Fun at the Art Shop
I’m back from the art shop.
Why, is this news?
Well…. you can save money from what I learned there, for starters! $100 savings in paper….
Fun, Creative art supplies encaustic color sticks
The Art… of Shopping
I went up to the Oxlades Art Supply shop in the northern suburbs of Perth.
There I found some decent sales items.
First was the good, artist quality 100% cotton rag watercolor paper on sale.
Saunders cold press 300 gsm 10 pack for $70 (Australian)
Saunders cold press works brilliantly.
That was purchase #1
Saunders 100% cotton rag watercolor paper Cold Press
I love Arches paper… BUT
The importers of Arches paper into Australia, sadly have marked up the costs.
It has risen so high now, its beyond feasible, for many of my students.
I understand.
And I can’t honestly say that the Arches at $17.50 per watercolor sheet 300gsm
is really worth $10 more, than the Saunders at $7 per sheet!
That is $100 savings if you purchased this pack of 10 vs buying 10 Arches at $17.50 per sheet.
Purchase #2
20 meter roll of Sumi paper which will come in handy in Term 1 Atwell art course “Expressive: Drawing- Printmaking- Painting.”
I’ve used it before, its sturdy enough for light washes and for printmaking techniques.
It was about $19 or so.
Creative fun art supplies, color, pastels, papers
Purchase #3
I couldn’t resist some Color.
And as we will be doing various drawing and printmaking techniques I chose the Sennelier oil pastels.
Ultra buttery soft, melting onto what ever surface they are applied to.
Superior quality, good price.
Just under $5 Australian.
The Wax encaustic sticks… a bit of an indulgence?
Naples Yellow. Indanthrone blue. Sage green. White. Quinacridone Gold.
Turquoise (or in my mind… cobalt teal)
These colors combine to make a gorgeous palette full of harmony.
As a bonus, they mix together well, to create dozens more color blends.
The series 6 colors were spendy $15 – an indulgence, yes.
Purchase #4
Magnani Pescia is an Italian mouldmade 100% cotton printmaking paper.
My purchase: 3 sheets, tucked into the Saunders bag.
The Magnani is a soft paper, smooth and creamy. Great surface, lovely for lino prints, gelli prints, lithography, woodcuts.
Its fantastic for drawings. For charcoal, pastels, inks.
I was able to buy these for about $7 each.
Purchase #5
The Encaustic metal printing plate. $20.28 purchase price.
I heat it up, then melt the wax sticks on it in whatever design I wish. Place my chosen printmaking paper down on the plate, lift off and voila!
A monoprint is created.
Finally…
All in all, I left the shop spending just a tad over $150.00
I’m sure that’s close to a record low for me, going to a proper art store.
That was a lot of judicious selecting I have to say.
The selecting, is a large part of my enjoyment.
There are so many new items to look at.
So many brilliant colors, papers, pastels, inks.
My eyes seemed to want so much more.
I didn’t need, more though.
It was fun, I had fun. I’m pretty content with what I have.
Hope you enjoyed my trip to the art store, Cheers!
Oxlades Art Supplies Perth Facebook
USA Arches paper 300gsm 10 pack $54.50 $5.40 each