art

Best Art Supply Stores

- Stephanie Leave a comment

I’m an art supply hoarder. There I said it. If it’s on sale and I could potentially use it in the next 8 months, I’m probably going to purchase it. This mostly goes for pens, canvas, acrylic paint, paint brushes, notebooks and more pens. You should see my office, or more like, room of random piles. I do end up using it all, (eventually)! I want to share a couple of stores from where I like to get my supplies!

I’ve found that if I really need something that is “high-quality artsy” (say, an obscure pen brand or a specific size of canvas or specialty paper) I go to Blick and it will be there. They are my go-to for legit art supplies. They have everything. Plus, they have different versions and brands of everything. They also have great sales, and you can get a member card to save even more.

The only problem is, it takes me about an hour to get to the closest Blick in my area. So if I don’t have the time for that, I go to A.C.Moore. It’s closer to home, and it carries most of the same major art supply brands. It doesn’t have as much of a variety, but it definitely works. A.C.Moore also has a member card and I end up saving a lot with that!

Now, if I am looking for home decor or craft-specific items, like a chalk or oil pen or a variety of chalkboards, I go to Michael’s. They also have a fair amount of scrapbook / paper supplies. Michael’s is like the more homey, crafty version of A.C.Moore. A.C.Moore is the more basic version of Blick. Blick is the bomb.com. They are all important in their own way and I need them all in my life.

That being said, I have stumbled upon some other awesome local art stores with smaller selections of more high-quality products. I try to visit these places every so often because A) I love supporting local and B) I love art stores.

Artist Craftsman in Cambridge – They have a few locations around the US. This one is in a basement and it smells like oil paint when you walk in. If you know oil paint, you know that’s a good smell.
Johnson Paint Company on Newbury – The first floor is an interior/home paint store, but if you go to the top floor you’ll find the art supplies!

All Time Faves: Pens

- Stephanie Leave a comment

I’ve done the research for you. Here are my favorite brands and types of pens for all different lettering situations!

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LETTERING ON PAPER

– ArtWin – The ArtWin double-sided pens are what I use when I am doing a larger piece and need to fill in more space in the letters. The tips are thicker and more flowy, so you get better coverage and spend less time coloring the letters in. These pens are also what I use if I’m lettering over watercolor!

– Sharpie Pen (Fine) – I use these pens when I’m doing loose lettering. The tip is thin and the ink flows well, but I don’t use these for precision, more just for fun or experimenting. They are also my go-to pen for writing in general. So smooth!

– Micron – Micron is my go-to. Their precision can’t be beat and they have all different size pen tips. I tend to buy a range starting from really thick (08) to really, impossibly thin (01), just so I have any type of size I may need while I letter a piece. If we’re keeping track, I do typically stick with the 03 because it’s versatile and usually just what I need.

  • EDIT 2/2/16 – Faber-Castell PITT artists pen and Tombow N15 have recently made their way up into the ranks of my favorite pens! F-C might even top Micron for me!

CHALK LETTERING

– Bistro – I have used MANY a chalk pen and Bistro is definitely my favorite for it’s quality, life-span and price. A lot of chalk pens are like $12, but I can find Bistro at Michaels or A.C.Moore for in the $4 range. And they last a lot longer than other chalk pens, too!

OIL PENS

– Sharpie Oil Pen – These are actually the only oil pens I can find, so I’ve had to adapt. They get clogged if I forget to regularly clean them while I’m working, but overall the ink flows pretty well and the coverage is good. The reason I need the oil pens is to write over acrylic paint on canvas.

WHITE-ON-DARK LETTERING

– Galaxy Marker – I spent months researching and trying to find a good white-on-dark pen. I finally came across the Galaxy Marker. The tip isn’t the most precise, but it definitely shows up on the dark paper (some of the white pens I found just seeped right into it).

– Gelly Roll 08 – Seriously just a white gel pen like we used in 8th grade. This one has a finer tip so it’s good for smaller lettering pieces and details. (not pictured)

– White Gouache – You need to use a brush with this, so it takes a little practice, but know that white gouache is also an option for over dark paper!

So there you go! Try these pens and let me know what you think! OR even better, let me know all your favorite brands on pens to work with!

(none of this is sponsored. I’m just a pen nerd.)