ARAS Guide to Buying Art Supplies
our favourite CANADIAN suppliers:
PLEASE NOTE: All products listed are in stock and available for delivery on the recommended supplier's website as of April 14th, 2020. If items become unavailable due to demand in these uncertain times, we would be happy to recommend alternatives. Please reach out in the comments below. Price changes and delivery are subject to suppliers.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR KIDS
In this list you'll find some of our go-to art supplies for kids and where to buy them.sargent art liquid watercolour
These washable watercolours are concentrated liquids that provide deep colour strength straight from the bottle. Transparent colours and washes can be achieved by diluting with up to four parts water, and we love how easy they are to use.WHERE WE BUY:
Strathmore watercolour paper
As you can tell from our Hub lessons, we are a huge fan of watercolour paper and not just for watercolour painting!WHERE WE BUY:
OUR TOP PICKS FOR adults
Below you will find some our favourite art supplies and where to buy them.curry's value series - 2 pack
We like to use these canvas 2-packs for practice and technique development. They are constructed using sturdy wood frames with a thicker profile than most other student value ranges available, and primed with acrylic gesso.WHERE WE BUY:
FLUID WATERCOLOUR BLOCK
For the serious watercolour painter, this block comes with 15 sheets of 140 lbs watercolour paper. Fluid papers are produced at slow speeds for precise control, resulting in a stronger, more premium-quality paper.WHERE WE BUY:
Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylics set
We like this set because it is perfect for beginners and professionals alike. It offers strong brush-stroke retention and colour mix-ability. It contains the essentials: Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue, Cadmium Red Hue, Permanent Rose, Ultramarine, Cerulean Blue Hue, Phthalo Green, Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber and Titanium White.WHERE WE BUY:
ARAS STUDENT DISCOUNTS
Use promo code roadarts15 at checkout for your Avenue Road Arts School student discount at Deserres!
Comments 4
Hi! This is very helpful. Do you have any recommendations for colouring pencils (pencil crayons( for kids?
Hey Kath!
Staples sells the classic Crayola pencil crayons for kids. But if you were after a slightly higher quality set for your little one, you could start out with Staedtler’s pencil crayons from somewhere like Above Ground Art Supplies for a very reasonable price (https://store.abovegroundartsupplies.com/products/staedtler-triangular-colored-pencil—set-of-24-65177.html). Hope that helps!
This is a terrific list. I’m sure a lot of folks are going to want to know how they can get their materials in time for the first class. What are the delivery schedules like at these suppliers?
Hey Bob!
We’re glad you found it helpful. Delivery times vary by suppliers. For instance, Aboveground has on their site about a 10-business day turnaround for orders. Deserres is 10-15 days. Currys is up to 4 weeks. Gwartzman’s has a minimum 7 business days for orders. We’d recommend checking their sites often or giving them a call before you order.
Good luck shopping!