while minimizing the frequency of trips to the art store. Does the cashier at Hobby Lobby know you by name? I bet. Don't forget brushes! Brushes can also be bought in bulk. You might also ask your artist friends to add to your purchase amounts in order to help each other take advantage of bulk prices.

Here are affiliate links to just two of the things that I buy in bulk when possible from Blick Art Materials. Blick is my favorite place to by in bulk. The platform lends itself to bulk purchases.

Acrylic Paint from Blick Art Materials

What I get from here: Golden Artist Acrylic Heavy Body Paints and Sets are amazing! I love the thickness of this paint to create textures, and I can water it down for drippy effects as well. It comes in several sizes to fit your budget, but again, bulk is better. I suggest starting with a large tub of white and/or black. These are basic colors that we use a ton of.

Canvases and wooden panels

The Blick Super Value Wood Panel Packs are my favorite. These are hand sanded smooth 4 mm birchwood surfaces with a sturdy pine cradle. These have a 3/4" profile so that you can hang them with or without a frame. With a healthy range of popular sizes, they lend themselves to many media types and can be used for craft projects as well. I recommend applying 2-3 coats of acrylic gesso primer to prevent cracking, but I’ve never had one crack before. Why paint on wood? It is more durable to ship than canvas. The surface can often be smoother than canvas so you don't get those grid bumps that material often shows. It is definitely a person preference type of thing.

Sales and Discounts

For visual artists looking to save money, strategically taking advantage of sales and discounts is no brainer. One of the best ways to identify seasonal sales is by monitoring retailers such as Blick Art Materials, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Amazon. This is just common sense.

Try subscribing to their newsletters to gain access to exclusive offers. Many art supply retailers provide email subscribers with notifications about upcoming sales, special promotions, and even unique discount codes. By signing up for even two of these newsletters, you can be among the first to learn about limited-time deals and significant markdowns and be knocking at the door in the morning.

Utilizing coupon websites is another frugal way to gain savings on materials. There are websites that aggregate a variety of coupons and discount codes that can be applied at checkout, offering substantial savings on both online and in-store purchases. Regularly checking these sites will enable artists to stay informed about available discounts, including those that may not be widely advertised.

Cost-Effective Tools and Materials

Using cheaper materials can bring on new levels of creativity! When you set aside the notion of using only the best, you may find yourself more willing to take risks. This is so important if you are going to grow as an artist. Experimentation with diverse techniques and tools can lead to unexpected results that may otherwise not occur with more expensive options. Allow yourself the freedom to explore without the financial strain, you may discover your true potential.

A few things I buy cheap:

larger paint brushes from Olly's

Lowe's "OOP's paint - people bring paint back all the time and Lowe's sells it at a discounted price.

Lumaprints is the most cost effective printing I've found so far.

Art Swaps

Yep, an artist garage sale. By organizing or participating in these, you can exchange unused materials, such as paint, brushes, canvases, and other tools and foster a spirit of community. The concept is simple: artists bring supplies they no longer need and trade them for items brought by others or pay for them.

To do this, consider reaching out to local artist groups or guilds to gauge interest. Advertise the event through social media platforms, store bulletin boards, and high schools to attract people. Find a suitable venue, ensuring there’s enough space for everyone to display their items and engage with others.

Set some regulations for labeling items and have a written understanding of how the items will be handled to maintain order during the swap. Include what items can be exchanged and emphasize the need for quality, functional materials. You can also have a checklist of desirable items that artists may want to bring, like unused canvases, art tools, or even prints can be enticing swaps for many.

Niche Down

Instead of doing everything under the sun, stick to the thing you are really good at. You know what I'm talking about, We are creatives, so we want to try all of the things. This requires more materials. Try sticking to one medium and nailing that.

Well I guess it's time for to do some shopping!

This article contains Amazon Affiliate links that I do get a small commission from. I promise to never mislead you about my recommendations which are genuine and feature many of the products that I use myself. It is just one small way to pull in a little extra money to support my many opinions.

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